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Free Lunch #1
Free Lunch
Instead of giving him lunch money, Rex’s mom has signed him up for free meals. As a poor kid in a wealthy school district, better-off kids crowd impatiently behind him as he tries to explain to the cashier that he’s on the free meal program. The lunch lady is hard of hearing, so Rex has to shout.
Free Lunch is the story of Rex’s efforts to navigate his first semester of sixth grade—who to sit with, not being able to join the football team, Halloween in a handmade costume, classmates and a teacher who take one look at him and decide he’s trouble—all while wearing secondhand clothes and being hungry. His mom and her boyfriend are out of work, and life at home is punctuated by outbursts of violence. Halfway through the semester, his family is evicted and ends up in government-subsidized housing in view of the school. Rex lingers at the end of last period every day until the buses have left, so no one will see where he lives.
Unsparing and realistic, Free Lunch is a story of hardship threaded with hope and moments of grace. Rex’s voice is compelling and authentic, and Free Lunch is a true, timely, and essential work that illuminates the lived experience of poverty in America.
Free Lunch is the story of Rex’s efforts to navigate his first semester of sixth grade—who to sit with, not being able to join the football team, Halloween in a handmade costume, classmates and a teacher who take one look at him and decide he’s trouble—all while wearing secondhand clothes and being hungry. His mom and her boyfriend are out of work, and life at home is punctuated by outbursts of violence. Halfway through the semester, his family is evicted and ends up in government-subsidized housing in view of the school. Rex lingers at the end of last period every day until the buses have left, so no one will see where he lives.
Unsparing and realistic, Free Lunch is a story of hardship threaded with hope and moments of grace. Rex’s voice is compelling and authentic, and Free Lunch is a true, timely, and essential work that illuminates the lived experience of poverty in America.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2019
485 people are currently reading
8994 people want to read
About the author
Rex Ogle
64 books575 followersHoly moly! I am so humbled and honored for y'all to read my books. Big hugs to all of ya.
Also, check out graphic novels under my pen name REY TERCIERO.
Bio:
REX OGLE is an award-winning author and the writer of nearly a hundred children’s books, comics, graphic novels, and memoirs—most notably Free Lunch, which won the ALA/YALSA award for Excellence in Non-Fiction.
Born and raised (mostly) in Texas, he moved to New York City after college to intern at Marvel Comics before moving over to DC Comics, Scholastic, and Little Brown Young Readers. As an editor, he championed over a dozen NY Times Bestsellers and worked on (and often wrote) major brands such as X-Men, Justice League, Star Wars, LEGO, Power Rangers, Transformers, Minecraft, Assassin’s Creed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Neil Patrick Harris’s Magic Misfits.
Rex has written under a lot of pen names, including Trey King, Honest Lee, and Rey Terciero (a nickname given by his Abuela, being Español for “third king”, which is apt since Rex is Latin for “king”, and he is the third “Rex” in his family).
Now, Rex lives in Los Angeles where he writes in his spare time—that is, when he’s not outdoors hiking with his dog Toby, playing MarioKart with friends, or reading.
Also, check out graphic novels under my pen name REY TERCIERO.
Bio:
REX OGLE is an award-winning author and the writer of nearly a hundred children’s books, comics, graphic novels, and memoirs—most notably Free Lunch, which won the ALA/YALSA award for Excellence in Non-Fiction.
Born and raised (mostly) in Texas, he moved to New York City after college to intern at Marvel Comics before moving over to DC Comics, Scholastic, and Little Brown Young Readers. As an editor, he championed over a dozen NY Times Bestsellers and worked on (and often wrote) major brands such as X-Men, Justice League, Star Wars, LEGO, Power Rangers, Transformers, Minecraft, Assassin’s Creed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Neil Patrick Harris’s Magic Misfits.
Rex has written under a lot of pen names, including Trey King, Honest Lee, and Rey Terciero (a nickname given by his Abuela, being Español for “third king”, which is apt since Rex is Latin for “king”, and he is the third “Rex” in his family).
Now, Rex lives in Los Angeles where he writes in his spare time—that is, when he’s not outdoors hiking with his dog Toby, playing MarioKart with friends, or reading.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,837 reviews
March 8, 2024
Some minor spoilers...
Rex Ogle's Free Lunch is the true story of his life entering 6th grade. He looks forward to school but has many problems at home, mainly because he comes from a poor family who can barely afford to feed themselves. His mother can't find a job, and his dad is pretty much nonexistent. Perhaps what's worse is that his mother is bitter and treats him poorly.
In truth, Rex has a lot to be angry about; He's often hungry, must fend for himself and care for his little brother without much support, and deal with a whole lot of unfairness in his day to day life. All he wants is to live a normal life, and to not be humiliated at school. As he struggles to navigate all the turmoil, Rex learns some life lessons along the way.
After reading a few reviews for this book, it was obvious I would need to read it for myself first before allowing my younger middle-graders to read it. Many people had flagged it 'not middle-grade' due to some of the profanity. I'll admit I was quite shocked with some of the language use and content, but as I read on, putting this book down was impossible.
What I disliked:
Most of the issues I had with this book (as a middle-grade read) stemmed from the language use. Some of the words used, including spic, wetback, retard, pussy, and various name calling totally turned me off. There's mention of condoms and some other very mild sex-related content. Not only that, there are some very bad character traits in this book, especially from Rex's mother who often calls him stupid and is abusive. There's domestic violence between his mother and another adult in the home, and the story can be extremely negative at times. It appears that Rex's mother views him as nothing but a nuisance quite often, and it's so heartbreaking. As Rex deals with some of the unfairness in his life and heavy emotions, he contemplates hurting others. Could he do it? Should he do it? Also, in the end when certain things work out for the family, the issues that Rex’s mother had never seem to be addressed. Overall, some of this content just seemed too deep for younger readers.
What I liked:
The book is narrated by Rex himself. Because this story is true, it’s honest and realistic, and it shows how poverty affects families--especially children. Rex learns some major lessons in 6th grade. I liked that he was able to think for himself and figure out who his true friends were. Despite all the negativity, he wants to do good and tries to make the best of things. He often has to act as an adult caring for his younger brother, Ford, and he does it...because he knows it's what's right. There's one particular moment in the book where Rex has to share something with Ford, and he does it, because he knows that his little brother needs it more than he does. It brought tears to my eyes. He also deals with bullying (at school and at home) and knows it's wrong. When kids are acting up at school and doing things to hurt others, Rex is concerned about other people and their emotions. He truly wants to be considerate most times. I appreciated the attention to that awareness throughout the story. The story is written so well and it’s easy for younger readers to follow.
In the end, I decided to have my two middle graders read this story. We read it together, and we had some in-depth discussion during and after. With guidance for younger readers who maybe haven't been exposed to some of the content in the story, this is just an amazing, compelling book. It's easy to point out bad character traits and create discussions about that. There are plenty of teachable moments throughout as well. A few funny moments had us laughing, and they ended up liking the book with only minor discomfort during the more violent or negative events. My younger daughter wasn’t convinced with the ending, but to mention why would spoil the book. My personal opinion is that this would still be best labeled as upper middle-grade.
5*****
Rex Ogle's Free Lunch is the true story of his life entering 6th grade. He looks forward to school but has many problems at home, mainly because he comes from a poor family who can barely afford to feed themselves. His mother can't find a job, and his dad is pretty much nonexistent. Perhaps what's worse is that his mother is bitter and treats him poorly.
In truth, Rex has a lot to be angry about; He's often hungry, must fend for himself and care for his little brother without much support, and deal with a whole lot of unfairness in his day to day life. All he wants is to live a normal life, and to not be humiliated at school. As he struggles to navigate all the turmoil, Rex learns some life lessons along the way.
After reading a few reviews for this book, it was obvious I would need to read it for myself first before allowing my younger middle-graders to read it. Many people had flagged it 'not middle-grade' due to some of the profanity. I'll admit I was quite shocked with some of the language use and content, but as I read on, putting this book down was impossible.
What I disliked:
Most of the issues I had with this book (as a middle-grade read) stemmed from the language use. Some of the words used, including spic, wetback, retard, pussy, and various name calling totally turned me off. There's mention of condoms and some other very mild sex-related content. Not only that, there are some very bad character traits in this book, especially from Rex's mother who often calls him stupid and is abusive. There's domestic violence between his mother and another adult in the home, and the story can be extremely negative at times. It appears that Rex's mother views him as nothing but a nuisance quite often, and it's so heartbreaking. As Rex deals with some of the unfairness in his life and heavy emotions, he contemplates hurting others. Could he do it? Should he do it? Also, in the end when certain things work out for the family, the issues that Rex’s mother had never seem to be addressed. Overall, some of this content just seemed too deep for younger readers.
What I liked:
The book is narrated by Rex himself. Because this story is true, it’s honest and realistic, and it shows how poverty affects families--especially children. Rex learns some major lessons in 6th grade. I liked that he was able to think for himself and figure out who his true friends were. Despite all the negativity, he wants to do good and tries to make the best of things. He often has to act as an adult caring for his younger brother, Ford, and he does it...because he knows it's what's right. There's one particular moment in the book where Rex has to share something with Ford, and he does it, because he knows that his little brother needs it more than he does. It brought tears to my eyes. He also deals with bullying (at school and at home) and knows it's wrong. When kids are acting up at school and doing things to hurt others, Rex is concerned about other people and their emotions. He truly wants to be considerate most times. I appreciated the attention to that awareness throughout the story. The story is written so well and it’s easy for younger readers to follow.
In the end, I decided to have my two middle graders read this story. We read it together, and we had some in-depth discussion during and after. With guidance for younger readers who maybe haven't been exposed to some of the content in the story, this is just an amazing, compelling book. It's easy to point out bad character traits and create discussions about that. There are plenty of teachable moments throughout as well. A few funny moments had us laughing, and they ended up liking the book with only minor discomfort during the more violent or negative events. My younger daughter wasn’t convinced with the ending, but to mention why would spoil the book. My personal opinion is that this would still be best labeled as upper middle-grade.
5*****
October 6, 2019
When I was five, my family went to dinner at a sit-down restaurant (a rare thing for us) and my parents made an announcement. My mom was pregnant. My sisters and I were going to have a baby brother. I could've learned I was going to get a new Barbie each day for the rest of my life and I wouldn't have been as excited. This was the best news in the world, right? My oldest sister was not so happy. In that cutting way teen girls have, her immediate response was a sneer: "Does that mean we're going to have to go back on food stamps?" I didn't know what food stamps were then, but I certainly could tell by her tone they were something awful. I didn't even know we were poor, but some creeping feeling began at that moment, when our little corner of the restaurant was hot with silent anger, and then never let go. When my dad died a few months later, I would learn what it really meant to be to be poor.
This, my earliest memory of poverty, is vivid 30-plus years later, and it comes at me like a small fist while reading Free Lunch. It's the sort of acutely painful past Ogle relentlessly mines in his novelistic memoir, told through the compelling voice of his younger, most vulnerable self. The ill-fitting secondhand clothes, the embarrassment of being on the free lunch roster on the cafeteria line, and, of course, the food stamps. I'm surprised to see it all laid out so plainly and honestly, without a touch of romanticism, in a children's book.
While the book was a page turner for me, I can't imagine most kids will pick it up on a whim, or stick with it if they do. It will take hand-selling--the right grownup introducing it to the right kid at the right time. It's a tough read--especially in its unflinching portrayal of domestic violence--though hopefully an enlightening one for some young readers and a validating one for others.
What Ogle truly excels at is illustrating just how inextricably bound poverty is with shame, fear, and, especially, anger. Highly recommended.
This, my earliest memory of poverty, is vivid 30-plus years later, and it comes at me like a small fist while reading Free Lunch. It's the sort of acutely painful past Ogle relentlessly mines in his novelistic memoir, told through the compelling voice of his younger, most vulnerable self. The ill-fitting secondhand clothes, the embarrassment of being on the free lunch roster on the cafeteria line, and, of course, the food stamps. I'm surprised to see it all laid out so plainly and honestly, without a touch of romanticism, in a children's book.
While the book was a page turner for me, I can't imagine most kids will pick it up on a whim, or stick with it if they do. It will take hand-selling--the right grownup introducing it to the right kid at the right time. It's a tough read--especially in its unflinching portrayal of domestic violence--though hopefully an enlightening one for some young readers and a validating one for others.
What Ogle truly excels at is illustrating just how inextricably bound poverty is with shame, fear, and, especially, anger. Highly recommended.
November 27, 2019
This is exceptionally well written; it is funny, thought-provoking, and completely heartbreaking. Why then did I give it 2 stars...while contemplating giving it 1? It gets an extra point for great writing. Otherwise, the sheer fact that at the end the author does not talk about if your parents are abusing you that is NOT okay. They beat him, abandoned him and his brother for days alone (the first time when he was 9 and his brother was 2) with no phone and not enough food. THIS IS ABUSE AND NOT OKAY!!! The back of the book should of included information about what to do if you find yourself or friends in a similar situations not some sweetly written chapter about how his life got so much better when he realized that he was the problem. Once he just internalizes the abuse and becomes the perfect son the abuse stopped (as it coincided with both parents finally being employed at the same time).
Like I said the writing was great but the end message is such rubbish that I just feel bad for Rex Ogle and hope that he knows he did not do anything to deserve the abuse from his parents or teachers or anyone. I'm sorry that was your life but please don't glorify it and sell it like it's a teachable moment to kids on how to be a better child.
If you read this book and you're going through the same things with your parents, grandparents, caregivers then here are some child abuse hotlines:
In the U.S. or Canada: Call Childhelp at 1-800-422-4453 or visit Child Welfare Information Gateway>
UK: Call NSPCC Childline at 0800 1111
Australia: Visit CAPS for a hotline in your state
New Zealand: Call Kidsline at 0800 54 37 54
Other international helplines: Visit Child Helpline International
Like I said the writing was great but the end message is such rubbish that I just feel bad for Rex Ogle and hope that he knows he did not do anything to deserve the abuse from his parents or teachers or anyone. I'm sorry that was your life but please don't glorify it and sell it like it's a teachable moment to kids on how to be a better child.
If you read this book and you're going through the same things with your parents, grandparents, caregivers then here are some child abuse hotlines:
In the U.S. or Canada: Call Childhelp at 1-800-422-4453 or visit Child Welfare Information Gateway>
UK: Call NSPCC Childline at 0800 1111
Australia: Visit CAPS for a hotline in your state
New Zealand: Call Kidsline at 0800 54 37 54
Other international helplines: Visit Child Helpline International
October 14, 2023
FREE LUNCH is a powerful memoir where the author relived his first semester of sixth grade and the struggles and feelings of shame he experienced while living with food insecurity, emotional and physical abuse, and the realities of a system where children, by lottery of birth, find themselves constantly hungry, angry, shamed, treated differently, while having to sit in class next to children who have everything. What struck me especially about this was the inescapability of Rex’s situation. No magic solutions. No fairy godmothers. There has been a lot in the news lately about awareness over lunch debt. That scene at the Walmart with Rex and his mom where they tried to buy school supplies, the scene with his grandmother, scene after scene brought tears to my eyes. I was impressed with the way that even when the author could make me really dislike a character, he managed to paint them with a slightly redeeming side, too. This was really well written.
Trigger Warnings:
Trigger Warnings:
January 8, 2024
Anybody who knows me personally will understand that when I say 'this book understands and specifically addresses what Stephen King means to poor kids with excellent reading comprehension", that means I will stan it for life.
Other than that tho, Rex Ogle is a hero for really sharing what it felt like for him in 6th grade. His anger, his sadness, his shame, and his strength in the face of what seemed like a totally uncaring world. Rex is angry with God, and you can't really blame him.
I am especially touched by the exquisite details present, and the stuff nobody talks about that everybody knows about. The choking game is present in detail, folks. (and duly rejected by our hero, thank goodness).
Also, the ending is realistic. Rex begins to realize he can only control his response to his circumstances, he has and he has the best possible Christmas for poor kids in the late 80s.
Librarians, leave this book lying around face out very casually. Buy many copies. Replace often. For the love of pete, don't hand it to any kids who you know need it. They'll find it. Misshelve one over by the Stephen King.
Other than that tho, Rex Ogle is a hero for really sharing what it felt like for him in 6th grade. His anger, his sadness, his shame, and his strength in the face of what seemed like a totally uncaring world. Rex is angry with God, and you can't really blame him.
I am especially touched by the exquisite details present, and the stuff nobody talks about that everybody knows about. The choking game is present in detail, folks. (and duly rejected by our hero, thank goodness).
Also, the ending is realistic. Rex begins to realize he can only control his response to his circumstances, he has and he has the best possible Christmas for poor kids in the late 80s.
Librarians, leave this book lying around face out very casually. Buy many copies. Replace often. For the love of pete, don't hand it to any kids who you know need it. They'll find it. Misshelve one over by the Stephen King.
March 4, 2025
Rex Ogle’s Free Lunch is the kind of book that leaves an imprint on your soul. It is a memoir of Rex’s childhood; one that is shaped by poverty, uncertainty, and abuse. Yet more than that, it is a story about resilience and the quiet strength of children who are forced to grow up too soon.
From the very first page, I saw myself in Rex. The way he constantly had to gauge his mother‘s mood, walking on eggshells to avoid setting her off. The way he shouldered responsibilities no child should have to bear— Taking care of his baby brother for days on end when he himself was only 10 years old, having to be a parent to his own mother in the midst of her abuse.
Free Lunch does not sugarcoat anything. It is brutally honest about what it means to be a child living below the poverty line. Of impossible choices and silent sacrifices.
What struck me the most was how deeply this book understands the psychological toll of growing up in an unpredictable home. The hyper vigilance that one needs to develop in order to survive. The way that poverty forces kids to mature faster than their peers, not out of ambition, but out of sheer necessity. The way that survival becomes second nature .
Rex’s story is heartbreaking, but it is necessary. We often talk about poverty and abstract terms, yet this book makes it personal. It forces the reader to feel it right along with Rex, and that’s what is most powerful.
it was the first time an authors note made me tear up.
At just under 200 pages, Free Lunch is a short read, but the impact lingers long after you have turned the last page. If you have ever struggled with feeling unseen, unheard, or simply less than; this book will hit you like a gut punch. And if you haven’t, read it anyway, because stories like Rex’s deserve to be heard .
From the very first page, I saw myself in Rex. The way he constantly had to gauge his mother‘s mood, walking on eggshells to avoid setting her off. The way he shouldered responsibilities no child should have to bear— Taking care of his baby brother for days on end when he himself was only 10 years old, having to be a parent to his own mother in the midst of her abuse.
Free Lunch does not sugarcoat anything. It is brutally honest about what it means to be a child living below the poverty line. Of impossible choices and silent sacrifices.
What struck me the most was how deeply this book understands the psychological toll of growing up in an unpredictable home. The hyper vigilance that one needs to develop in order to survive. The way that poverty forces kids to mature faster than their peers, not out of ambition, but out of sheer necessity. The way that survival becomes second nature .
Rex’s story is heartbreaking, but it is necessary. We often talk about poverty and abstract terms, yet this book makes it personal. It forces the reader to feel it right along with Rex, and that’s what is most powerful.
it was the first time an authors note made me tear up.
At just under 200 pages, Free Lunch is a short read, but the impact lingers long after you have turned the last page. If you have ever struggled with feeling unseen, unheard, or simply less than; this book will hit you like a gut punch. And if you haven’t, read it anyway, because stories like Rex’s deserve to be heard .
March 28, 2020
Book talking this nonfiction book is going to be SO EASY. I am eager to see student reactions to this honest portrayal of a child growing up impoverished.
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The most powerful part of FREE LUNCH is the way Ogle shows how poverty makes everything worse and how difficult it is to dig out of debt. The abuse, bullying, hunger and humiliation Ogle endures is intense, but a realistic portrayal of the difficulties many children in America face. .
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“Sometimes, I hate my mom so much. Like when she’s hitting me. Or just being really cruel. But when she cries? I can’t. I just can’t hate her ‘cause it’s like she’s hurting so bad I don’t understand.”
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Grades 6+. 5
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The most powerful part of FREE LUNCH is the way Ogle shows how poverty makes everything worse and how difficult it is to dig out of debt. The abuse, bullying, hunger and humiliation Ogle endures is intense, but a realistic portrayal of the difficulties many children in America face. .
.
.
“Sometimes, I hate my mom so much. Like when she’s hitting me. Or just being really cruel. But when she cries? I can’t. I just can’t hate her ‘cause it’s like she’s hurting so bad I don’t understand.”
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Grades 6+. 5
June 24, 2019
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book deals with Rex Ogle's childhood (specifically the first half of 6th grade - the start of middle school) and his shame of being on the free lunch program. In the author notes at the end, he mentions that he wanted to write this book because he doesn't remember seeing books like this growing up, how alone he felt because he didn't know that other people were dealing with the same problems, carrying the same shame. There's a stigma about being poor but "no child should feel like they are worth less because of the situation they were born into". He did a decent job tackling the subject and this book definitely helps shine a light on the psyche of the children who are on the free lunch program.
In May of this year a school district in Rhode Island decided to tackle their school lunch debt issue by giving unpaid bills only one option for their lunches - sunflower butter and jelly sandwiches. Obviously public pressure and a sizeable donation from Chobani forced the district to reverse that decision. The thing is, this is only the most recent (that got national attention) in a long line of lunch shaming of students. Here's an article about an elementary school in Alabama stamping kids that were in lunch debt. Here's an article about a school in Utah where the kids lunches were thrown out in front of everyone at the checkout because they had an outstanding balance. This is an article that is about lunch shaming in general. Every time some bureaucrat talks about the importance of the budget and district finances, they're forgetting that there are actual consequences to their decisions. The shaming that leads to ostracizing and bullying; or the impact of low nutritious value foods on children. And that's not even talking about how those things impact a child emotionally and psychologically and how that sticks with them. I think it's great that this book brings the conversation out into the open because it doesn't shy away from how Rex felt being on the program or how he desperately tried to hide it from people.
The book also deals with the emotional and physical abuse that Rex experienced growing up. Both his mother and her boyfriend were volatile and violent and snapped at a moments notice. Rex doesn't sugarcoat any of it, nor does he try to "adult" his feelings. As an adult reader, you know that the parents are clearly in the wrong, but 6th grade Rex is going to feel that he's in the wrong for daring to ask for pens and pencils for school, 6th grade Rex is going to think he deserves the black eyes, 6th grade Rex is going to hear the ridiculously abuse things that's being hurled at him and internalize it. As much as you want there to be a "realization" within the book, it's clearly unrealistic - heart breakingly so. I know this is autobiographical, and also that he wanted to end it on a more positive note where there is more stability in their lives and things are looking up. But the thing is, it's almost sad knowing that the happiness will be short lived because nothing about his mother or her boyfriend at a deeper level has changed.
This book deals with Rex Ogle's childhood (specifically the first half of 6th grade - the start of middle school) and his shame of being on the free lunch program. In the author notes at the end, he mentions that he wanted to write this book because he doesn't remember seeing books like this growing up, how alone he felt because he didn't know that other people were dealing with the same problems, carrying the same shame. There's a stigma about being poor but "no child should feel like they are worth less because of the situation they were born into". He did a decent job tackling the subject and this book definitely helps shine a light on the psyche of the children who are on the free lunch program.
In May of this year a school district in Rhode Island decided to tackle their school lunch debt issue by giving unpaid bills only one option for their lunches - sunflower butter and jelly sandwiches. Obviously public pressure and a sizeable donation from Chobani forced the district to reverse that decision. The thing is, this is only the most recent (that got national attention) in a long line of lunch shaming of students. Here's an article about an elementary school in Alabama stamping kids that were in lunch debt. Here's an article about a school in Utah where the kids lunches were thrown out in front of everyone at the checkout because they had an outstanding balance. This is an article that is about lunch shaming in general. Every time some bureaucrat talks about the importance of the budget and district finances, they're forgetting that there are actual consequences to their decisions. The shaming that leads to ostracizing and bullying; or the impact of low nutritious value foods on children. And that's not even talking about how those things impact a child emotionally and psychologically and how that sticks with them. I think it's great that this book brings the conversation out into the open because it doesn't shy away from how Rex felt being on the program or how he desperately tried to hide it from people.
The book also deals with the emotional and physical abuse that Rex experienced growing up. Both his mother and her boyfriend were volatile and violent and snapped at a moments notice. Rex doesn't sugarcoat any of it, nor does he try to "adult" his feelings. As an adult reader, you know that the parents are clearly in the wrong, but 6th grade Rex is going to feel that he's in the wrong for daring to ask for pens and pencils for school, 6th grade Rex is going to think he deserves the black eyes, 6th grade Rex is going to hear the ridiculously abuse things that's being hurled at him and internalize it. As much as you want there to be a "realization" within the book, it's clearly unrealistic - heart breakingly so. I know this is autobiographical, and also that he wanted to end it on a more positive note where there is more stability in their lives and things are looking up. But the thing is, it's almost sad knowing that the happiness will be short lived because nothing about his mother or her boyfriend at a deeper level has changed.
March 11, 2025
Touted as a book that will help middle school students empathize with people in poverty, this book became a selection for our middle school Battle of the Books club. I read all the books on the list, so I had to finish this even though it was very difficult to read.
It is experiences like Rex’s that led to all of the laws we have, at least in New York State, regarding respect for the the privacy of students receiving free lunch. Everything that happened to Rex just seemed like it was on another planet, something that couldn’t possibly happen today. I am assuming that I am totally wrong on this, but some things have definitely changed and are within our control now in schools such as protecting kids from having to admit they are on the free lunch program. Also, teachers are mandated reporters and hopefully would notice and report the physical abuse that Rex experienced at the hands of his parents on an almost daily basis. And I’m pretty sure that, at least in our district, if a kid came to school with his toes exposed out of his shoes, everyone would gather around to help make sure the kid had clothing and shoes via donations.
The story was well told, and is very accessible and eye-opening to middle school students. I would not recommend it for anyone younger than seventh grade, maybe sixth for mature readers. It was a little too simple to be a must-read for adults. I’d say I got just as much understanding of the cycle of poverty in many other adult books, but the audience for this is truly middle school and possibly high school students.
Do you know what kills me? The author never discovers or explains in any way to this audience that everything he experienced at home was not acceptable or legal. He never learns or mentions that he had wished he had learned to tell a trusted adult what was happening. If I were an abused child and read this, I might feel less alone, but there was no guidance in this role model to seek help or expose the abuse. In fact, it seems like abusive parents with serious mental health problems will just magically become good parents if they get a good job. As an adult, I know that everything is not solved by getting a new job, but children won’t understand that, and they certainly won’t learn it from this book.
I’m glad Rex shared his story, and I’m glad I have it in my library, but I feel he has missed an opportunity to provide any direction to kids who may suffer the way he did. And since he dropped the ball, at least the publishing company should have picked it up and included an end note or something.
Kids, if you identify with this author, know that it is against the law for your parents to do just about every single thing that happened in this book except for the ending. There are helpful adults in your community who can help get you the support you need if your parents are not providing for your basic needs or are physically abusing you. Talk to a trusted adult. All children are worthy of love and nurturing, no matter what they say or do.
It is experiences like Rex’s that led to all of the laws we have, at least in New York State, regarding respect for the the privacy of students receiving free lunch. Everything that happened to Rex just seemed like it was on another planet, something that couldn’t possibly happen today. I am assuming that I am totally wrong on this, but some things have definitely changed and are within our control now in schools such as protecting kids from having to admit they are on the free lunch program. Also, teachers are mandated reporters and hopefully would notice and report the physical abuse that Rex experienced at the hands of his parents on an almost daily basis. And I’m pretty sure that, at least in our district, if a kid came to school with his toes exposed out of his shoes, everyone would gather around to help make sure the kid had clothing and shoes via donations.
The story was well told, and is very accessible and eye-opening to middle school students. I would not recommend it for anyone younger than seventh grade, maybe sixth for mature readers. It was a little too simple to be a must-read for adults. I’d say I got just as much understanding of the cycle of poverty in many other adult books, but the audience for this is truly middle school and possibly high school students.
Do you know what kills me? The author never discovers or explains in any way to this audience that everything he experienced at home was not acceptable or legal. He never learns or mentions that he had wished he had learned to tell a trusted adult what was happening. If I were an abused child and read this, I might feel less alone, but there was no guidance in this role model to seek help or expose the abuse. In fact, it seems like abusive parents with serious mental health problems will just magically become good parents if they get a good job. As an adult, I know that everything is not solved by getting a new job, but children won’t understand that, and they certainly won’t learn it from this book.
I’m glad Rex shared his story, and I’m glad I have it in my library, but I feel he has missed an opportunity to provide any direction to kids who may suffer the way he did. And since he dropped the ball, at least the publishing company should have picked it up and included an end note or something.
Kids, if you identify with this author, know that it is against the law for your parents to do just about every single thing that happened in this book except for the ending. There are helpful adults in your community who can help get you the support you need if your parents are not providing for your basic needs or are physically abusing you. Talk to a trusted adult. All children are worthy of love and nurturing, no matter what they say or do.
August 2, 2019
In this emotionally visceral, brutally honest memoir, Rex Ogle tells the story of his first semester in sixth grade. He and his baby brother often went hungry, wore secondhand clothes, and were short of school supplies. His mother is cruel and abusive, and his stepfather violently abusive to his mother. Humiliated, Rex is desperate to keep secret from his schoolmates that he is on the free lunch program and living in government subsidized housing. A harsh, painfully realistic look at poverty through the eyes of a child with some welcome reprieves of compassion and optimism. A exceptionally crafted story worthy of a wide audience.
June 29, 2025
A brutal read as a bitter and angry woman buckles under the weight of adulthood and punches down at her son, author Rex Ogle, to feel less powerless. Ogle has his own burdens to bear as a middle schooler, but he at least tries not to repeat the cycle as he comes to terms with his own anger.
This book retroactively makes his graphic novel, Four Eyes: A Graphic Novel feel weird, since this aspect of his mother is not present there, and I actually found her likable and even protective.
I plan to read the rest of the books in Ogle's series of memoirs.
This book retroactively makes his graphic novel, Four Eyes: A Graphic Novel feel weird, since this aspect of his mother is not present there, and I actually found her likable and even protective.
I plan to read the rest of the books in Ogle's series of memoirs.
May 30, 2021
The prose is clunky and a slog to get through, and there is nothing redeeming around the corner to make the journey worthwhile. Prospective readers should be aware that there is a fair amount of racist and homophobic slurs, and constant child abuse that is never addressed. It ends with the deeply troubling messaging that things are going to get better because his abusive parents now have jobs, and he just needs to be a better person himself and forgive them because things aren’t “black and white". While this a very common thought-process of someone who is abused at any age, its deeply disappointing that this is never contradicted within the narrative.
July 21, 2019
It seems that there's been an increase in the middle-grade memoir market but maybe that's just me. Rex Ogle's no-holds-barred book about poverty, hunger, child abuse, and domestic violence in America is a gripping read. If every child doesn't read it—every teacher and politician should.
August 25, 2020
I don't think NOW was the right time to read this book. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate Ogle's writing about this particular period in his life, but reading it while all of our students are at home...on COVID-19 lock down, increases my anxiety.
This is what I mean. For example, in the chapter called "Free Reading" Ogle writes, "I never want to be at home. Aside from Ford, there's nothing good there. I'd rather be at school. Here, I don't think about all the bad stuff with Mom and Sam." and then "That's why I like school. It's safe. At school, I don't think about home. I think about classes and friends or whatever. I think about art class and skateboarding and what movies everyone is talking about. I think about making good grades or being cool or popular, even though I'm not. I think about ways to keep my secret, so no one knows how stupid-poor I am."
I can't help but wonder about all of those students who are no longer attending classes who might be in the same situation as what Olge writes about.
This is what I mean. For example, in the chapter called "Free Reading" Ogle writes, "I never want to be at home. Aside from Ford, there's nothing good there. I'd rather be at school. Here, I don't think about all the bad stuff with Mom and Sam." and then "That's why I like school. It's safe. At school, I don't think about home. I think about classes and friends or whatever. I think about art class and skateboarding and what movies everyone is talking about. I think about making good grades or being cool or popular, even though I'm not. I think about ways to keep my secret, so no one knows how stupid-poor I am."
I can't help but wonder about all of those students who are no longer attending classes who might be in the same situation as what Olge writes about.
March 23, 2020
I loved this book! Ogle writes an unflinching memoir about the first half of his sixth grade year. At first I was reading from my adult viewpoint but as I continued to read I was easily taken into the mind of this sixth grader. I say that to point out how, at first, it seemed that the characterizations were exaggerated but then they became more real and believable---and relatable. Ogle’s observations, emotions, and the way he dealt with his situation are heartbreaking and at times uplifting. Certainly eye opening. I recommend this story for older children and adults also.
Reviewed by Louise, librarian
Find it at the library here.
Reviewed by Louise, librarian
Find it at the library here.
December 23, 2019
Draining and brutal. In a year of sad stories this felt more readable, more genuine, and more hopeful than most of the fiction I've come across. I think because it is Ogle own story, even though he was victimized by his family's poverty, both physically and psychologically, he never rolled-over and gave-in or basked in the unfairness of it all. Sometimes he raged at it. Ultimately he saw beyond it and was able to look outside of just how it effected him. I'm not sure I would hand this to a child in poverty but it is important 'windows' book as some of my very well-off students have let me know.
July 28, 2019
This is a bigraphical story about a boy growing up in poverty. The story tells about being hungry, wearing second hand clothes and wishing,wishing ,wishing for the kinds of things other kids take for granted. It also talks about being really angry sometimes about circumstances beyond his control. I really liked the story and the sharing of Rex's experience, but the ending left me a little cold.
January 16, 2023
Still powerful after a re-read.
Heartbreaking at times, this memoir tell's of Ogle's childhood, being poor, having to participate in the free lunch program and having an abusive household. But this book was not totally without hope. I recommend it.
Heartbreaking at times, this memoir tell's of Ogle's childhood, being poor, having to participate in the free lunch program and having an abusive household. But this book was not totally without hope. I recommend it.
February 13, 2023
5 star Middle Grade read. Some heavier topics for middle grade readers, but could lead to good discussions to read together.
October 7, 2019
This book was devastating. It 110% shows what it's like growing up poor, with abusive parents, and feeling like no one cares. This book, while it's a true depiction and I agree that kids need to have a vision of their life to cling to in times of need, is almost too real and depressing for Juvenile Non-Fiction, where it is shelved at your local library.
The first day of school, he goes to school with a black eye his mother gave him. His friends abandon him after they join the football team (that he was almost allowed to join until stepdad beat up his mom). He is saved by grandma on thanksgiving with new clothes and food, only to have his crazy mother throw it all out while they were unaware. The kids even had to give back the new clothes. This turned my stomach. It made me realize that my childhood (parental drug use, abuse (spousal), and neglect) was bad, it wasn't this bad. My parents never would have let me go to bed hungry if they could have helped it, nor would they have turned away charity from their parents (and we did get it quite a few times).
It does realistically show the downward spiral that families go into when joblessness becomes an everyday reality for a parent. It shows the resentfulness the working parent goes through. BUT something that isn't normal is just how "off" this mother acted. I, personally, am bipolar. I think his mother was too. She had her highs where she cleaned obsessively, loved stepdad and little son obsessively, and where she'd go out digging for discounts, job hunting, etc. But she had LOW LOWs too where she'd cry like someone died, she'd hide, she'd blame others. She was also always ANGRY. And while I do understand, anger is a thing with people in poverty (I lived that too, remember?), this woman's anger was very extra. She was beyond angry, and at her eldest son. The hate she had for him was unreal.
I was unsure of how this book was going to end. I wanted mama to find out she had a problem. I wanted mama to kick out bad stepdad. I wanted grandma to save the kids (but like my grandparents, she left them in the situation). This book ended fast and almost unsatisfyingly. It ended with mama getting a job and her being very happy and the family getting to eat at the buffet where she was recently employed. I was waiting on the other shoe to drop when I turned the next to last page. But instead, it was more "happily ever afters." I know that his life wasn't perfect after that (I read his afterword, etc). But still...
I don't really know how to feel about the book as a whole. It put me back into a bad place, but it also made me appreciative that my life wasn't worse. It made me feel horrible for the kids that went through worse. I cried when horrible things happened to the eldest. Turned pages in fear, praying nothing worse was going to happen.... Then it's over. *snaps fingers* Just like that. I'm just left hanging and I'm at a "what just happened" point. While the story was good, the timeline we're dropped into is seamless, that's just it. We're dropped into one set point in time, no real buildup, and no real letdown. It's a moment in time that we live with the eldest boy and his turmoil. I think things could have been done better, but frankly, it was still "good (quotes b/c this story is horrible, but it was done decently)" I'm so impressed that this child survived and is now a successful adult. He truly beat odds that were stacked against him so hard. Good job. Good job. I, too, am working, functional adult. But, unlike the author, I am living in poverty still. It's a hard cycle to get out of. Many of us die trying.
The first day of school, he goes to school with a black eye his mother gave him. His friends abandon him after they join the football team (that he was almost allowed to join until stepdad beat up his mom). He is saved by grandma on thanksgiving with new clothes and food, only to have his crazy mother throw it all out while they were unaware. The kids even had to give back the new clothes. This turned my stomach. It made me realize that my childhood (parental drug use, abuse (spousal), and neglect) was bad, it wasn't this bad. My parents never would have let me go to bed hungry if they could have helped it, nor would they have turned away charity from their parents (and we did get it quite a few times).
It does realistically show the downward spiral that families go into when joblessness becomes an everyday reality for a parent. It shows the resentfulness the working parent goes through. BUT something that isn't normal is just how "off" this mother acted. I, personally, am bipolar. I think his mother was too. She had her highs where she cleaned obsessively, loved stepdad and little son obsessively, and where she'd go out digging for discounts, job hunting, etc. But she had LOW LOWs too where she'd cry like someone died, she'd hide, she'd blame others. She was also always ANGRY. And while I do understand, anger is a thing with people in poverty (I lived that too, remember?), this woman's anger was very extra. She was beyond angry, and at her eldest son. The hate she had for him was unreal.
I was unsure of how this book was going to end. I wanted mama to find out she had a problem. I wanted mama to kick out bad stepdad. I wanted grandma to save the kids (but like my grandparents, she left them in the situation). This book ended fast and almost unsatisfyingly. It ended with mama getting a job and her being very happy and the family getting to eat at the buffet where she was recently employed. I was waiting on the other shoe to drop when I turned the next to last page. But instead, it was more "happily ever afters." I know that his life wasn't perfect after that (I read his afterword, etc). But still...
I don't really know how to feel about the book as a whole. It put me back into a bad place, but it also made me appreciative that my life wasn't worse. It made me feel horrible for the kids that went through worse. I cried when horrible things happened to the eldest. Turned pages in fear, praying nothing worse was going to happen.... Then it's over. *snaps fingers* Just like that. I'm just left hanging and I'm at a "what just happened" point. While the story was good, the timeline we're dropped into is seamless, that's just it. We're dropped into one set point in time, no real buildup, and no real letdown. It's a moment in time that we live with the eldest boy and his turmoil. I think things could have been done better, but frankly, it was still "good (quotes b/c this story is horrible, but it was done decently)" I'm so impressed that this child survived and is now a successful adult. He truly beat odds that were stacked against him so hard. Good job. Good job. I, too, am working, functional adult. But, unlike the author, I am living in poverty still. It's a hard cycle to get out of. Many of us die trying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2020
I was so disappointed by the bitter didactic adult tone shining through every line of this memoir. And no wonder, the author never seems to have been released from his sixth-grader mentality that physical abuse, neglect, and poverty were his fault or the persistent belief that relief from poverty would solve all his problems. In every situation, the author's younger self is boxed in and suffers cruelly, though sometimes it is from his own misconceptions. The reason to write this book and to get these tragic stories out in the open is to point kids to hope. To show them there are options. While most of the reviews of this book deal with the importance of Free Lunch based on the theme of poverty, I didn't see any which focused on the rampant abuse or counter-measures we need to enact. As a person who has witnessed and fought against this level of abuse in my own family, I was appalled neither the character nor the author offered any better solution than forgive and forget because the adults in your life are broken. Yes, people are broken. Yes, forgiveness is a powerful tool. But the biggest lie abused people believe is that they must continue in the abusive environment because the abuser needs their support. I am disgusted this book continues and supports that lie. If I could have given it negative stars, I would have, not because the author isn't a good storyteller or because the events presented are too harsh to read about, but because it shines a light on an injustice which has solutions and goes in the opposite direction: bitterness, guilt, victimization, hopelessness. Not recommended.
May 3, 2020
I have complicated feelings about this book. Rex Ogle is so honest and vulnerable in the telling of his early life: the poverty, the abuse, the neglect, the trauma. My heart broke for him, and my educator self saw his experience in my students - and the way that it can be misunderstood. AND it wrapped up in such a neat and tidy way- it felt simplified and false.
April 17, 2024
**Upgrading my review to five stars**
A sad and difficult book to read. A view into a young boy, in middle school life in poverty.
Rex is a good, kind soul and how he is treated is very painful to experience. His mother and father are verbally and physically abusive to each other and his mother is especially verbally and physically abusive to Rex. Kids at school are prejudiced because of how he looks, dresses, etc., and shamefully so are some of his teachers. He stands out because of his poverty by wearing clothes that are too big or worn out from salvation army or goodwill and have holes in them like his shoes and socks. Yet, he’s such a smart, observant boy who has a lot of responsibility (too much if you ask me) at home especially with his little baby brother, Rex being his caretaker. It’s so unfair, this burden. His physical and mental getaway from it all was school, but this year, he’s going to a different school with a lot of kids and new teachers. He tries so darned hard to fit in. Yet so darned hard to not be the center of attention. He tries so hard just to survive - at home and at school.
The title of the book Free Lunch is yet another scourge in Rex’s life. That he has to get a free lunch from school program and that the older lunch lady has to mark his name off on a list every day. Unfortunately, she does not hear well, or sometimes does not have her glasses so his having to give his name loudly causes issues with kids behind him to make fun of him yet again. Hey loser, why are you holding up the lunch line? Etc
Rex just can’t catch a break. His Mom and Dad clearly have other problems of their own. Marriage problems, parenting issues, anger issues, etc. they current don’t have jobs and everything that money can buy is out of their reach. They move around alot. They have a crappy car. Their food is just the very basic, like bread and milk and cereal and doesn’t last very long for the four of them. Food stamps. No health insurance. Complaining to fast food restaurants about service in order to get free food coupons. And pawn shops to get money from what they have which is not much, now pulling items to pawn. Desperation.
Rex can’t help but keep thinking about how money truly is important to have because without, well, he’s living with what happens when there is no money. He thinks this as he’s sleeping in his sleeping bag on the floor. He has no bed. Cockroaches crawling on him.
His grandmother, his Abuela, is a kind and loving woman but there’s a tenacity between her and her daughter. Try as Abuela might to help, Rex’s mother is defiant to her. We never know what happened between them before but one can only guess and it’s long lasting.
Rex and Abuela have a loving relationship. She talks to him and tries to help, but as soon as Rex’s mother knows, she loses it. To the point that when food is brought over from Abuela, instead of being thankful, Rex’s mom has a fit, throws everything around the house and rips food bags, containers and throws in trash and takes it to another complex’s dumpster so that Rex or her husband don’t go after it. Telling Abuela they don’t need her help, when in fact they truly do. Abuela lives two hours away and we know Rex wishes she was closer, for his sake and safety.
There is redemption and you will need to read this to find out how. I hope it lasts.
A sad and difficult book to read. A view into a young boy, in middle school life in poverty.
Rex is a good, kind soul and how he is treated is very painful to experience. His mother and father are verbally and physically abusive to each other and his mother is especially verbally and physically abusive to Rex. Kids at school are prejudiced because of how he looks, dresses, etc., and shamefully so are some of his teachers. He stands out because of his poverty by wearing clothes that are too big or worn out from salvation army or goodwill and have holes in them like his shoes and socks. Yet, he’s such a smart, observant boy who has a lot of responsibility (too much if you ask me) at home especially with his little baby brother, Rex being his caretaker. It’s so unfair, this burden. His physical and mental getaway from it all was school, but this year, he’s going to a different school with a lot of kids and new teachers. He tries so darned hard to fit in. Yet so darned hard to not be the center of attention. He tries so hard just to survive - at home and at school.
The title of the book Free Lunch is yet another scourge in Rex’s life. That he has to get a free lunch from school program and that the older lunch lady has to mark his name off on a list every day. Unfortunately, she does not hear well, or sometimes does not have her glasses so his having to give his name loudly causes issues with kids behind him to make fun of him yet again. Hey loser, why are you holding up the lunch line? Etc
Rex just can’t catch a break. His Mom and Dad clearly have other problems of their own. Marriage problems, parenting issues, anger issues, etc. they current don’t have jobs and everything that money can buy is out of their reach. They move around alot. They have a crappy car. Their food is just the very basic, like bread and milk and cereal and doesn’t last very long for the four of them. Food stamps. No health insurance. Complaining to fast food restaurants about service in order to get free food coupons. And pawn shops to get money from what they have which is not much, now pulling items to pawn. Desperation.
Rex can’t help but keep thinking about how money truly is important to have because without, well, he’s living with what happens when there is no money. He thinks this as he’s sleeping in his sleeping bag on the floor. He has no bed. Cockroaches crawling on him.
His grandmother, his Abuela, is a kind and loving woman but there’s a tenacity between her and her daughter. Try as Abuela might to help, Rex’s mother is defiant to her. We never know what happened between them before but one can only guess and it’s long lasting.
Rex and Abuela have a loving relationship. She talks to him and tries to help, but as soon as Rex’s mother knows, she loses it. To the point that when food is brought over from Abuela, instead of being thankful, Rex’s mom has a fit, throws everything around the house and rips food bags, containers and throws in trash and takes it to another complex’s dumpster so that Rex or her husband don’t go after it. Telling Abuela they don’t need her help, when in fact they truly do. Abuela lives two hours away and we know Rex wishes she was closer, for his sake and safety.
There is redemption and you will need to read this to find out how. I hope it lasts.
April 7, 2021
This was a tough read. Knowing that it is a memoir, and that all of the events that happened are from the author's own life, make it a struggle to read because it is so sad and depressing. Plus, as is the case with memoirs and non-fiction, there isn't always a nicely wrapped up, "happily ever after" type of ending. While this does end in a more positive way than I originally anticipated, it still didn't feel completely resolved. But, that's life. Messy and complicated.
Recommended for larger collections serving middle school readers. I am also going to say I think it is an important read for adults who work with children in any and all settings.
Recommended for larger collections serving middle school readers. I am also going to say I think it is an important read for adults who work with children in any and all settings.
September 22, 2024
This was a powerful, sad, and raw memoir. While I had a lot of dislike for Rex's parents, I was also able to see their struggles as well. I felt for the author so much I felt the need to look him up on Instagram to make sure he was doing okay now. I highly recommend this book for middle grade/high school aged kids - at that age many could use a reminder of empathy (myself at that age included).
Read for the 2024 library challenge.
Read for the 2024 library challenge.
March 15, 2021
POWERFUL.
Rex Ogle delivers an honest, raw depiction of his own childhood and establishes how hard it is to break out of poverty and abuse.
I thought the writing was excellent and really made me want more. Rex doesn't shy away from telling it like it is and this book is not for the weak of heart. It will make you angry, uncomfortable and break your heart to see what situations he was put in. It reminded me of reading A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer.
I would've given this 5 stars because it was that good, but I did knock off a star because the ending was way too neat and it erased all the verbal abuse, manipulation, brutal beatings, neglect, etc. he endured. And I wasn't okay with that. Reading this book, I had no sympathy for the mother. It's one thing to be a victim of domestic abuse and another to gloat and encourage for her partner to trap and belt her kid to teach him "discipline." It was sickening. I was also real disappointed in all the other adults in this book who saw the abuse happening and didn't even try to help....
But that's usually reality, so however unfortunate, it added to the tension.
Like I said, this story will make you feel a lot of emotions but all worth it. I'd recommend this to older kids, grades 5 and up.
Rex Ogle delivers an honest, raw depiction of his own childhood and establishes how hard it is to break out of poverty and abuse.
I thought the writing was excellent and really made me want more. Rex doesn't shy away from telling it like it is and this book is not for the weak of heart. It will make you angry, uncomfortable and break your heart to see what situations he was put in. It reminded me of reading A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer.
I would've given this 5 stars because it was that good, but I did knock off a star because the ending was way too neat and it erased all the verbal abuse, manipulation, brutal beatings, neglect, etc. he endured. And I wasn't okay with that. Reading this book, I had no sympathy for the mother. It's one thing to be a victim of domestic abuse and another to gloat and encourage for her partner to trap and belt her kid to teach him "discipline." It was sickening. I was also real disappointed in all the other adults in this book who saw the abuse happening and didn't even try to help....
But that's usually reality, so however unfortunate, it added to the tension.
Like I said, this story will make you feel a lot of emotions but all worth it. I'd recommend this to older kids, grades 5 and up.
July 31, 2019
Thank you Rex Ogle for writing so many people's story. Though my life wasn't quite as awful, I was glad to grow up and get away from it and raise my own family better. I feel for what he experienced both from my own experience and from what I witnessed. Grown ups were not trust worthy or good in my young self's opinion. Kids were vulnerable enough to be picked on as they were on hand. Parents believed other adults, especially teachers and anyone perceived as "betters" or authority figures, kids were always on the losing end and liable to be beaten. I swear our teachers relished beating us. A lot of people in my age group remember being abused by adults as kids and being asked "Who's going to believe you? You're just a kid and kids lie."
I think most children have a pretty rough time of it. Too bad we can't pick our parents or the society we live in.
Kudos on the book Rex Ogle.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I think most children have a pretty rough time of it. Too bad we can't pick our parents or the society we live in.
Kudos on the book Rex Ogle.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
April 7, 2020
This raw, well-written book felt so true....until the end, when (spoiler alert) the mom gets a job and all of the other very serious issues in the family melt away. Suddenly the cruel, violent mother with untreated emotional problems is bestowing hugs and kisses. The wife-and-child beater step father, now so generous, takes the family to buy a Christmas tree...
I mean, wait a minute.
Rex was regularly going to school with black eyes. The mom at one point was covered in a kaleidoscope of bruises, and she dishes out regular emotional and physical abuse herself. But now all is forgiven, no need for counseling or intervention, problem solved? What's the message for abused kids, that their own attitude is to blame and that money fixes everything? This is a true story, so I hope Rex got the help he needed.
I mean, wait a minute.
Rex was regularly going to school with black eyes. The mom at one point was covered in a kaleidoscope of bruises, and she dishes out regular emotional and physical abuse herself. But now all is forgiven, no need for counseling or intervention, problem solved? What's the message for abused kids, that their own attitude is to blame and that money fixes everything? This is a true story, so I hope Rex got the help he needed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2019
Netgalley provided me a DRC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a tough read. It's a true account, and a brutally honest look at poverty, domestic abuse, and what happens when kids have to take care of themselves.
Here Ogle recounts his 6th grade year--a year full of turmoil. His mom and boyfriend are struggling to find jobs, and their frustration and anger usually turns into physical abuse--both towards each other and towards Rex. He's in charge of caring for his toddler brother, even when the adults are gone for days at a time. School is his refuge, but there he deals with feeling left out and feeling ashamed of his family's poverty.
It's particularly hard reading this as a teacher, because Rex's story is the story of many of my own students.
This was a tough read. It's a true account, and a brutally honest look at poverty, domestic abuse, and what happens when kids have to take care of themselves.
Here Ogle recounts his 6th grade year--a year full of turmoil. His mom and boyfriend are struggling to find jobs, and their frustration and anger usually turns into physical abuse--both towards each other and towards Rex. He's in charge of caring for his toddler brother, even when the adults are gone for days at a time. School is his refuge, but there he deals with feeling left out and feeling ashamed of his family's poverty.
It's particularly hard reading this as a teacher, because Rex's story is the story of many of my own students.
June 15, 2019
Thanks to W.W. Norton for the ARC at BEA 2019!
This book is Rex Ogle's real story of growing up in poverty and trying to survive in a school and social environment where he feels the constant pressure of food insecurity, poverty, lack of stable housing, and watches his parents buckle and abuse each other and him due to the unending stress of being impoverished. A constant point in the book is Ogle's shame when he has to repeatedly tell the lunch counter cashiers that he is on the Free Lunch program. It's a powerful indictment of the shame and suffering that we allow people to suffer every day in this country. A must read. Highly recommend.
This book is Rex Ogle's real story of growing up in poverty and trying to survive in a school and social environment where he feels the constant pressure of food insecurity, poverty, lack of stable housing, and watches his parents buckle and abuse each other and him due to the unending stress of being impoverished. A constant point in the book is Ogle's shame when he has to repeatedly tell the lunch counter cashiers that he is on the Free Lunch program. It's a powerful indictment of the shame and suffering that we allow people to suffer every day in this country. A must read. Highly recommend.
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