The Boy Who Failed Dodgeball

Boy Who Failed Show and Tell #2

by Jordan Sonnenblick

Sixth grade is the worst... and also the best, as Jordan rides the ups and downs of middle-school life in hilarious fashion.



Funny, outrageous things didn’t stop for Jordan Sonnenblick after he left fourth grade. No, in many ways the events detailed to hilarious effect in The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell were but a prelude to sixth grade, a time when Jordan would have to deal with...

-- A rival named Jiminy (his real name is Jimmy -- but, hey, he looks like a cricket)

-- A stickler English teacher who doesn’t care that all the old, worn copies of Great Expectations smell like puke

-- An Evel Knievel obsession

-- A first crush on a girl from band

-- An assistant principal who brands Jordan a repeat offender... on his first day (If you want to know why, you have to read the book. A tooth is involved.)

-- A continued reckoning with both anxiety and asthma

-- And more!

Genres: Humor, Middle Grade, Memoir, Friendship, Nonfiction, School, Biography

247 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 28, 2022

About the author

I am the author of seven books for children and young adults, including Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie. So if youʼre looking for info about some other guy named Jordan Sonnenblick, youʼve got the wrong website.
Anyway, I know a lot of people are looking for stuff they can use in reports for school, so Iʼll just get this out of the way right up front:
My favorite color is blue.
I have a wife and two kids.
The best pet I ever had was a garter snake I caught when I was eight by a lake in Pennsylvania. I named the snake Hector. Then it gave birth to 20 baby snakes, so I changed its name to Hectoria.
My all-time favorite band is the Beatles, although I like a ton of different music.
My hobbies are playing the drums, guitar, and bass; riding my bicycle at least 50 miles a week; hanging out with my wife and kids; and reading.
Speaking of reading, I read a lot of different genres. As a kid, though, I mostly read fantasy, science fiction, and comic books. When I was in fourth grade, a fantasy novel called The Dark is Rising inspired me to become a novelist someday.
My favorite baseball team is the New York Yankees. When I was a kid, my best friend and I used to go to Yankees games and throw open ketchup packets off the upper deck. Donʼt try that at home, kids!

Reviews

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was un-put-downable for me. I don't know if it's because I was a kid in the 70s like Sonnenblick or if the antics were just that hilarious, but I could relate to everything he mentioned. He captures the fine details of being a kid better than just about any author I've read in a long time. Pop culture of the 70s is on full display, Evil Knievel, Green Machine big wheel, the Beatles. But where this book shines is in Sonnenblick's ability to take what most people would consider the boring, not-worth-mentioning parts of middle school, and elevates them to top tier status. I've always said that's the mark of an excellent writer.

Some examples:

All the daredevil bike stunts which get repeated over and over. (Trying to be like EK)
The very involved process of getting a note to a girl.
Wearing aftershave to impress the girl.
Weekends at the roller rink and all those classic 70s songs.
Not so nice teachers who would rather die than let a kid get the upper hand.
Band nerds.

The honesty is laugh-out-loud perfection.

Office secretary: "What are you here for young man?"
Jordan: "'I have an 8:45 haircut appointment,' I almost say. 'What do you think I'm here for, lady? I'm here to get yelled at.'" But instead he says, "Um, Miss Sarisky sent me?"

And it goes on like that for the entire book.

Can't wait to get this one into my students' hands.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

“…September actually arrives, and you realize that sixth grade is a terrify downhill death ride on hostile, shifting terrain. All of a sudden, you are with kids from like four different elementary schools. Everyone who was the best at something in the spring is just another nobody now.” (12)

Young Jordan Sonnenblick survived fourth grade (The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell) after moving to a new school, but now Jordan is starting middle school. He worries about not knowing kids but he does have Dougie and Geoff. And being a nobody doesn’t last too long. “By the end of the first few weeks of school, I am strangely famous. I am That Kid Who Gets Sent to Bee’s Office All the Time. I’m the kid who keeps things interesting in Miss Sarisky’s boring class. I’m the class rebel. It’s not like I asked for this job. But hey, somebody’s got to do it.” (51)

Jordan, still the third smallest boy in his class and a math genius (actually a liability for popularity) has a year filled with HIGHS:
• Evel Knievel daredevil tricks on bikes and ice skates
• first first date and kiss
• second first date and kiss
• drumming Festivo in the school concert
• some new friends and adults he wins over by the end of the year

And even more LOWS:
• making enemies who want to fight him and then want their bodyguards to fight him
• trying to keep his asthma inhalers a secret despite a mother who sticks them EVERYWHERE
• falling off his roof
• a concussion (not from falling off the roof)
• Miss Sarisky, the English teacher who hates him
• braces installed by a diabolical orthodontist
• breaking up with both girls after first dates because he is terrified of second dates
• skipping Hebrew school (therefore, not prepared for Bar Mitzvah)
• facing anti-Semitism
• and, of course, Dodgeball “Anything sounds less scary than dodgeball, I.S.61-style” (158)

“…I am not sure whether I am more bothered because all the grownups automatically think everything that happens is my fault, or because they happen to be right.” (181)

In these challenging times, many readers are looking for humorous books, and author Jordan Sonnenblick’s memoir is just that. I had numerous bouts of laughter while reading.

[Becky Barrier Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as good, if not better, than The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell! Great read aloud for middle grades. I read it by Audible. The author reads it, and he is terrific!

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5! His book was quite funny! It definitely captures the spirit/essence of 6th grade boy. I think it’s a great window into the mind of a middle schooler, and I love it even more because it’s a memoir.

The stuff he got up to as a kid and the hilarious train of thought he has was spot on for the way kids think. His commentary must have driven the teachers wild.

I really started laughing out loud about half way through when the dating hilarity ensued. His questions (what do we do? Where do we go? How do we get there? Do I ride and pick her up on my bike? 🤣🤣🤣) we’re great and reminded me that kids don’t know about this stuff and this is an excellent way to introduce this topic and allow age appropriate questions to be formed and asked. Ugh about the smoking part. Kids today might have a tough time equating that to vaping, but it’s basically a similar peer pressure issue. Kissing, dating, talking back to the teacher, and learning to stand up for yourselves and your rights are all themes touched upon in this excellent memoir.

Great for 5th grade (see what’s coming for middle school life!) and up! Especially 6th & 7th. Audiobook was great.

[Infosifter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable humorous memoir. Jordan is both a brain and a daredevil and he navigates six grade with all of its large and small challenges. His struggles include dating, bullying, mean teachers, his asthma, and how big apart he wants his Jewish identity to play in his life. Along the way he learns that some seemingly mean teachers are actually nice, some aren't, and some daredevil stunts are just too dangerous to be worthwhile. I laughed and cringed as Jordan was blamed for stuff he did, stuff he didn't do, and stuff he had nothing to do with. Recommended for middle grade readers who will learn a bit about what life was like in 1980, and adults looking for a good clean laugh.

[Bonnie Grover · Rating 3 out of 5]

This middle grade novel was a blast! I’m sure everyone who has been through middle school can relate to someone in this story. From fights to first crushes to frequent visits to the principal, Jordan Sonnenblick tells the hilarious tale of middle school moments. Sixth-grade can be the worst and also the best, it really just depends on the day. I know my students are going to enjoy the never-ending antics of Jordan. I hope they find it as funny as I did.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir will have you LOLing!! Five stars all around. This is a must-read for anyone ready to level up a bit from their Wimpy Kid addictions. LOVED.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so delightful! Middle school is such a chaotic time. The author brings a lighthearted approach to the ups and drowns of navigating school, family, friends, and faith in sixth grade.

[Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

He really gets kids. There is something relatable to students I have or have had, and experiences I had while in school in every single book. I am ready to buy all of his books and keep them on the shelves in my classroom!

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read to my students

[Jennifer Hottinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

7th graders will enjoy reading about the struggles of Jordan Sonnenblick in middle school! This time in life requires some laughter!! I laughed but also felt for him throughout this memoir.

[Rikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny! I think middle school students will really enjoy this book. He's always getting in trouble.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell, Jordan Sonnenblick’s follow-up book is laugh out loud funny. Young Jordan is a little older, but he really isn’t in any better control of his verbal outbursts or reckless behavior and now it is further complicated by a teacher who seems to hate him, a girl who likes him, and the usual friends and frenemies that come along with middle school life. Readers will appreciate the descriptions of cranky English teacher Miss Sarisky, intense band director Mr. Impolito, and scary vice principal Mr. Overbye. They will chuckle and feel uncomfortable right along with Jordan as he tries to navigate two first dates, two quick kisses and the fear of having to figure out what comes next. And as The Boy Who Failed Dodgeball ends and Jordan manages to finish sixth grade without being expelled or even suspended, those same readers will probably hope that the real life Jordan Sonnenblick writes about another year in his life. No profanity in this book, but Jordan gets into a number of fights, performs many daredevil feats, and besides being sent to Mr. Overbye’s office constantly, never seems to suffer any consequences for his misbehavior. There is no sexual content, but French kissing is discussed and described briefly and worried about often. Students in grades 4 and 5 would enjoy this book as much as their jr high counterparts, but with the “dating,” kissing, and flirtation that is liberally sprinkled throughout, it should probably stay in the hands of the older set.

Thanks for the print arc, Scholastic!

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This funny memoir about a kid who is always getting into trouble has a Joey Pigza vibe, particularly when Jordan is doing Evel Knievel stunts, breaking into his own house by climbing up to the roof, or engaging in pillow fights that end in broken glass fused to his back. Since Sonnenblick grew up in the 80s, there are some dated situations like roller skating first dates (Do kids now even know who Evel Knievel is?), but troublemaking is a timeless art, and kids will still understand the feelings behind being sent to the assistant principal's office over and over again.

[Brenda Kahn]

It sure was fun revisiting young Jordan as he navigated his sixth grade year/ start of middle school. He's equal parts smart and sarcastic with a side of anxious. The youth of today don't know what they were missing growing up in the pre-childproof era. They get a vivid taste of it here. This installment of the Boy Who Failed... is a bit more episodic than the first. Poor Jordan still has bad luck with awful teachers, but pretty good luck with the ladies. There really must be a seventh grade memoir. Seventh grade, the perfect storm, so ripe literally and metaphorically.

[J. S. Seebauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not realize this was a biography when I picked it up. I adore Sonnenblick's writing and knew a new book by him would be amazing. I was not wrong; in fact it was even better because it was autobiographical using his same fantastic writing style. Yes, read it. All of you. You will smile. You will laugh. You will get a tear in your eye. That good!

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this sequel to his elementary memoir, The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell, Sonnenblick explores his memories of his middle school years. He starts at an arts magnet school where he gets to play drums but only knows two other kids, and struggles with impulsive behavior that is fairly benign but gets him sent to the principal's office repeatedly. Since this is set in the 1970s, there are a lot of details about the sorts of daredevil type behavior in which children participated before there were safety innovations like helmets. Today's children, who are more likely to sprain their thumbs playing video games, will marvel at the slavish devotion to replicating Evel Knievel's stunts, but this was definitely something children did. Like the game of "hit the kid on the Green Machine", my brother and I defied death on a Big Wheel, and no one ever told us that perhaps we shouldn't put ourselves in such danger. I believe the parental reply to such things was "Don't come crying to me when you hurt yourself"! There are some good historical details, about the massive celebrations of the Bicentennial, and also a very poignant recounting of the death of John Lennon. Sonnenblick's description of school the next day was spot on, although in high school, about half of the students were zombies in the wake of his killing. The details about having to read Great Expectations (and fighting for copies that didn't smell!) were an intriguing dive into a time when children's opinions didn't matter in the least, and the budding romances with Coty and Vicky will speak to many readers who are looking forward to school dances. Sonnenblick survives, despite his significant struggles with asthma, and leaves room open for another memoir covering later middle school or maybe even his high school years. This is more anecdotal than the first book, and is a great way to introduce fans of Wimpy Kid books to Sonnenblick's terrific writing.
Strengths: There are always a number of students who deal with asthma, but it is rarely depicted in middle grade literature. While some of the medications have changed, I'm sure that readers who have inhalers will definitely understand Sonnenblick's struggles. There are also a lot of details about being injured; in addition to his own bike accidents, he's hit on the head with a rock at school and gets a concussion. Yet, these were children who I am sure never ran in the hallways at school! I was impressed by Sonnenblick's memories of people and places, and suspect that he must have kept a journal; he's a bit younger than I am, and I can barely remember the names of my teachers. The cover is fantastic, and this is a humorous, quick pick for readers who enjoy memoirs like Scieszka's Knucklehead, Yelchin's The Genius Under the Table, Collard's Snakes, Alligators, and Broken Hearts: Journeys of a Biologist's Son or Page's Button Pusher.
Weaknesses: Maybe I'm imagining it, but the first book seemed more like a novel. This definitely felt more like a memoir. I kept waiting for there to be more of a plot, but eventually realized that real life is pretty short on plot elements. Also, I'm not a huge fan of telling young readers that middle school is horrible. It wasn't great for me, but my own children rather enjoyed it, which I thought was surprising and just a little weird. (My one daughter was even weepy for days upon leaving!)
What I really think: It was fun to watch young Jordan progress through middle school, even though I had trouble believing that he was sent to the principal's office quite so much! I do feel like I should go find a packet of Fruit Stripe gum, though.

[Pablo Fedriani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the a sequel of the boy who failed show and tell, and it has the same sort of structure. It is a memoir of the author, Jordan Sonnenblick, when he entered middle school. The book gives an insight of the story of this character before the school started, where he was nervous and didn't know what to expect the first day of Middle School. He also gives a day to day explanation of his life with all the events that happen in her life in middle school and outside.
The book excels because how relatable and realistic is, and that is the way it is because those things did happen to the author back in the day, the way he uses details and explains the day to day things is what makes the book special and very interesting. He also uses specific names and places for things, which helps to situate ourselfs in the stories. In the book he explains his first rivarly with Jimmy, or "Jiminy", who had the first fight in middle school with him. He also explains his relationship with his teachers, like Mr. Falcone who is the gym teacher, he is the one that proposes to play softball and that's how the name of the book happens. The book also has a very important layer of kid's mental health problems that they can undergo in middle school, self doubt, not feeling cool enough, problems with other kids... This book can be used as a book for middle schoolers or late elementary students, it is very interesting and age appropiate.

[. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, Jordan is a mischievous, precocious, musically and academically talented kid. He must find his place in a new school, figure out how to kiss girls, survive multiple fist fights, and navigate incidents of bullying (including antisemitic name calling). Overall, it was good to have a fully developed main character whose Jewishness was a natural and important part of his life and family, but not his only defining characteristic.

[Katrina Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a interesting, and funny read. It's about a boy just starting middle school. He's totally accident prone, but still a dare devil, and he can't seem to do anything right. I'd recommend it for 5th or 6th graders. It may definitely help them feel like they are more "normal" than they think they are. I do like how he talks about how certain events and people had an impact on him, such as Evil Kineval and John Lennon.

[Suzan Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Jordan Sonnenblick's middle-grade novels, and this one is no exception. It's the autobiographical story of the author's own 6th grade year, a warm, honest coming-of-age story that made me laugh out loud (frequently) and smile at the fun nostalgic childhood references. Scroll down on this page to see my mini review:
https://bookbybook.blogspot.com/2024/...

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

DISCLAIMER: I received a digital review copy of The Boy Who Failed Dodgeball via Edelweiss Above the Treeline in exchange for an honest review

I don't think it's AS good as the Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie series or The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade, but it was still quite enjoyable, and I really think it'll be popular with the Wimpy Kid crowd.

[Desmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jordan is just entering his first year of middle school. Over the summer he’s a stunt man and class clown and is constantly getting into trouble. He has to succeed in math in order to win a prize because his teachers are betting on him with real money. He is also dealing with bullies.

I thought this was a good read about the basic experience in a large public middle school.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me laughing out loud so much. The poor kid. I enjoyed that it was set back when I was in middle school. The main character would have been a few years younger than me. This held many good life lessons learned the hard way in middle school. I would highly recommend this book for any age of reader, well at least middle school.

[LS Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was more sad than funny to me. But I was happy the Jor-Dan kept up his drum playing.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Then September actually arrives, and you realize that sixth grade is a terrifying downhill death ride on hostile, shifting terrain.”

[Alyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe 4.5, but so good--see https://www.eatreadandbemommy.com/202... for details!

[Britt, Book Habitue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parts of this one drove me crazy but overall amusing.

[Heather Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is spot on as the author takes us through the ups & downs of middle school. Several laugh out loud moments.

[Natalyn Arevalo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was an entertaining and cute book, a good mix of reality and fun in a kid’s life. I’m having my son read it as a book report.