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Alvin Ho #1
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things
Alvin Ho is an Asian American second grader who is afraid of everything—elevators, tunnels, girls, and, most of all, school. He’s so afraid of school that, while he’s there, he never, ever, says a word. But at home he’s a very loud superhero named Firecracker Man, a brother to Calvin and Anibelly, and a gentleman-in-training, so he can be just like his dad.
From the author of the ALA Notable Ruby Lu series comes a funny and touching chapter book—perfect for both beginning and reluctant readers— that introduces a truly unforgettable character.
From the author of the ALA Notable Ruby Lu series comes a funny and touching chapter book—perfect for both beginning and reluctant readers— that introduces a truly unforgettable character.
178 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
359 people are currently reading
3901 people want to read
About the author
Lenore Look
34 books115 followersI first began making picture books in kindergarten because my other career option at the time was stealing. But a life of crime requires practice and patience, neither of which I had, so I settled into industry, making what I coveted but what my parents could not afford to buy: beautiful books like the ones my teacher read to us in school.
Publishing was no problem in those days, not like it is now. By first-grade, I was my own publisher, making multiple copies of my books by hand. As for fame and fortune, I took care of that, too–I taught my brothers and the neighborhood kids how to wait in line for autographed copies, and I charged them 25 cents a book (an enviable paperback royalty today!), but also accepted candy.
By third grade, I had abandoned the literary scene. My parents had bought an old piano and signed me up for lessons and, thus, I began dreaming of becoming a world-famous concert pianist.
Then I came across a book on Maria Tallchief, and became a ballerina, just like that. I weighed only 40 pounds and could leap and pirouette all day without stopping. It was a lot easier than becoming a pianist.
Then I read a book about a surgeon, and one about a veterinarian, and another about a great tennis player . . . and I found myself wanting to become whatever I’d last read.
Eventually I grew up and became a newspaper reporter. It was the perfect job for me. I got paid to do the two things I loved most: writing and being curious. Working as a reporter taught me how to talk to people, how to find the story behind the story, and how to tell a story in a way that keeps a reader reading. I learned to listen to the way people talk. I learned to be precise and concise in my own choice of words. Best of all, the more I wrote, the more I was filled with a sense of wonder. I loved writing not only about what happens to people, but also about what happens inside of them, which is what writing for children is all about, but I didn’t yet know it.
It wasn’t until I became a mother and began reading children’s books again that I felt what the Chinese call yun fuen, a continuing of work begun in past lives. I had long forgotten my early foray into picture books, the thread I’d dropped in kindergarten, a thin rig, like the one a spider would use in rising. I had journeyed nearly 30 years down through space by then, unaware of my silken strand. Then one afternoon, with my two young children clamoring for something to do, I showed them how to fold paper into a book . . . picked up some crayons and a pen, and then . . . felt myself rising . . . returning to that place where I began, that brief age in which I had so many talents, and leapt and pirouetted into the sun, and could not stop.
Publishing was no problem in those days, not like it is now. By first-grade, I was my own publisher, making multiple copies of my books by hand. As for fame and fortune, I took care of that, too–I taught my brothers and the neighborhood kids how to wait in line for autographed copies, and I charged them 25 cents a book (an enviable paperback royalty today!), but also accepted candy.
By third grade, I had abandoned the literary scene. My parents had bought an old piano and signed me up for lessons and, thus, I began dreaming of becoming a world-famous concert pianist.
Then I came across a book on Maria Tallchief, and became a ballerina, just like that. I weighed only 40 pounds and could leap and pirouette all day without stopping. It was a lot easier than becoming a pianist.
Then I read a book about a surgeon, and one about a veterinarian, and another about a great tennis player . . . and I found myself wanting to become whatever I’d last read.
Eventually I grew up and became a newspaper reporter. It was the perfect job for me. I got paid to do the two things I loved most: writing and being curious. Working as a reporter taught me how to talk to people, how to find the story behind the story, and how to tell a story in a way that keeps a reader reading. I learned to listen to the way people talk. I learned to be precise and concise in my own choice of words. Best of all, the more I wrote, the more I was filled with a sense of wonder. I loved writing not only about what happens to people, but also about what happens inside of them, which is what writing for children is all about, but I didn’t yet know it.
It wasn’t until I became a mother and began reading children’s books again that I felt what the Chinese call yun fuen, a continuing of work begun in past lives. I had long forgotten my early foray into picture books, the thread I’d dropped in kindergarten, a thin rig, like the one a spider would use in rising. I had journeyed nearly 30 years down through space by then, unaware of my silken strand. Then one afternoon, with my two young children clamoring for something to do, I showed them how to fold paper into a book . . . picked up some crayons and a pen, and then . . . felt myself rising . . . returning to that place where I began, that brief age in which I had so many talents, and leapt and pirouetted into the sun, and could not stop.
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July 28, 2008
Some people follow sports teams. Others follow the rise and fall of various celebrities. Children's librarians, in contrast, are fans of children's book authors and illustrators. If trading cards were acceptable amongst grown adults I'm sure we'd be swapping Louis Sachars and Linda Sue Parks for a rare Beatrix Potter or A.A. Milne. Part of this particular branch of fandom concerns itself with the pairing of various authors with illustrators. This is where editors come in useful. It takes a smart publishing house to create just the right magic found in a Scieszka/Lane team, for example. Credit where credit is due then to Schwartz & Wade. When I heard that Lenore Look, author extraordinaire who introduced the world to Ruby Lu, had been paired with LeUyen Pham my little heart danced a tarantella. I've been fighting for more Pham appreciation for years. To see her complementing Look's particular brand of smart humor in, best of all, an early chapter book is like Christmas coming early. Together I am certain that these two women are going to create books that remain memorable long after their contemporaries have faded from the popular memory.
What do you do with a kid who doesn't talk in school? Well, if you are that kid and your name is Alvin Ho then there are a number of things you can do. You can prepare for the second grade a PDK (or Personal Disaster Kit) in the event of an emergency. You can ask your older brother how to make friends, only not with that weird girl with the cool eye patch. You can visit a therapist to try to talk out your fears (but only if you talk). But Alvin's got more on his mind than whether or not he's able to say something in class. Between "borrowing" his father's favorite toy, joining a relatively benign gang, and finding a new friend there's a lot to that kid Alvin Ho. He's an original, no doubt about it.
This is going to sound a little odd, I know, but early chapter books starring boys are not quite as common as they might be. Sure, you've got your Marvin Redpost, Martin Bridge, Horrible Harry, and Julian but for every one of those blokes there are two Clementines, three Junie B. Jones, and a couple Ivy and Beans for good measure. And boys of any ethnicity other than white? There's the aforementioned Julian and maybe the kid from The Toothpaste Millionaire, and that's about it. Of course, if Lenore Look were dancing about singing, "Look! A boy of Asian descent!" that wouldn't be her style at all. Just as she did with Ruby Lu, Look just writes great kids. Case closed.
Look's style is wrapped up entirely in her ability to keep the sentences coming. For Alvin Ho she's opted to go all first person on us. So not only has she written about a boy but she has also inserted herself into the kid's very brain. It works, though. In some unfathomable way Look gets the subtlety of being a second grade boy. The seemingly incongruent combination of loving explosions and cooking shows is what makes Alvin so real to the reader. Somehow Look has tapped into the boy brain and gone deeper into their insecurities, hopes, and fears than most other authors for this age range. Mind you, there is the "Ruby Lu drives a car" moment in this book that will set some parental teeth on edge. At one point Alvin is left hanging from a tree while his family bakes some cookies. He's only missed when his mother notices his empty plate at dinner. It's vaguely traumatic, but not all that unbelievable within the context of the tale.
I can also see some people getting a little squirrely when it comes to Alvin's dialogue, though. You could make the argument that no boy in the history of the world would say, "My dad is not superhero material," or "The fourth thing you should know about me is that I love Plastic Man, Wonder Woman, the Green Lantern, Concrete Man, Aquaman, King Henry V and all the superheroes in the world." You could SAY that but can I point out that Alvin never actually speaks these sentences? They're just explaining his state of mind. And if a sentence says, "The scary thing about girls is that they are not boys" then can't you argue that the author is clarifying what Alvin is feeling even if he wouldn't use those exact words at that exact time? In a sense, Look is translating Alvin's thoughts and emotions into coherent, remarkable little sentences that every second grader feels but is incapable of putting into words. There's the acknowledgment that "crying is really great" alongside the almost poignant "I am not good at anything ever since I started school." Alvin isn't precocious. He just happens to have an author capable of bringing him into crisp, clear relief.
And for that matter the book itself is just a well-done little number. I liked that when Alvin's older brother gave advice it still sounded like it was advice coming from a kid. I liked that Alvin's seatmate Flea is taking a kind of kickboxing and karate class called "Aggression for Girls". I like that every time Alvin mentions Massachusetts he says it's hard to spell (though that might just be the author showing her hand too). I like that there's a character named Jules and that Alvin is unclear on Jules's gender. I know kids like that. I like that Alvin's father's car only turns to the right now, that Alvin's baseball has a Daisuke Matsuzaka autograph, that the glossary credits Tenzing Norgay as the first to climb to the top of Mount Everest, and that by the end of the book there are still issues and problems to be resolved. Look could have wrapped Alvin's life up in a neat little bow, but of all his problems the only one she solves here is his need for a friend. And frankly, kids are probably going to understand that need better than Alvin's ability to speak in school.
All right. Enough praise of Ms. Look. Let's take a gander at Ms. LeUyen Pham's pictures now. Ms. Pham has a range of different styles she employs at strategic moments, but her most recognizable is cute kids. Big heads, teeny tiny hands and feet, that kind of thing. I say "cute" but I don't mean Bambi cute or Love Is cute. I mean that she has an ability to capture the joy and dread of humanity in miniature. Alvin, for example, is rendered perfectly here. Whether he's cowering in dread or bursting onto the scene as a superhero, this protagonist is impossible to imagine as anything but as Ms. Pham's version. I particularly enjoyed the picture of the boys in Alvin's class discovering that they've all gotten chicken pox as he smiles out at the reader, his happiness undulating off of him invisibly.
As I read this book do you know what title it kept reminded me of? I can't really explain why but I kept thinking about The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Maybe that's not as odd as it sounds, though. Both books have that early chapter book style. Both mix in a brand of humor particular to their respective authors. And both, I am convinced, will remain firmly implanted in the brains of their readers for years and years to come. I'd love to wave a magic wand, bonk Alvin Ho over the head, and declare this book a contemporary classic. If I'm any judge, however, I figure this is just the first in many Alvin Ho books to come. Though it stands entirely on its own, Look has left plenty of room for future installments in the series. Alvin Ho turns out to be a guy definitely worth knowing. Help a kid to meet him.
Ages 4-9.
What do you do with a kid who doesn't talk in school? Well, if you are that kid and your name is Alvin Ho then there are a number of things you can do. You can prepare for the second grade a PDK (or Personal Disaster Kit) in the event of an emergency. You can ask your older brother how to make friends, only not with that weird girl with the cool eye patch. You can visit a therapist to try to talk out your fears (but only if you talk). But Alvin's got more on his mind than whether or not he's able to say something in class. Between "borrowing" his father's favorite toy, joining a relatively benign gang, and finding a new friend there's a lot to that kid Alvin Ho. He's an original, no doubt about it.
This is going to sound a little odd, I know, but early chapter books starring boys are not quite as common as they might be. Sure, you've got your Marvin Redpost, Martin Bridge, Horrible Harry, and Julian but for every one of those blokes there are two Clementines, three Junie B. Jones, and a couple Ivy and Beans for good measure. And boys of any ethnicity other than white? There's the aforementioned Julian and maybe the kid from The Toothpaste Millionaire, and that's about it. Of course, if Lenore Look were dancing about singing, "Look! A boy of Asian descent!" that wouldn't be her style at all. Just as she did with Ruby Lu, Look just writes great kids. Case closed.
Look's style is wrapped up entirely in her ability to keep the sentences coming. For Alvin Ho she's opted to go all first person on us. So not only has she written about a boy but she has also inserted herself into the kid's very brain. It works, though. In some unfathomable way Look gets the subtlety of being a second grade boy. The seemingly incongruent combination of loving explosions and cooking shows is what makes Alvin so real to the reader. Somehow Look has tapped into the boy brain and gone deeper into their insecurities, hopes, and fears than most other authors for this age range. Mind you, there is the "Ruby Lu drives a car" moment in this book that will set some parental teeth on edge. At one point Alvin is left hanging from a tree while his family bakes some cookies. He's only missed when his mother notices his empty plate at dinner. It's vaguely traumatic, but not all that unbelievable within the context of the tale.
I can also see some people getting a little squirrely when it comes to Alvin's dialogue, though. You could make the argument that no boy in the history of the world would say, "My dad is not superhero material," or "The fourth thing you should know about me is that I love Plastic Man, Wonder Woman, the Green Lantern, Concrete Man, Aquaman, King Henry V and all the superheroes in the world." You could SAY that but can I point out that Alvin never actually speaks these sentences? They're just explaining his state of mind. And if a sentence says, "The scary thing about girls is that they are not boys" then can't you argue that the author is clarifying what Alvin is feeling even if he wouldn't use those exact words at that exact time? In a sense, Look is translating Alvin's thoughts and emotions into coherent, remarkable little sentences that every second grader feels but is incapable of putting into words. There's the acknowledgment that "crying is really great" alongside the almost poignant "I am not good at anything ever since I started school." Alvin isn't precocious. He just happens to have an author capable of bringing him into crisp, clear relief.
And for that matter the book itself is just a well-done little number. I liked that when Alvin's older brother gave advice it still sounded like it was advice coming from a kid. I liked that Alvin's seatmate Flea is taking a kind of kickboxing and karate class called "Aggression for Girls". I like that every time Alvin mentions Massachusetts he says it's hard to spell (though that might just be the author showing her hand too). I like that there's a character named Jules and that Alvin is unclear on Jules's gender. I know kids like that. I like that Alvin's father's car only turns to the right now, that Alvin's baseball has a Daisuke Matsuzaka autograph, that the glossary credits Tenzing Norgay as the first to climb to the top of Mount Everest, and that by the end of the book there are still issues and problems to be resolved. Look could have wrapped Alvin's life up in a neat little bow, but of all his problems the only one she solves here is his need for a friend. And frankly, kids are probably going to understand that need better than Alvin's ability to speak in school.
All right. Enough praise of Ms. Look. Let's take a gander at Ms. LeUyen Pham's pictures now. Ms. Pham has a range of different styles she employs at strategic moments, but her most recognizable is cute kids. Big heads, teeny tiny hands and feet, that kind of thing. I say "cute" but I don't mean Bambi cute or Love Is cute. I mean that she has an ability to capture the joy and dread of humanity in miniature. Alvin, for example, is rendered perfectly here. Whether he's cowering in dread or bursting onto the scene as a superhero, this protagonist is impossible to imagine as anything but as Ms. Pham's version. I particularly enjoyed the picture of the boys in Alvin's class discovering that they've all gotten chicken pox as he smiles out at the reader, his happiness undulating off of him invisibly.
As I read this book do you know what title it kept reminded me of? I can't really explain why but I kept thinking about The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Maybe that's not as odd as it sounds, though. Both books have that early chapter book style. Both mix in a brand of humor particular to their respective authors. And both, I am convinced, will remain firmly implanted in the brains of their readers for years and years to come. I'd love to wave a magic wand, bonk Alvin Ho over the head, and declare this book a contemporary classic. If I'm any judge, however, I figure this is just the first in many Alvin Ho books to come. Though it stands entirely on its own, Look has left plenty of room for future installments in the series. Alvin Ho turns out to be a guy definitely worth knowing. Help a kid to meet him.
Ages 4-9.
December 14, 2025
This book is good but isn't awesome. The audiobook is better.
July 8, 2021
My youngest daughter and I have mad writer crushes on Lenore Look.
Why not? She's one of the few middle grades authors who seems to understand that kids like to laugh.
She writes “funny” without being ridiculous, and she's created Chinese-American protagonists who are kids, not stereotypes.
As we're purging more books this week, we are struggling with what to do with our Alvin Ho series. How can we give them away? Should we keep them?
Alvin, we love you!
Why not? She's one of the few middle grades authors who seems to understand that kids like to laugh.
She writes “funny” without being ridiculous, and she's created Chinese-American protagonists who are kids, not stereotypes.
As we're purging more books this week, we are struggling with what to do with our Alvin Ho series. How can we give them away? Should we keep them?
Alvin, we love you!
August 7, 2008
I know I'm supposed to follow the other reviewers and kvell over this book and declare Alvin to be the next Ramona, Junie B, whoever, just not in a dress.
But I can't.
From the moment he began to assemble his "Personal Disaster Kit" I stopped believing in Alvin as a living, breathing second grader. And the finale, with Alvin finally making friends with a cool girl, was about as predictable as you can get.
I found this contrived and cutesy and could almost feel the author winking at the adults reading this so that they could pass it down to kids feeling pleased with themselves for finding such a great book--hey,boys will love it--it's about a boy and it's easy to read and it's got great pictures!
Sorry, Lenore Look, no sale.
Please go back and write some more Ruby Lu books instead.
But I can't.
From the moment he began to assemble his "Personal Disaster Kit" I stopped believing in Alvin as a living, breathing second grader. And the finale, with Alvin finally making friends with a cool girl, was about as predictable as you can get.
I found this contrived and cutesy and could almost feel the author winking at the adults reading this so that they could pass it down to kids feeling pleased with themselves for finding such a great book--hey,boys will love it--it's about a boy and it's easy to read and it's got great pictures!
Sorry, Lenore Look, no sale.
Please go back and write some more Ruby Lu books instead.
July 10, 2008
Lenore Look and LeUyen Pham have teamed up to create one terrific cast of characters in this new chapter book for kids, Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things.
Alvin is afraid of lots of things: elevators, tunnels, bridges, airplanes, thunder, substitute teachers, kimchi, wasabi, the dark, heights, scary movies, scary dreams, shots, school. Especially school. And he's about to start second-grade, which means he's very nervous. At home with his loving and patient parents, siblings Calvin and Anibelly, and their shaggy dog, Lucy, Alvin is the wild and loud, cape-and-colander-wearing superhero "Firecracker Man!" He likes to play baseball with his GungGung (maternal grandfather), is not afraid of anything that explodes, and is a bit of a history buff due to the amount of time he spends reading interesting books with his dad, who is teaching him to be a gentleman (and to curse in Shakespearean).
At school, though, things are different for Alvin. He suffers from selective mutism, which, for Alvin, means that although he has no trouble communicating in most situations, at school he becomes so terrified that it is impossible for him to speak: "Even when I try with all my might, I always manage to say nothing at all. My voice works at home. It works in the car. It even works on the school bus. But as soon as I get to school...I am as silent as a side of beef." This leads to some interesting situations, and thank goodness Alvin has clever little Flea by his side to help.
Of course, he has no idea how valuable a friend Flea is, but he begins to catch on as the story moves along. As much as I love Alvin and Dad, I think Flea is my favorite character of all. It took me about 2/3 of the way through the book before I realized the "peg leg" Alvin kept referring to was actually a prosthesis. So here we have a little girl apparently born with some serious physical defects (she has both a prosthetic leg and an eye patch) who has an absolutely amazing attitude. She's kind, helpful, talkative, and throws a wicked punch. (Although no speech impediment is mentioned, I imagine her talking just like Amy Pohler's "Caitlyn" character on Saturday Night Live. Loud...non-stop. Which makes me love her all the more.)
Pham's comical and lively illustrations are drawn with lines as bold as Firecracker Man. Check out the drawing on page 91 of the entire family watching Dad's meltdown (Mom's look of bemusement while everyone else is wide-eyed especially cracks me up).
There was not a single thing I didn't like about this book. Not one. It has humor, it has heart (there is a truly wonderful scene between Alvin and his dad at an ice cream parlor that reveals Dad's patience and insight), and it has a hero or two. Make that three.
Memorable Lines:
"...boys have more respect for one another after a good pounding....And girls are weird even if they wear a cool eye patch, drag a cool peg leg and know how to throw a mean uppercut." ~ Alvin
"Maybe we should just have your funeral now." ~ Anibelly
"And when you are famous, you don't get buried like a regular person under a stone that has your name and telephone number on it. You have to stay in your house to give tours." ~ Alvin
"ZOUNDS!" ~ Alvin
"Oooh. It really fried my rice." ~ Alvin
(I could keep going, but I need to leave some good lines for you to discover on your own.)
Alvin is afraid of lots of things: elevators, tunnels, bridges, airplanes, thunder, substitute teachers, kimchi, wasabi, the dark, heights, scary movies, scary dreams, shots, school. Especially school. And he's about to start second-grade, which means he's very nervous. At home with his loving and patient parents, siblings Calvin and Anibelly, and their shaggy dog, Lucy, Alvin is the wild and loud, cape-and-colander-wearing superhero "Firecracker Man!" He likes to play baseball with his GungGung (maternal grandfather), is not afraid of anything that explodes, and is a bit of a history buff due to the amount of time he spends reading interesting books with his dad, who is teaching him to be a gentleman (and to curse in Shakespearean).
At school, though, things are different for Alvin. He suffers from selective mutism, which, for Alvin, means that although he has no trouble communicating in most situations, at school he becomes so terrified that it is impossible for him to speak: "Even when I try with all my might, I always manage to say nothing at all. My voice works at home. It works in the car. It even works on the school bus. But as soon as I get to school...I am as silent as a side of beef." This leads to some interesting situations, and thank goodness Alvin has clever little Flea by his side to help.
Of course, he has no idea how valuable a friend Flea is, but he begins to catch on as the story moves along. As much as I love Alvin and Dad, I think Flea is my favorite character of all. It took me about 2/3 of the way through the book before I realized the "peg leg" Alvin kept referring to was actually a prosthesis. So here we have a little girl apparently born with some serious physical defects (she has both a prosthetic leg and an eye patch) who has an absolutely amazing attitude. She's kind, helpful, talkative, and throws a wicked punch. (Although no speech impediment is mentioned, I imagine her talking just like Amy Pohler's "Caitlyn" character on Saturday Night Live. Loud...non-stop. Which makes me love her all the more.)
Pham's comical and lively illustrations are drawn with lines as bold as Firecracker Man. Check out the drawing on page 91 of the entire family watching Dad's meltdown (Mom's look of bemusement while everyone else is wide-eyed especially cracks me up).
There was not a single thing I didn't like about this book. Not one. It has humor, it has heart (there is a truly wonderful scene between Alvin and his dad at an ice cream parlor that reveals Dad's patience and insight), and it has a hero or two. Make that three.
Memorable Lines:
"...boys have more respect for one another after a good pounding....And girls are weird even if they wear a cool eye patch, drag a cool peg leg and know how to throw a mean uppercut." ~ Alvin
"Maybe we should just have your funeral now." ~ Anibelly
"And when you are famous, you don't get buried like a regular person under a stone that has your name and telephone number on it. You have to stay in your house to give tours." ~ Alvin
"ZOUNDS!" ~ Alvin
"Oooh. It really fried my rice." ~ Alvin
(I could keep going, but I need to leave some good lines for you to discover on your own.)
January 20, 2014
I work in Asia. I can offer girls, Katie Woo, Ruby Lu, Katie Kazoo, Clementine, Starring Jules, "Call me Oklahoma," Marty Mcguire, Judy Moody, Junie B. Jones... to name a few, but boys? They get about half or maybe a third of the girl offerings in Stink, Roscoe Riley, Julian, Horrible Harry, and "The Year of Billy Miller." Add Asian American, Alvin Ho, to that boy list. He's a second grader with a great imagination and great fears. When he goes to school he can't talk. When he's scared he can't talk. He has a personal disaster kit (PDK) that helps him get through the uncertainties of life and an older brother who doles out advice on how to make friends. He goes to a therapist for the selective mute issue. Like most young kids, Alvin can't quite sort through advice properly and he makes some innocent but costly mistakes trying to enact them.
This gives Alvin an authentic voice. He plays games like a second grader from being a superheroe to building volcanoes. He's having a hard time making friends at school and when he finally does from the advice of a brother, he isn't sure he likes being a part of "the gang." There is a nice message tucked in the action regarding following the crowd and when people are making decisions that actually hurt others. Alvin must decide whether to stand up to a bully or not. This is a subtle bully. He doesn't do super nasty things, he just manipulates people to serve his own interests not really caring about others. The older reader sees the bully's insecurities while Alvin just sees someone he doesn't want to be friends with. Alvin realizes that his other friend, who is a girl with an eye patch and short leg, is actually a lot more fun to hang out with than "the gang."
The author goes inside Alvin's head and has him think thoughts that a second grader wouldn't be able to articulate but what comes out of his mouth is age-appropriate for the most part. I appreciate a book that tosses in humor for me, the adult; however even though the cursing in Shakespeare was unrealistic, I laughed hard. A second-grader wouldn't be able to pronounce half those words much less remember them. I might have been able to buy it if the author had use a few but the therapist episode had too many curses. In the end, I didn't care and I don't think kids will either. It's a terrific way to introduce one of the greatest English dramatists in a kid-friendly way. Maybe in high school a kid will quote Shakespeare's curses to his English teacher then blame it on Alvin Ho. Toss in the mix that Alvin knows how to use tears with adults when he's in trouble and loves it when his dad calls him "Son" making him feel important and you have a clear picture of a second-grader with all his insecurities, joys, and playfulness. This book has been popular with our grade 3-5 students and now I see why.
Fountas and Pinnell Service: Q
Reading level 3.8
This gives Alvin an authentic voice. He plays games like a second grader from being a superheroe to building volcanoes. He's having a hard time making friends at school and when he finally does from the advice of a brother, he isn't sure he likes being a part of "the gang." There is a nice message tucked in the action regarding following the crowd and when people are making decisions that actually hurt others. Alvin must decide whether to stand up to a bully or not. This is a subtle bully. He doesn't do super nasty things, he just manipulates people to serve his own interests not really caring about others. The older reader sees the bully's insecurities while Alvin just sees someone he doesn't want to be friends with. Alvin realizes that his other friend, who is a girl with an eye patch and short leg, is actually a lot more fun to hang out with than "the gang."
The author goes inside Alvin's head and has him think thoughts that a second grader wouldn't be able to articulate but what comes out of his mouth is age-appropriate for the most part. I appreciate a book that tosses in humor for me, the adult; however even though the cursing in Shakespeare was unrealistic, I laughed hard. A second-grader wouldn't be able to pronounce half those words much less remember them. I might have been able to buy it if the author had use a few but the therapist episode had too many curses. In the end, I didn't care and I don't think kids will either. It's a terrific way to introduce one of the greatest English dramatists in a kid-friendly way. Maybe in high school a kid will quote Shakespeare's curses to his English teacher then blame it on Alvin Ho. Toss in the mix that Alvin knows how to use tears with adults when he's in trouble and loves it when his dad calls him "Son" making him feel important and you have a clear picture of a second-grader with all his insecurities, joys, and playfulness. This book has been popular with our grade 3-5 students and now I see why.
Fountas and Pinnell Service: Q
Reading level 3.8
March 28, 2011
Meh. Reading this book to my boys at bedtime gave me a very good idea of what Charlotte Mason meant when she described some children's books as 'twaddle'.
Sure, it's an engaging little story, and I had to laugh at Alvin and his Shakespearean curses. But in the end I was left with the feeling that this was really a book about nothing at all. Was it about friendship? Was it about childhood anxieties? Surviving school? Being a Chinese American boy? Taking responsibility? All of the above? I think the author was going for all of the above, but in the end did not nail any of them in a manner that will be memorable to children.
I think it is very telling that this book failed to engage my boys. Whereas with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory they were on the edge of their seats waiting for him to find that golden ticket (even the child who pretended he wasn't listening), this one garnered almost no interest after the first few chapters. I threatened to read it to myself tonight and not let them know the ending (they weren't getting ready for bed) and they both said they didn't care! They got ready for bed, we finished it...and that's about all I can say for the ending.
Back to the classics for us.
Sure, it's an engaging little story, and I had to laugh at Alvin and his Shakespearean curses. But in the end I was left with the feeling that this was really a book about nothing at all. Was it about friendship? Was it about childhood anxieties? Surviving school? Being a Chinese American boy? Taking responsibility? All of the above? I think the author was going for all of the above, but in the end did not nail any of them in a manner that will be memorable to children.
I think it is very telling that this book failed to engage my boys. Whereas with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory they were on the edge of their seats waiting for him to find that golden ticket (even the child who pretended he wasn't listening), this one garnered almost no interest after the first few chapters. I threatened to read it to myself tonight and not let them know the ending (they weren't getting ready for bed) and they both said they didn't care! They got ready for bed, we finished it...and that's about all I can say for the ending.
Back to the classics for us.
September 2, 2016
Alvin Ho, like many 2nd graders, loves superheroes, baseball, explosions, making mayhem, and digging holes. Like many 2nd grade boys, he’s allergic to girls. But there’s one thing you should know about Alvin Ho: he’s never spoken a word in school. As Alvin himself puts it, “Even when I try with all my might, I always manage to say nothing at all. My voice works at home. It works in the car. It even works on the school bus. But as soon as I get to school… I am as silent as a side of beef.”
Alvin’s total silence at school, as you would imagine, presents him with certain difficulties. ‘Show and Tell’ is a problem; he’s got the ‘showing’ down pat but not so much the ‘telling’ part. Making friends with the other boys in his class is also tricky. Sure, Flea, whose real name is Sophie, is his desk buddy and loves hanging out with him, but that hardly counts since she’s, well, a girl.
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things is the story of how Alvin tries to cleverly circumvent the inconveniences caused by his anxiety. It is a very funny book, but also a moving depiction of a boy navigating his way through the learning experiences of childhood, a time when school, family, and friends are such a large part of life. Any children who have ever dealt with anxiety over going to class, meeting new people, or facing difficult situations will be able to identify with Alvin and the challenges he faces, while those readers who can’t relate to Alvin’s perpetual nervousness will still be able to enjoy this immensely entertaining book and in the process will probably see a glimpse of themselves or someone they know in Alvin.
- John D.
Click here to find the book at the Prince William County Public Library System.
Click here to find the audiobook at the Prince William County Public Library System.
Click here to find the ebook at the Prince William County Public Library System.
Alvin’s total silence at school, as you would imagine, presents him with certain difficulties. ‘Show and Tell’ is a problem; he’s got the ‘showing’ down pat but not so much the ‘telling’ part. Making friends with the other boys in his class is also tricky. Sure, Flea, whose real name is Sophie, is his desk buddy and loves hanging out with him, but that hardly counts since she’s, well, a girl.
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things is the story of how Alvin tries to cleverly circumvent the inconveniences caused by his anxiety. It is a very funny book, but also a moving depiction of a boy navigating his way through the learning experiences of childhood, a time when school, family, and friends are such a large part of life. Any children who have ever dealt with anxiety over going to class, meeting new people, or facing difficult situations will be able to identify with Alvin and the challenges he faces, while those readers who can’t relate to Alvin’s perpetual nervousness will still be able to enjoy this immensely entertaining book and in the process will probably see a glimpse of themselves or someone they know in Alvin.
- John D.
Click here to find the book at the Prince William County Public Library System.
Click here to find the audiobook at the Prince William County Public Library System.
Click here to find the ebook at the Prince William County Public Library System.
August 26, 2017
One of my favorite reviewers isn't raving about this because she doesn't feel that Alvin is authentic. I have to admit that she probably knows more second-graders than I do. But to me he felt very real. Not to mention adorable.
His parents, now... they're not realistic. How can they be so patient, so understanding? It helps that there are grandparents around, I guess, but still. I mean, who but Alvin would believe a whispered remark, heard for the very first time as the boy is headed to piano lessons, that the piano teacher is a witch?
Anyway, I loved the whole family. And I loved the world-building of what it's like to live in Concord Mass. "The best thing about history, as everyone knows, is that you can play it at recess."
I do wonder who reads this. Is it at a second-grade reading level? Good for family read-alouds. I bet a lot of teachers read it to their classes, because they can share ideas prompted about bullies, siblings, anxiety, being a gentleman, etc.... and then they can turn their students loose on the sequels. Well, I'm going to look for the sequels, too; one book was just not enough for me.
His parents, now... they're not realistic. How can they be so patient, so understanding? It helps that there are grandparents around, I guess, but still. I mean, who but Alvin would believe a whispered remark, heard for the very first time as the boy is headed to piano lessons, that the piano teacher is a witch?
Anyway, I loved the whole family. And I loved the world-building of what it's like to live in Concord Mass. "The best thing about history, as everyone knows, is that you can play it at recess."
I do wonder who reads this. Is it at a second-grade reading level? Good for family read-alouds. I bet a lot of teachers read it to their classes, because they can share ideas prompted about bullies, siblings, anxiety, being a gentleman, etc.... and then they can turn their students loose on the sequels. Well, I'm going to look for the sequels, too; one book was just not enough for me.
June 30, 2018
For a book about fears and overcoming anxiety, this book is so funny. Maybe it's Pham's artwork, maybe it's Lenore's narrative, or maybe it's the two working together. It makes for an enjoyable ride. It also makes for a really emotional one, too. You want Alvin to overcome his fears, and you want him to do it in a healthy way, which this book absolutely advocates for.
One thing I really appreciated about this book was the fact that emotions were accepted as normal in Alvin and his father, and that they reacted to their negative emotions in really healthy ways, such as playing a song on the piano, or by creating something akin to a panic box. Speaking up about anxiety and similar disorders in young children is something that's rarely seen, especially in children's literature, I've found, so to see that here, I think it's just wonderful.
Overall, this was a fantastic book (and series!) that's just so honest about being afraid and that's so true to itself.
Review cross-listed here!
One thing I really appreciated about this book was the fact that emotions were accepted as normal in Alvin and his father, and that they reacted to their negative emotions in really healthy ways, such as playing a song on the piano, or by creating something akin to a panic box. Speaking up about anxiety and similar disorders in young children is something that's rarely seen, especially in children's literature, I've found, so to see that here, I think it's just wonderful.
Overall, this was a fantastic book (and series!) that's just so honest about being afraid and that's so true to itself.
Review cross-listed here!
December 13, 2023
This book offers an interesting take on the typical kid-lit genre. It's the first book in the Alvin Ho series by Lenore Look and LeUyen Pham.
The main protagonist is the middle child of a Chinese family who has close relationships with his extended family. He lives in Concord, Massachusetts and refers often to the historical figures and events that took place there, especially during the Revolutionary War.
Another interesting aspect of the story is that Alvin cannot speak in school and sees a psychotherapist to help him become more comfortable in this environment. He also creates a Personal Disaster Kit (PDK) to carry with him, just in case.
The story shows how Alvin learns about friendship and the dangers of giving in to the demands of a gang just to fit in. The book is a quick read and I would recommend it for both boys and girls in elementary school.
Our youngest brought this book home from school and we both read it independently. We both enjoyed the story and I will look for the other books in this series at our local library.
interesting quote:
"My dad learned to play the piano when he was about my age. So now when he plays, he sounds like Brahms even though his fingers are as thick as bratwurst. As long as he was playing I was okay. And the longer he played, the more okay I was going to be, because as we all know, music is medicine. The more you take, the better you feel." (p. 95)
The main protagonist is the middle child of a Chinese family who has close relationships with his extended family. He lives in Concord, Massachusetts and refers often to the historical figures and events that took place there, especially during the Revolutionary War.
Another interesting aspect of the story is that Alvin cannot speak in school and sees a psychotherapist to help him become more comfortable in this environment. He also creates a Personal Disaster Kit (PDK) to carry with him, just in case.
The story shows how Alvin learns about friendship and the dangers of giving in to the demands of a gang just to fit in. The book is a quick read and I would recommend it for both boys and girls in elementary school.
Our youngest brought this book home from school and we both read it independently. We both enjoyed the story and I will look for the other books in this series at our local library.
interesting quote:
"My dad learned to play the piano when he was about my age. So now when he plays, he sounds like Brahms even though his fingers are as thick as bratwurst. As long as he was playing I was okay. And the longer he played, the more okay I was going to be, because as we all know, music is medicine. The more you take, the better you feel." (p. 95)
September 13, 2016
The novel follows Alvin Ho as he starts the second grade. The only problem is that he is allergic to school, girls, and basically everything. Alvin is afraid to talk in school and to speak his mind, but at home he is not. At home Alvin is Firecracker Man, a brother to Calvin and Anibelly, and a normal second grader getting into shenanigans. The story follows his transition into second grade; the story is told through a personal narrative style accompanied by doodles to enhance the story with laughter and imagery for the reader.
Alvin Ho is a perfect example for age appropriate multicultural literature for second graders. This book is a mirror for any nervous student who will do anything and everything to get out of school. Alvin Ho is Asian American and talks about his Chinese culture in a way that could connect too many students his age. He does not go into depth regarding his culture, but he does bring up Chinese names that he calls his family members, Chinese New Year, and food from his culture. This book also brings insight on what it is to be a kid trying to please their parents, like Alvin joining “Gentleman in training” to please his dad. Alvin is not the “other” in this book but rather a voice that all second graders, including students of color, can connect to. This book is fun for the reluctant reader and refreshing for those who love to read.
Alvin Ho is a perfect example for age appropriate multicultural literature for second graders. This book is a mirror for any nervous student who will do anything and everything to get out of school. Alvin Ho is Asian American and talks about his Chinese culture in a way that could connect too many students his age. He does not go into depth regarding his culture, but he does bring up Chinese names that he calls his family members, Chinese New Year, and food from his culture. This book also brings insight on what it is to be a kid trying to please their parents, like Alvin joining “Gentleman in training” to please his dad. Alvin is not the “other” in this book but rather a voice that all second graders, including students of color, can connect to. This book is fun for the reluctant reader and refreshing for those who love to read.
March 19, 2018
Long-Range Novel Unit Plan Text
Look, L., & Pham, L. (2008). Alvin Ho: allergic to girls, school, and other scary things. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.
I enjoyed this book. It was funny and super relatable. We are all scared of something, it just so happens that Alvin Ho is scared of... well just about anything. As a reader, you get to learn about all the thoughts that go through Alvin's head as he encounters his fears and other day-to-day situation. I think this is a great book for any age, but an appropriate age level would probably be 3rd grade.
Text-dependent questions:
1. Alvin takes his father's Johnny Astro toy to school without asking, because he hopes it will make him more popular. Does his plan work? Why or why not?
2. Why did Flea make the Book of Alvin? What did it consist of?
3. Why does Alvin feel the need for his Personal Disaster Kit (PDK)?
Look, L., & Pham, L. (2008). Alvin Ho: allergic to girls, school, and other scary things. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.
I enjoyed this book. It was funny and super relatable. We are all scared of something, it just so happens that Alvin Ho is scared of... well just about anything. As a reader, you get to learn about all the thoughts that go through Alvin's head as he encounters his fears and other day-to-day situation. I think this is a great book for any age, but an appropriate age level would probably be 3rd grade.
Text-dependent questions:
1. Alvin takes his father's Johnny Astro toy to school without asking, because he hopes it will make him more popular. Does his plan work? Why or why not?
2. Why did Flea make the Book of Alvin? What did it consist of?
3. Why does Alvin feel the need for his Personal Disaster Kit (PDK)?
March 21, 2010
Cute. In fact, maybe a little too cute. But I'm pretty sure it will make its mark upon the elementary school set. Alvin's inability to utter a word in school, despite all the words ricocheting around in his brain, seems vividly real, and the scenes with his father, a great adult character like the dads in Beverly Cleary's books, are great. The illustrations by LeUyen Pham are great, too.
April 23, 2015
I like this book a lot. I liked that the boy is scared of everything but sometimes he has to face his fears to help other in need. this is a good book for anybody for needs a good smile on thier face
March 22, 2018
This is an adorable read. Comparison to Junie B. Jones are apt (though Alvin's grammar is less perplexing).
June 24, 2018
Just remember reading this in fourth grade and having a good laugh.
June 29, 2018
read as a family
June 23, 2023
Young Alvin Ho, going into second grade, has selective mutism at school and in other social situations. He likes superheroes, books about adventure, Shakespearean insults, his family, and digging holes; he's unsure about girls, his piano teacher, and rougher boys. Over the course of this book, he has a few picaresque adventures (breaking his father's beloved childhood toy, deliberately getting chicken pox) but there is no resolution to his anxiety. However, he does make a small step by befriending Flea, the rather cool girl with an eyepatch and peg leg (never explained) who is nice to him.
I assign this book to my third graders. It's quite funny, and Alvin is such a silly and pathetic figure it's easy to sympathize with him as well as laugh. The excellent illustrations by LeUyen Pham go a long way to bringing life into Look's characters. The book doesn't lend itself easily to elementary retelling, being a series of adventures and not a "somebody wanted, but, so, then" linear narrative. However, it's a fun book, and kids can learn a lot from some of the references — there's even a (mostly factual) index at the end of famous people and places. I learned something, too. There really was a Johnny Astro figure, and adults are still crazy for it!
I assign this book to my third graders. It's quite funny, and Alvin is such a silly and pathetic figure it's easy to sympathize with him as well as laugh. The excellent illustrations by LeUyen Pham go a long way to bringing life into Look's characters. The book doesn't lend itself easily to elementary retelling, being a series of adventures and not a "somebody wanted, but, so, then" linear narrative. However, it's a fun book, and kids can learn a lot from some of the references — there's even a (mostly factual) index at the end of famous people and places. I learned something, too. There really was a Johnny Astro figure, and adults are still crazy for it!
October 2, 2020
I really wanted to like this book! It's about an #ownvoices book about an Asian American boy struggling with social anxiety disorder. It's a book about a charming, precocious 1st grader that could potentially be a read-alike for the (mostly white) emergent reader school stories (Ivy and Bean, Junie B. Jones, Dory Fantasmagory, Clementine, Waylon Tricia Springstubb's Cody Series... You get the idea).
But stylistically this book is weird. Alvin’s character vacillates wildly from child to wise-beyond his years. For example in one scene Alvin tells his brother he has a “So-so anxiety disorder,” a clever bit of word-play mimicing the way children speak; the scene is followed up by Alvin describing the difference between girls and boys being “Girls aren’t good at robbery and mayhem,” giving Alvin an unnatural, adult-like vocabulary.
Other out-of-place adultisms in the book are the 2nd grade class reading Thoreau, Alvin referencing the movie Psycho,, quoting Shakespeare, and calling students who are bad at arithmetic “The apes of math.” Lenore Look is a fabulously good prose writer, and these allusions are clever and funny and flow well with dialogue, but seem impossible for a child to understand without an adult reading the book aloud and explaining the jokes to them. And maybe that’s what this book is supposed to be? I think it works best as a read aloud to a child (particularly because the vocabulary is trickier than almost any 2nd grader could read on their own), but it seems to be marketed as an emergent reader.
I think the book also reinforces some annoying gender binaries, as Alvin repeatedly discusses the difference between girls and boys, and bases any niceness he has towards girls on the premise of “this is how a gentleman treats a lady”. A scene where Alvin explains that Psychotherapists are “very smart crazy person” seems to stigmatize the (normal) experience of children who are seeking mental health assistance, and undermines the rest of the book’s themes of acceptance for neurodivergence.
Mostly this book is okay. As was stated before, I love the way that Lenore Look writes in a warm, clever, and humorous (though not always accessible) way. I’m thrilled to see more diversity in a field of school stories that are annoyingly, overwhelmingly white. The final thing that saved this book from being “okay” to “I liked it” for me was LeUyen Pham’s expressive and adorable black ink illustrations on every page, ranging from margin-like doodles to full page images, working perfectly to enhance the text and make Alvin leap to life off the pages.
But stylistically this book is weird. Alvin’s character vacillates wildly from child to wise-beyond his years. For example in one scene Alvin tells his brother he has a “So-so anxiety disorder,” a clever bit of word-play mimicing the way children speak; the scene is followed up by Alvin describing the difference between girls and boys being “Girls aren’t good at robbery and mayhem,” giving Alvin an unnatural, adult-like vocabulary.
Other out-of-place adultisms in the book are the 2nd grade class reading Thoreau, Alvin referencing the movie Psycho,, quoting Shakespeare, and calling students who are bad at arithmetic “The apes of math.” Lenore Look is a fabulously good prose writer, and these allusions are clever and funny and flow well with dialogue, but seem impossible for a child to understand without an adult reading the book aloud and explaining the jokes to them. And maybe that’s what this book is supposed to be? I think it works best as a read aloud to a child (particularly because the vocabulary is trickier than almost any 2nd grader could read on their own), but it seems to be marketed as an emergent reader.
I think the book also reinforces some annoying gender binaries, as Alvin repeatedly discusses the difference between girls and boys, and bases any niceness he has towards girls on the premise of “this is how a gentleman treats a lady”. A scene where Alvin explains that Psychotherapists are “very smart crazy person” seems to stigmatize the (normal) experience of children who are seeking mental health assistance, and undermines the rest of the book’s themes of acceptance for neurodivergence.
Mostly this book is okay. As was stated before, I love the way that Lenore Look writes in a warm, clever, and humorous (though not always accessible) way. I’m thrilled to see more diversity in a field of school stories that are annoyingly, overwhelmingly white. The final thing that saved this book from being “okay” to “I liked it” for me was LeUyen Pham’s expressive and adorable black ink illustrations on every page, ranging from margin-like doodles to full page images, working perfectly to enhance the text and make Alvin leap to life off the pages.
November 8, 2025
Obviously counting the books I read with my kids as books on Goodreads! Literally such a cute book and my class loved it.
September 27, 2010
Dari judulnya sudah bisa ditebak masalah besar apa yang dihadapi Alvin Ho setiap hari. Anak laki-laki kelas dua SD ini sebenarnya cerdas dan menyenangkan, tapi sayang begitu tiba di sekolah, bertemu guru dan teman-teman serta anak-anak perempuan, lidahnya tiba-tiba kelu sehingga akhirnya semua orang mengenalnya sebagai Alvin yang Tak Bisa Bicara. Akibatnya, Alvin tak punya teman, tak pernah diajak bermain, tak pernah dipuji guru walaupun dia tahu semua jawaban yang benar.
Lucunya, begitu keluar sekolah, teman-teman yang tak pernah sanggup dia ajak bicara di sekolah, bisa dengan mudah dia sapa saat tidak berada di lingkungan sekolah. Hmm...ini mungkin nggak sih? Saya terus terang belum pernah melihat kasus seperti ini, tidak heran jika orangtua Alvin sampai harus membawanya ke psikiater...yang juga menjadi salah satu hal dalam daftar yang ditakuti Alvin!
Sesungguhnya Alvin tidak benar-benar sendirian di sekolah. Ada Flea, anak perempuan super periang walaupun matanya setengah buta (yang dipakaikan penutup mata seperti bajak laut) dan kakinya timpang. Flea sangat menyukai Alvin dan selalu menemaninya ke mana-mana. Sayang, Alvin yang takut pada anak perempuan lebih memilih meninggalkan Flea daripada selalu diledek geng anak-anak lelaki di sekolah. Walaupun pada akhirnya Alvin menyadari apa yang paling baik baginya...
Sementara di rumah, Alvin yang anak tengah kadang-kadang juga terlupakan di antara kakak yang super cerdas dan adik yang super aktif sekaligus cerewet. Saya jadi ingat, kata orang anak tengah biasanya memang lain sendiri. Melihat Alvin Ho, mungkin omongan itu ada benarnya juga. Bukan berarti orangtua Alvin membedakan dia dari kakak-adiknya, tapi ketidakberisikan Alvin membuat kehadirannya kadang tidak begitu terasa.
Buku yang dilengkapi ilustrasi ini sangat sederhana dan lugas. Anak-anak usia sekolah dasar tidak akan kesulitan membacanya dan bisa mengidentifikasikan diri mereka dalam buku ini, apa lagi jika mereka punya masalah yang sama dengan Alvin. Banyak adegan lucu khas anak-anak antara Alvin dan teman-temannya, yang saya rasa dicomot penulis dari kisah masa kecilnya dulu.
Penyelesaian akhir yang dipilih penulis memang cenderung mudah dan ideal, sehingga kesan saya setelah membaca halaman terakhir adalah: "Kok gitu doang?" Tapi tenaang, saya dengar buku kedua Alvin Ho sudah terbit di negara asalnya sana dan buku ketiga segera menyusul. Mungkin kisah-kisah Alvin di buku selanjutnya juga akan lebih kompleks sesuai pertambahan umurnya.
Lucunya, begitu keluar sekolah, teman-teman yang tak pernah sanggup dia ajak bicara di sekolah, bisa dengan mudah dia sapa saat tidak berada di lingkungan sekolah. Hmm...ini mungkin nggak sih? Saya terus terang belum pernah melihat kasus seperti ini, tidak heran jika orangtua Alvin sampai harus membawanya ke psikiater...yang juga menjadi salah satu hal dalam daftar yang ditakuti Alvin!
Sesungguhnya Alvin tidak benar-benar sendirian di sekolah. Ada Flea, anak perempuan super periang walaupun matanya setengah buta (yang dipakaikan penutup mata seperti bajak laut) dan kakinya timpang. Flea sangat menyukai Alvin dan selalu menemaninya ke mana-mana. Sayang, Alvin yang takut pada anak perempuan lebih memilih meninggalkan Flea daripada selalu diledek geng anak-anak lelaki di sekolah. Walaupun pada akhirnya Alvin menyadari apa yang paling baik baginya...
Sementara di rumah, Alvin yang anak tengah kadang-kadang juga terlupakan di antara kakak yang super cerdas dan adik yang super aktif sekaligus cerewet. Saya jadi ingat, kata orang anak tengah biasanya memang lain sendiri. Melihat Alvin Ho, mungkin omongan itu ada benarnya juga. Bukan berarti orangtua Alvin membedakan dia dari kakak-adiknya, tapi ketidakberisikan Alvin membuat kehadirannya kadang tidak begitu terasa.
Buku yang dilengkapi ilustrasi ini sangat sederhana dan lugas. Anak-anak usia sekolah dasar tidak akan kesulitan membacanya dan bisa mengidentifikasikan diri mereka dalam buku ini, apa lagi jika mereka punya masalah yang sama dengan Alvin. Banyak adegan lucu khas anak-anak antara Alvin dan teman-temannya, yang saya rasa dicomot penulis dari kisah masa kecilnya dulu.
Penyelesaian akhir yang dipilih penulis memang cenderung mudah dan ideal, sehingga kesan saya setelah membaca halaman terakhir adalah: "Kok gitu doang?" Tapi tenaang, saya dengar buku kedua Alvin Ho sudah terbit di negara asalnya sana dan buku ketiga segera menyusul. Mungkin kisah-kisah Alvin di buku selanjutnya juga akan lebih kompleks sesuai pertambahan umurnya.
January 25, 2012
Anakku kelak akan memiliki banyak hal yang ia senangi di sekolah.
Ia akan senang pelajaran musik walau yang ia bisa hanya menyanyi, bukan memainkan alat musiknya. Ia akan menyenangi pelajaran keterampilan. Melipat kertas, menggunting, menempel, mewarnai, menggambar dengan pensil.
Anakku juga akan menyenangi matematika. Mungkin juga ilmu pengetahuan alam.
Ia akan membuka buku bergambarnya yang berwarna-warni, duduk dengan bangga dihadapan ayahnya sambil membacakan kembali cerita yang telah ia baca disekolah.
Kemudian akan aku tunjukkan kepadanya keindahan cara kerja alam, mengamati bagaimana ulat yang hijau berubah menjadi kepompong dan kupu-kupu.
Tidak semua hari adalah hari baik untuk anakku.
Akan ada hari-hari dimana anakku pulang sekolah dengan bekas air mata yang hampir mengering dipipinya. Lututnya terluka. Terjatuh, didorong temannya saat bermain di taman sekolah. Dia bilang dia sudah besar. Dan anak laki-laki yang sudah besar tidak akan menangis lama-lama. Tapi tetap meringis saat kubersihkan lukanya dan kuolesi obat merah.
Akan ada juga hari-hari dimana anakku susah untuk bangun di pagi hari. Dia berjalan menuju kamar mandi dengan mata setengah tertutup. Makan seadanya, minum susu semaunya, kemudian tertidur lagi disepanjang perjalanan menuju sekolah.
Kemudian akan ada hari dimana anakku tinggi suhu badannya. Dan aku mungkin akan menghabiskan sepanjang pagi memeluknya sambil berharap suhu tubuhnya perlahan kembali normal.
Ayahnya mungkin akan menelepon setiap satu jam sekali, untuk menanyakan bagaimana keadaannya di rumah.
Akan ada waktunya dimana anakku mogok makan. Bertengkar dengan temannya. Dimarahi gurunya di sekolah. Membantah kata-kata ibu dan ayahnya. Memecahkan vas bunga di ruang tengah. Kehujanan sepulang sekolah.
Apapun itu.
Semakin dipikirkan, semakin aku mampu menghadapi dunia. Untuk dia.
Entah seperti apa dia di masa depan, tapi aku tahu aku akan selalu ada.
Sama seperti ibuku, sama seperti ibu-ibu lainnya di dunia.
Dan di akhir hari, ada kecupan yang akan kami berikan kepada jagoan-jagoan kecil kami yang telah melalui beratnya hari di sekolah.
Akan ada pelukan sayang bagi mereka.
Menye ye? Abis baca Alvin Ho aja bikin reviewnya sampe kayak gini.
Ahey!
Maen ngebayangin anak aja. Cari calon bapaknya dulu sana!
*ngomong sama cermin*
Ia akan senang pelajaran musik walau yang ia bisa hanya menyanyi, bukan memainkan alat musiknya. Ia akan menyenangi pelajaran keterampilan. Melipat kertas, menggunting, menempel, mewarnai, menggambar dengan pensil.
Anakku juga akan menyenangi matematika. Mungkin juga ilmu pengetahuan alam.
Ia akan membuka buku bergambarnya yang berwarna-warni, duduk dengan bangga dihadapan ayahnya sambil membacakan kembali cerita yang telah ia baca disekolah.
Kemudian akan aku tunjukkan kepadanya keindahan cara kerja alam, mengamati bagaimana ulat yang hijau berubah menjadi kepompong dan kupu-kupu.
Tidak semua hari adalah hari baik untuk anakku.
Akan ada hari-hari dimana anakku pulang sekolah dengan bekas air mata yang hampir mengering dipipinya. Lututnya terluka. Terjatuh, didorong temannya saat bermain di taman sekolah. Dia bilang dia sudah besar. Dan anak laki-laki yang sudah besar tidak akan menangis lama-lama. Tapi tetap meringis saat kubersihkan lukanya dan kuolesi obat merah.
Akan ada juga hari-hari dimana anakku susah untuk bangun di pagi hari. Dia berjalan menuju kamar mandi dengan mata setengah tertutup. Makan seadanya, minum susu semaunya, kemudian tertidur lagi disepanjang perjalanan menuju sekolah.
Kemudian akan ada hari dimana anakku tinggi suhu badannya. Dan aku mungkin akan menghabiskan sepanjang pagi memeluknya sambil berharap suhu tubuhnya perlahan kembali normal.
Ayahnya mungkin akan menelepon setiap satu jam sekali, untuk menanyakan bagaimana keadaannya di rumah.
Akan ada waktunya dimana anakku mogok makan. Bertengkar dengan temannya. Dimarahi gurunya di sekolah. Membantah kata-kata ibu dan ayahnya. Memecahkan vas bunga di ruang tengah. Kehujanan sepulang sekolah.
Apapun itu.
Semakin dipikirkan, semakin aku mampu menghadapi dunia. Untuk dia.
Entah seperti apa dia di masa depan, tapi aku tahu aku akan selalu ada.
Sama seperti ibuku, sama seperti ibu-ibu lainnya di dunia.
Dan di akhir hari, ada kecupan yang akan kami berikan kepada jagoan-jagoan kecil kami yang telah melalui beratnya hari di sekolah.
Akan ada pelukan sayang bagi mereka.
Menye ye? Abis baca Alvin Ho aja bikin reviewnya sampe kayak gini.
Ahey!
Maen ngebayangin anak aja. Cari calon bapaknya dulu sana!
*ngomong sama cermin*
May 28, 2019
This was a lot of fun to read, with vivid characters from Alvin himself to his extended family to his fascinating classmates. Honestly, I'm a little jealous of Alvin, because as a kid I wanted an older brother and to be a middle child ... though I was a pretty social second grader, so I can't imagine how debilitating the performance anxiety / selective mutism must be, especially at an age where children already feel like they don't have a lot of say in their lives.
But having worked with elementary school students for years, I feel like Alvin and his friends don't quite come across as kids so much as how older people — i.e., teenagers and up — tend to think of kids. There are quite a few jokes that play on how literal-minded and naive he is (not in a mocking way necessarily, more of an "aw how precious, please never grow up") but at the same time, he uses several turns of phrase that I certainly wouldn't have understood at that age even though I read a lot and my parents spoke relatively fluent English. I also don't love the internalized sexism ("Rule #1 of being a gentleman is you can't hit girls"; girls can't punch ... though this assumption is proven wrong!) even though it's something that I unfortunately do see in my first graders, if not to the extent that Alvin carries it. And some of the actions Alvin takes, while they do convey believably childlike thoughtlessness and lack of general awareness of others, are a little hard to believe when he seems like the kind of kid who would mostly follow the rules and principles he was taught by the adults in his life.
Also, the ending was really frustrating. I'm not sure if it was meant to be a cliffhanger, because I'm sure the situation feels like a big deal to Alvin (though it seems fairly trivial to me, having more life experience and having seen some of the other scrapes he's gotten himself into), but it felt like the book just ended abruptly. Which unfortunately doesn't really make me want to continue the series.
But having worked with elementary school students for years, I feel like Alvin and his friends don't quite come across as kids so much as how older people — i.e., teenagers and up — tend to think of kids. There are quite a few jokes that play on how literal-minded and naive he is (not in a mocking way necessarily, more of an "aw how precious, please never grow up") but at the same time, he uses several turns of phrase that I certainly wouldn't have understood at that age even though I read a lot and my parents spoke relatively fluent English. I also don't love the internalized sexism ("Rule #1 of being a gentleman is you can't hit girls"; girls can't punch ... though this assumption is proven wrong!) even though it's something that I unfortunately do see in my first graders, if not to the extent that Alvin carries it. And some of the actions Alvin takes, while they do convey believably childlike thoughtlessness and lack of general awareness of others, are a little hard to believe when he seems like the kind of kid who would mostly follow the rules and principles he was taught by the adults in his life.
Also, the ending was really frustrating. I'm not sure if it was meant to be a cliffhanger, because I'm sure the situation feels like a big deal to Alvin (though it seems fairly trivial to me, having more life experience and having seen some of the other scrapes he's gotten himself into), but it felt like the book just ended abruptly. Which unfortunately doesn't really make me want to continue the series.
March 10, 2018
This book is written in the eyes of Alvin Ho, a second grade Chinese-American boy, who struggles with anxiety on a daily basis. With having an anxiety disorder, finding friendships and performing well in school does not come easy. The reader follows Alvin and his hardships when attending school and how he handles himself with trying to overcome his anxiety. I absolutely loved this book, therefore I was able to personally connect myself with Alvin because I had a lot of anxiety within my education k-8 experience. Not only is this book diverse in terms of Alvin being apart of the Chinese-American community, but him being open about his disorder brings in another group of people who identify with having a disorder. Thinking about my future classroom, I think it is important for my students to have opportunities to learn or connect themselves with various characteristics of life. Whether that be gender, religion, culture, illnesses or disorders, etc., because everyone comes from different walks of life and whether or not a student identifies with it, they are still learning that other people may be and that it is okay. It is evident that children as young as second grade go through anxiety or troubles with making friends and this book is a great way for future or current educators like me talk about it within the classroom. Other than the content, I liked the writing style Look had with writing in the eyes of a second grader. Although she has an outsider’s perspective, her ability to write as if she were a young boy was persuasive enough for me to imagine myself as a second grader. But, I did have moments where I could tell a second grader did not write it because I babysit a second grader and thought what she would say… ha ha! Overall I enjoyed the book and the underlining story and will consider using it in my classroom.
May 15, 2010
I have heard this talked and talked about over and over again in school library circles, so I finally picked it up (after adding it to my own K-4 library last year). But I wasn't that impressed.
I enjoyed the uniqueness of the story - definitely quirky. Alvin Ho is afraid of many things, from elevators and tunnels to meeting new teachers and heights. But he never speaks in school. As a selective mute, he is treated to a visit with a "psychotherapist" weekly. I thought the chapter where he met with her was cleverly written - Alvin refers to her as a "psycho" and ends up cursing at her, Shakesperean style. Alvin also attempts to make friends by bringing in his dad's favorite toy to show-and-tell, but it ends up breaking on the bus ride to school. And he then attempts to trade baseball cards with "Pinky," the biggest and most popular boy in the second grade, but he realizes Pinky and he just don't fit in together. Alvin reconciles with "Flea," a girl with an eye patch and a 'peg leg' (one leg shorter than the other), whom he had befriended in first grade and who really knows him. (She knows him so well she created a book of Alvin's eye expressions - what eyes mean what emotions - to show the teacher at school).
Due to the quick references to Chinese terms without explanation (pohpoh, gunggung, etc.) and other things adults know a lot about (Thoreau, Gaugin, etc.), A LOT of comprehension skills are required here. Even with the "glossary" in the back that explains all these terms, I think kids will get lost here - this book requires a lot of "schema," in my opinion. And I didn't know the glossary was there until I finished the book!
I enjoyed the uniqueness of the story - definitely quirky. Alvin Ho is afraid of many things, from elevators and tunnels to meeting new teachers and heights. But he never speaks in school. As a selective mute, he is treated to a visit with a "psychotherapist" weekly. I thought the chapter where he met with her was cleverly written - Alvin refers to her as a "psycho" and ends up cursing at her, Shakesperean style. Alvin also attempts to make friends by bringing in his dad's favorite toy to show-and-tell, but it ends up breaking on the bus ride to school. And he then attempts to trade baseball cards with "Pinky," the biggest and most popular boy in the second grade, but he realizes Pinky and he just don't fit in together. Alvin reconciles with "Flea," a girl with an eye patch and a 'peg leg' (one leg shorter than the other), whom he had befriended in first grade and who really knows him. (She knows him so well she created a book of Alvin's eye expressions - what eyes mean what emotions - to show the teacher at school).
Due to the quick references to Chinese terms without explanation (pohpoh, gunggung, etc.) and other things adults know a lot about (Thoreau, Gaugin, etc.), A LOT of comprehension skills are required here. Even with the "glossary" in the back that explains all these terms, I think kids will get lost here - this book requires a lot of "schema," in my opinion. And I didn't know the glossary was there until I finished the book!
August 6, 2010
OK, Alvin Ho is my new favorite. There's his voice -- distinctive, neurotic, precocious, and freaking *adorable.* There's the format of the book -- with lists and diagrams and illustrations (and of course I loved LeUyen Pham's illustrations).
But I think what I loved most is that I really want to live in Alvin's world. He's part of a tight-knit community -- Concord, Massachusetts (which is hard to spell) -- he's part of a very close family, he's part of a school system where they teach kids Thoreau in second grade, he is happily Chinese and happily American with no friction where the two meet. He loves Patriot Day and playing Minutemen and Red Coats and will also inform you that he comes from a line of farmer-warriors dating back to 714 AD. His granddad loves baseball, and teaches them all the different pitches, and also loves to sew and makes their Halloween costumes. Alvin's deskmate is Flea, a girl with disabilities whose disabilities are not really treated as a hinderance for her (indeed, Alvin is hugely jealous of her eyepatch). When she tells him the eyepatch is because she's descended from pirates, he thinks, "It's just as I suspected."
He's smart and funny and terrified and Hansel and Gretel are going to need YEARS of therapy after being stuck in a cage, which is why that's the scariest story of all.
I loved every single thing about this book and I cannot wait for more.
But I think what I loved most is that I really want to live in Alvin's world. He's part of a tight-knit community -- Concord, Massachusetts (which is hard to spell) -- he's part of a very close family, he's part of a school system where they teach kids Thoreau in second grade, he is happily Chinese and happily American with no friction where the two meet. He loves Patriot Day and playing Minutemen and Red Coats and will also inform you that he comes from a line of farmer-warriors dating back to 714 AD. His granddad loves baseball, and teaches them all the different pitches, and also loves to sew and makes their Halloween costumes. Alvin's deskmate is Flea, a girl with disabilities whose disabilities are not really treated as a hinderance for her (indeed, Alvin is hugely jealous of her eyepatch). When she tells him the eyepatch is because she's descended from pirates, he thinks, "It's just as I suspected."
He's smart and funny and terrified and Hansel and Gretel are going to need YEARS of therapy after being stuck in a cage, which is why that's the scariest story of all.
I loved every single thing about this book and I cannot wait for more.
September 19, 2016
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things is a book written by Lenore Look. This book centers around a second grade Asain American boy named Alvin. Given away by the title, Alvin is scared of well…a lot of things: elevators, talking in school, girls and the list goes on. Alvin is coping with his phobias and insecurities, ultimately growing as a person by finding a friend in Flea, a one-eyed girl who also has a leg length discrepancy causing her to walk as if she had a “peg leg”. Alvin fondly thinks that this combination makes her look like a pirate. Lenore Look does a great job of capturing what is going through the mind of a 2nd grade boy, and translates these thoughts into articulated sentences. One of the central themes in this book is identity, and specifically the dichotomy of Alvin’s personality in school vs. while at home. I think this idea of how one acts alone vs when in a social setting can really be projected to a much older reading audience, making it relatable for not just elementary schoolers. This book also does a good job at including not a racially diverse characters but also a physically disabled character, making it relatable to children who identify with these groups. For these reasons I would recommend this book for ages 6-12 as either a pleasure read or a english class book.
September 15, 2016
“Alvin Ho Allergic to Girls, School and other scary things” is written by Lenore Look. The Chinese-American Alvin starts the second grade but is afraid of school and many other things. This is why he always carries his PFD – Personal Disaster Kit with him. Alvin is selective mute which means he is capable to speak but does not speak in specific situations like school or piano lessons. On top of that he has a bad time making friends. With help of his older brother he is writing a list “How to make friends”. Unfortunately making friends does not turn out to be easy. The first problem is that he is allergic to girls that is why he does not appreciate it when Flea decides to be his desk buddy.
I would consider this book as diverse children’s literature even though Alvin’s story would not be a lot different if he would not have this Asian migratory background. It does not go very deep into the Chinese culture. The fact that Alvin suffers of this anxiety disorder makes the book diverse.
I like this book because it is written through the perspective of a boy who has problems connecting with his peers and finds his own strategies like the PFD, list “How to Be a Gentlemen” to deal with it.
I would consider this book as diverse children’s literature even though Alvin’s story would not be a lot different if he would not have this Asian migratory background. It does not go very deep into the Chinese culture. The fact that Alvin suffers of this anxiety disorder makes the book diverse.
I like this book because it is written through the perspective of a boy who has problems connecting with his peers and finds his own strategies like the PFD, list “How to Be a Gentlemen” to deal with it.
March 17, 2018
Alvin Ho is a second grader with a fear of pretty much everything: elevators, tunnels, and, as the title would suggest, especially girls. More than anything he's afraid of school, so much so that from the moment he steps off the schoolbus to the moment he steps back on it every day, he never utters a word. Just like any little kid, Alvin wants to make friends, and he has plenty in common with other second grade boys: he loves superheroes and playing make-believe and he's terrified of girls. Over the course of the book, he learns to open up and to stand up for himself in new ways.
Author Lenore Look was asked by her editor to write a "boy version" of her successful middle-grade-reader Ruby Lu Brave and True, and this is what came of it. Like in Ruby Lu, Look does a good job here of integrating references to her protagonist's Chinese-American family life into the story smoothly, such that Alvin's Chinese heritage is seen as an important part of his everyday, but not all of it. A lot of the plot-action takes place more around being a little boy than being Chinese; some will think that makes it a worse representation, some will say it makes it better. I think I land a little more toward the latter.
Author Lenore Look was asked by her editor to write a "boy version" of her successful middle-grade-reader Ruby Lu Brave and True, and this is what came of it. Like in Ruby Lu, Look does a good job here of integrating references to her protagonist's Chinese-American family life into the story smoothly, such that Alvin's Chinese heritage is seen as an important part of his everyday, but not all of it. A lot of the plot-action takes place more around being a little boy than being Chinese; some will think that makes it a worse representation, some will say it makes it better. I think I land a little more toward the latter.
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