My heart sings when I find middle grade books that capture the boy voice well. Like here and here. Last summer I discovered Hertz Gets Fused by Suzanne Purvis. Hertz reminds me of the characters in Gordon Korman books: a kid who loves being a kid and fun is his ultimate goal.
Unfortunately, having fun (in Hertz’s case, video gaming) gets him in a bit of trouble and turns his whole summer upside down.
Synopsis:
Tech-obsessed twelve-year-old Hertz Zindler gets into Godzilla-sized trouble when he accidentally starts an electrical fire in his bedroom. Bad enough, all his tech stuff is ruined, but worse—Avis, his mom’s guide dog, gets grazed by a fire truck leaving the scene and the poor dog is traumatized and unable to guide.
Hertz’s mom heads to Texas to train with a new guide dog, and Hertz and Avis head to Show Low, Arizona where an unconventional great-uncle has agreed to babysit Hertz. Not what Hertz planned for his summer. He’s stuck in an Airstream trailer park for retirees, struggling to squash his shame and hide his boredom.
Then a flicker of hope. The town-sponsored scavenger hunt provides the means—a cash prize! If Hertz wins, he can buy a used laptop at the local pawn shop and get reconnected.
But Hertz’s past, along with a string of dumpster fires, have him labeled as the sheriff’s number one arson suspect.
Now Hertz must build a team, win the scavenger hunt, avoid the sheriff, and expose the real fire starter or he could end up in juvie jail. (from Amazon)
Highlights of Hertz Gets Fused:
1. A novel in verse. I don’t read many novels in verse, but this one worked on so many levels. It’s perfect for Hertz’s voice and is infused with humor and heart. Also, the sparse text will appeal to reluctant readers. One of my favorite lines (although it’s hard to pick) is when Hertz sees his house on fire and debates about telling his mom: “I delay my launch/of the truth starship.”
2. A realistic boy protagonist, who happens to be a gamer: Reading about Hertz reminded me how many of former students love to game. Hertz’s voice was authentic, and kids will relate to his dilemma. My younger son didn’t like Hertz because he was so self-centered at first, but trust me, stick with him, and he grows on you.
3. Memorable characters: Hertz, his mom, Pops, Hertz’s great uncle, and his scavenger hunt partners, Fey and Allen, leap off this page. This is in part to Suzanne’s memorable descriptions, like this one about Pops: “The rodent over his left eye twitches. / Might be a wink.”
4. A fun plot: For a fairly short (207 page) novel with sparse text, Suzanne packed in a lot of plot. I really enjoyed reading about the Scavenger Hunt, the zany people of Show Low, and how Hertz always managed to get himself into the craziest situations.
5. A perfect ending. The ending was filled with action (and peril for Avis the dog!), and Hertz proves in more than one way that he’s really truly changed.
Max, the Reading Dog* |
Finally, a book with an interesting dog! Avis is a survivor and my hero. He’s not just a minor character either. Woof! Woof!
About the author:
I write poetry and fiction of the long, short, and flash variety for both children and adults, usually with a touch of humor. (from https://www.suzannepurvis.com/)
Suzanne has another book coming out next year:
Your Turn:
Do you like novels in verse? What are your favorite reads this summer?