Me and the Weirdos

I read this book in the fourth grade and thought it was hilarious. My brother, a year older than me had recommended it. 18 years later and I still love it. It is about an 11 year old girl who is pretty calm and normal despite the fact that her parents and sister are borderline nutcases. Her dad bikes everywhere with an umbrella on his bike, has weird hair and is a science geek. Her mom has crazy hair and always wears bright red tennis shoes and a jogging suit. Her sister collects can labels for a hobby and has a pet sea urchin. Their doorbell plays "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and they eat dinner every night out of one giant pot that they all share from. They have a drinking fountain in their living room and don't watch tv, because they prefer acting out dramas themselves. Things get pretty funny when an exchange student comes to stay with them. I bought a paperback copy off Ebay 2 years ago and found it just as funny as when I was 10. It was comforting to me when I was a kid, because I thought my family was soooooo weird. I discovered we are not as weird as I thought. The illustrations are great. I wish it would come back to bookstores. It is timeless humor. I hope some teachers read this review and buy a copy to read to their students. Kids 9-12 would be appropriate. Of course, I am a grown adult and still like kids' books the best, so if you aren't a teacher, that's ok. Buy one for yourself to cheer you up on yucky days.

I read this book when I was a kid and just loved it. I laughed for hours at all the funny and quirky things Cindy's parents do. It is a must for anyone who thinks that their parents are the weirdest.