Donuthead.

Donuthead

Sue Stauffacher

Alfred A. Knopf

Random House Children's Books

a Division of Random House, NY, NY

ISBN: 0375824685 $15.95 144 pp.

Donuthead was a must-read for me as I also am crafting a tale told from within the mind of a middle-school-aged boy. And of course I was fascinated by how another author would bring to life the murky depths therein. I found Donuthead to be a quick, delightful read for adults as well as children. Never has an obsessive-compulsive disorder been displayed with such charming hilarity. Franklin Delano Donuthead has progressed to the fifth grade defying an untimely death and millions of ruthlessly attacking germs by avoiding cars and bodies of water (the number one and two causes of death in children). Plus, as he says, "I never play with matches or firearms; never climb trees, ladders, or fences; change the smoke detector batteries every three months; do not drink liquids that are stored under the sink or put any plastic bags over my head."

And if that weren't enough, in order to live to see the sixth grade, Franklin protects himself from a world filled with germs by dousing with hydrogen peroxide, using sanitary gloves and repeating the "Happy Birthday" song as a mantra three times to ensure sufficient time to wash his hands. Low accident statistics and weekly calls to Gloria Nelots, the chief statistician for the National Safety Department in Washington, give this young man great comfort.

But then what can you expect from a fellow who has to endure a last name like Donuthead, whose slightly wacky mother dreams of her son playing third base for the New York Yankees and who has a sperm donor for a father?

And who could imagine that a new girl in school, Sarah Kervick, a tough, dirty little pile of germs with matted blonde hair and warts, could manage to open some of the locked doors at the Donuthead household and create a more "regular" family as well?

Sarah begins by smashing her fist into the class bully's nose, ignoring Franklin's pleas to "try to do as little as possible. It's important not to respond. That could escalate the tensions." Franklin's accident-avoidance techniques clash with Sarah's no-holds-barred aggression. And then, when his mother befriends her, Sarah enters Franklin's after-school world as well. But good things start happening to Sarah, Franklin and his mother when they open up to each other as human beings, which allows their dreams to come a little closer to reality. Perhaps the most warming aspect of this book is that it shows the positive effect kindness and understanding has on individuals.

This well-crafted story loaded with humor and humanity is an excellent read for children from middle elementary on to adults. Sue Stauffacher has also written two other books for children, The Angel and Other Stories, a collection of folk tales, and S'gana, the Black Whale, about a 12-year-old boy and a killer whale. A new book named Harry Sue is due out the summer of 2005, and its story line seems to display the same delightful quirkiness and warmth as Donuthead.