Project : family

• Main Author: Maggio, Lauren Ann
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/17045

A middle grade children's literature novel about a soon to be nine year old boy, Patrick, who is struggling to find his place in his lively family, in his classroom, and as the guest of honor at his ninth birthday party. As the third son of four, Patrick narrates a humorous view of his hectic family life complete with brotherly revenge and breakfast table flatulence. Woven into Patrick's narrative are his very real feelings toward the family's tight budget, his relationships with his brothers and parents, his weight problem, and his angst surrounding his upcoming birthday party. As every year, Patrick's well-intentioned, but somewhat misguided Mum plans a costume party for his birthday, which is close to Halloween. Faced with the possibility that his classmates might "forget" his party again this year, Patrick tries to deter his mother, but with little success. In addition to Patrick's efforts to craft a birthday party escape plan, he also gets stuck being partnered with Amelia, a spunky, but utterly geeky classmate, for a project. Like his birthday party, Patrick can find no way out of this project in which he and Amelia must examine families. Despite initial reluctance, the pair become friends. Through this friendship Patrick begins to better understand and appreciate his own family, which in the end he realizes make the best birthday party guests of all. === Arts, Faculty of === Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS), School of === Graduate