Hokey Pokey

In the land of Hokey Pokey, children spend their days throwing balls and see sawing and spitballing and riding trikes and doing the myriad things that kids find to do . With the exception of the Hokey Pokey Man, who makes an appearance at noon each day to distribute Ivey treats of every imaginable flavour to the kids, there are no grown-ups in evidence. Jack has been the recognized leader of Hokey Pokey for as long as anyone can remember, but that changes the morning he awakens to find that Scramjet, his trusty bike, is gone. When he finds that his nemesis, Jubilee, has takenScramjet, the day just gets more and more odd. Slowly, Jack realizes that Scramjet, whom Jack had bronco'd from a wild bike herd years ago, has initiated the move to Jubilee because Scramjet knows something that Jack won't acknowledge even to himself-- namely, that the time has come for Jack to leave Hokey Pokey. This is an interesting story line that could lead to great discussions with the right group of kids. The playful approach to language-- dropflopping and hoprocking and sneakerskiing--is a pleasure. Unfortunately, the dreamlike quality of the storytelling keeps readers at a distance, and I found it difficult to really lose myself I the tale. But fans of Jerry Spinelli and his particular brand of quirkiness will find plenty of quirk to be had here. ( )

"All children, except one, grow up."

One morning in Hokey Pokey, when Jack wakes up, everything is different. It's not just that his bike Scramjet has been stolen (by a girl!), but there are other differences, too. The tattoo on his stomach, the one that every kid gets when they arrive in Hokey Pokey, is fading. And . . . well . . . things just feel different. Jack finds himself doing unexpected things, like giving away his prized baseball glove, and wandering off without his amigos LaJo and Dusty. He's listening to the sound of a train whistle that nobody else can hear. And he's thinking about a story, the story that all of the kids in Hokey Pokey know, the story of The Kid . . .

This book inevitably evokes Peter Pan, though the similarities are actually rather few. Jack is no Peter -- he resists his eventual fate for a while, and his emotions are certainly mixed, but in the end he makes a choice. And Hokey Pokey is not a watered-down version of Neverland -- it has its own mysterious geography and landmarks that will appeal to any kid, and any adult who remembers what it was like to be a kid. Spinelli's writing is excellent, though I suspect some readers will have a hard time getting past the quirks and fully engaging with the story. Once they do, though, they will find it a rewarding experience, indeed -- and one that sticks with the reader long after the last page is read. I highly recommend this book to fans of children's literature, and I suspect this is another title we'll be talking about in the fall when awards season rolls around. ( )

Okay, so it’s Jerry Spinelli. Jerry Spinelli, whom I’ve enjoyed since I read Maniac Magee many, many years ago. And more recently, I read Jake and Lily (2012), and found that no matter how old I am, I can still somehow relate to his coming-of-age characters.

So. Hokey Pokey. First impressions are everything, right? After the first couple pages, I felt as if I had landed in the middle of Toy Story. And I wasn’t sure that that was going to be a good thing. But I hadn’t been disappointed by Spinelli before, so I persevered. About 20 pages in, I was hooked. And that was the end of that. I read the book in just a few days, being drawn in deeper every time I had a few moments to read.

Hokey Pokey is a coming of age story, but in a way completely different than any I’ve encountered before. The story begins with Jack, the cool kid on the block, and his two amigos, LaJo and Dusty. Jack’s beloved bike, Scramjet, has been stolen. And not just by anybody, but by Jubilee, Jack’s arch-enemy and a girl. As the story unfolds, the reader follows Jack on his quest to retrieve his bike, but also begins a tour of the land of Hokey Pokey, a place where no adults abide and children spend their days doing what children do best. The landscape consists of all our best childhood memories. There’s Thousand Puddles, Tantrums (where children go to let off steam and emerge exhausted), Cartoons (a giant movie screen), Doll Farm, and Trucks. It is home to children of all ages, from Snotsippers to Sillynillies, to Big Kids.

But one can’t stay in Hokey Pokey forever, and on this morning when Jack wakes up, he knows almost immediately that something is different. It’s not just the missing bike, or hearing the train whistle in a land that has no train. He feels different– separated, both anxious and excited. As the day progresses, Jack begins to realize what is happening, and what is to come when night falls. Suddenly, it’s not about the bike anymore, but of making the best of his remaining time in Hokey Pokey, and of leaving a legacy for those who will remain behind.

Adolescence is an awkward time. Children cling to their childhood, but want the independence adulthood. This internal struggle is apparent in Jack. Over the course of 304 pages, the reader sees Jack begin to transform, to accept his “fate” and even anticipate what the next day will bring. But with this anticipation comes trepidation of the unknown. Young readers will be able to relate, even if it’s in a way that they are unable to vocalize. Adult readers will want to comfort Jack, even while remembering their own adolescent days with a mixture of both joy and sorrow.

Hokey Pokey is creative, poignant, and bittersweet. Yes, the first couple pages are a little confusing. It takes an adjustment to move oneself into the world of Hokey Pokey. But once there, you are swept away, and will find yourself moving quickly along, to the final sentence. A sentence which, of course, brings the reader back to the beginning. ( )

Okay, so it’s Jerry Spinelli. Jerry Spinelli, whom I’ve enjoyed since I read Maniac Magee many, many years ago. And more recently, I read Jake and Lily (2012), and found that no matter how old I am, I can still somehow relate to his coming-of-age characters.

So. Hokey Pokey. First impressions are everything, right? After the first couple pages, I felt as if I had landed in the middle of Toy Story. And I wasn’t sure that that was going to be a good thing. But I hadn’t been disappointed by Spinelli before, so I persevered. About 20 pages in, I was hooked. And that was the end of that. I read the book in just a few days, being drawn in deeper every time I had a few moments to read.

Hokey Pokey is a coming of age story, but in a way completely different than any I’ve encountered before. The story begins with Jack, the cool kid on the block, and his two amigos, LaJo and Dusty. Jack’s beloved bike, Scramjet, has been stolen. And not just by anybody, but by Jubilee, Jack’s arch-enemy and a girl. As the story unfolds, the reader follows Jack on his quest to retrieve his bike, but also begins a tour of the land of Hokey Pokey, a place where no adults abide and children spend their days doing what children do best. The landscape consists of all our best childhood memories. There’s Thousand Puddles, Tantrums (where children go to let off steam and emerge exhausted), Cartoons (a giant movie screen), Doll Farm, and Trucks. It is home to children of all ages, from Snotsippers to Sillynillies, to Big Kids.

But one can’t stay in Hokey Pokey forever, and on this morning when Jack wakes up, he knows almost immediately that something is different. It’s not just the missing bike, or hearing the train whistle in a land that has no train. He feels different– separated, both anxious and excited. As the day progresses, Jack begins to realize what is happening, and what is to come when night falls. Suddenly, it’s not about the bike anymore, but of making the best of his remaining time in Hokey Pokey, and of leaving a legacy for those who will remain behind.

Adolescence is an awkward time. Children cling to their childhood, but want the independence adulthood. This internal struggle is apparent in Jack. Over the course of 304 pages, the reader sees Jack begin to transform, to accept his “fate” and even anticipate what the next day will bring. But with this anticipation comes trepidation of the unknown. Young readers will be able to relate, even if it’s in a way that they are unable to vocalize. Adult readers will want to comfort Jack, even while remembering their own adolescent days with a mixture of both joy and sorrow.

Hokey Pokey is creative, poignant, and bittersweet. Yes, the first couple pages are a little confusing. It takes an adjustment to move oneself into the world of Hokey Pokey. But once there, you are swept away, and will find yourself moving quickly along, to the final sentence. A sentence which, of course, brings the reader back to the beginning. ( )

Hokey Pokey is where kids live -- their own little world. In it are Playground, Tantrum, Snuggle, Gorilla Hill, and more. Jack is top dog, but then he begins to be different, confusing him and everyone around him. This imaginative book beautifully captures childhood and the unavoidable process of leaving childhood. ( )