Johnny's in the Basement facts for kids
First p/b edition
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| Author | Louis Sachar |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Knopf (h/b) Avon Books (p/b) |
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Publication date
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1981 |
| Pages | 128 |
| ISBN | 0-679-90411-5 |
Johnny's in the Basement is a children's novel written by the famous author Louis Sachar. He's also the writer of the well-known book Holes, which won big awards like the National Book Award and the Newbery Medal. This book was first published in 1981 by Knopf. It was actually the second book Louis Sachar ever wrote! His first was Sideways Stories from Wayside School in 1978. The interesting title, Johnny's in the Basement, is a nod to a song called "Subterranean Homesick Blues" by the musician Bob Dylan. That song starts with the line, "Johnny's in the basement mixing up the medicine."
What the Book is About
The story is about Johnny, who has just turned 11 years old. He likes to spend time in the basement where he can be alone. His parents want him to grow up more. They also want him to go to dance class. Plus, they want Johnny to get rid of his big collection of bottle caps.
At dance class, Johnny meets a girl named Valerie. She also doesn't like dance class very much. But she does like Johnny! Johnny decides to sell his bottle cap collection. He and Valerie then use the money they get, which is $86.33, to buy all sorts of fun and unusual things.
