Skinnybones facts for kids
Skinnybones is a funny children's book written by Barbara Park in 1982. It's one of her most famous books and has won many awards. A sequel, Almost Starring Skinnybones, came out in 1988. The story is told by the main character, Alex Frankovitch. He's a grade school boy who sometimes feels a bit awkward and not very popular.
Contents
What Happens in Skinnybones?
The book starts with Alex writing a letter for a cat food contest. After this, he shares funny stories from his life. Many of these stories are about playing Little League. Alex also tells other tales that show how he thinks and feels. These side stories add a lot of humor to the book.
Alex's Baseball Adventures
Alex has played baseball for six years, but he admits he's "really stinky" at it. He often faces teasing from T.J. Stoner. T.J. is a very skilled player and Alex's main rival. Alex tries many ways to get T.J. to leave him alone. One time, Alex tries to beat T.J. in a pitching contest. He fails badly at this challenge.
The Big Game Moment
A few days later, Alex's team plays against T.J.'s team. T.J. tries again to make Alex look silly during the game. Alex bunts the ball and runs to first base. T.J. is ready to get Alex out there. Alex gets desperate and jumps up and down, yelling "BOOGA BOOGA!" This surprise makes T.J. miss the ball. Alex manages to get a double!
The Umpire's Call
However, the umpire immediately calls Alex out. This is because Alex interfered with the play at first base. Even though Alex was out, he felt like he won something bigger. He had embarrassed T.J.! When T.J. looked like he was going to fight Alex, Alex ran home. He locked himself in his room for safety.
After the Game
Alex tries to hide away like a hermit, but this only lasts a few hours. He has to go back to school the next day. There, both students and teachers joke about what happened. T.J. even gets a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for his team beating Alex's team.
Alex's Big Win
In a lucky twist, Alex ends up winning the cat food contest! This is the same contest he wrote to at the start of the book. Winning means Alex will appear in a national television commercial. He leaves school that day feeling nervous about filming. But he is also excited to be a big star. He hopes everything will go well.
