This was an interesting read, but I would never recommend it to a kid, and I'd doubt I'd have read it at all if the author weren't Jerry Spinelli. It seems more like a book written for adults (or maybe nostalgic teens) who want to dwell in a romanticized and stylized version of childhood. The language was creative, the plot a little dull, the setting cool. My one-star rating comes down to this: the reality of growing up is never as poetic and symbolic as it is in Hokey Pokey. Some readers will revel in Spinelli's fanciful prose-poetry and whimsy-laden metaphors. Others will feel nauseated. I went back and forth, but mostly felt nauseated.

There are obvious comparisons to be made to Peter Pan. Hokey Pokey seemed to me at first to be another version of Never-Never Land and Jack was an obvious Peter Pan-type leader. But that's kind of a misleading comparison. Jack's journey in this book is all about accepting that he's growing up and exiting childhood--there's nothing very Peter Pan in that. Also, there's no Captain Hook. ( )

This was dreadful. I briefly considered giving it two stars because of the underlying symbolism for Jack's growing up and leaving his childhood behind, but the book was very confusing, with too many places and characters for any kind of coherence. Scramjet!! ( )

children's fiction; fantasy dreamland/neverland (5th-7th grades). I'll admit I skimmed over large parts of this, so I may not be the best or fairest judge, but then again large parts of it just seemed pointless to me--I'd prefer more of a plot to the seemingly endless world-building, dreamlike sequences. I was fairly lost for the first 30 pages or so and had to force myself to keep reading--not a good sign for me, though I can see kids going along with the ride-like quality of the narratives. Touches on the familiar themes of boys and girls liking/hating each other, why kids tease other kids, and why they shouldn't tease other kids. Not Spinelli's best work, I don't think. ( )

The land of Hokey Pokey is a kids’ world – literally. From the moment they shed their diapers and tumble out of the Tattooer shouting “I’m a kid!” at the nearest passerby, children spend every day playing and exploring and throwing the occasional tantrum.

The Big Kids are at the top of the social heap, and Jack’s the most famous Big Kid around – everywhere he goes on his beloved bike Scramjet, people call out to him. “Hey, Jack!” “Jack, come play!”

So when Scramjet disappears one morning and turns up in the hands of Jack’s archrival, a girl (ew!) named Jubilee, his world is turned upside down. His amigos LaJo and Dusty do their best to help Jack find Scramjet, but a runaway bike isn’t the only thing amiss in Jack’s world. Can things ever be the same in Hokey Pokey?

I read this book in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. READ IT.

Grown-up portion of review:

Truly, I devoured this book and was entranced by the almost-stream-of-consciousness writing, especially the made-up compound words -- like boyvoice and longspitter -- that worked perfectly in the world of Hokey Pokey. I loved the non-electronic, western pulp feel of the place, too, epitomized by the herd of wild bicycles that tromps across Hokey Pokey's Great Plain.

Most coming-of-age stories focus on the ascent into adulthood, but this one is a funny and poignant portrait for upper elementary/middle schoolers teetering on the verge of their teenage years. In the transition from childhood to adolescence, what gets lost and what remains? Spinelli's answer is tinged with expectation, disappointment, and innocent delights, but never dips into sentimentality.

Is it too early to think about Newbery 2014? ( )

A hard book to review...a tale of growing up. Some fun and imaginative descriptions of the fantasy world of childhood one boy is leaving , but I don't know if kids who haven't yet left said world will *get* this...I enjoyed it, but it seems more for adults. ( )