Not Just For Breakfast Anymore

P.V. Lundqvist

It's Benny's birthday and he really wants a pet. A dog or cat would be good - but not a boring fish or lizard. When he opens up the crate he discovers - a pig! It's a Vietnamese pot bellied pig, but that doesn't mean much - it's still a pig. He's a new kid who already is shy and has a bully picking on him. A pig isn't going to help.

Yet Fletcher is just what Benny needs. The other kids think Fletcher is great. Soon Benny makes new friends. He decides to try out for the baseball. and he is still bullied by Danny. Then his family has to get a city permit to keep Fletcher. All the neighbors agree except one - Danny's father, Mr. Doodlesak. Benny's dad takes him to the City Board Meeting. Mr. Doodlesak was there too. The board put their decision on hold. Mr. Doodlesak warns Benny to keep Fletcher away.

Benny goes to the baseball practices to make the team. Guess who else is there? Danny is playing, too. Benny has to figure out how to deal with Danny.

P.V. Lundqvist has written a wonderful book for the younger middle school aged boy. Although I never was one of those, I could understand Danny's feelings of frustration with his parents. His mother makes everything a lesson, His father is very easy going. A pig is just dumb.

Not Just For Breakfast Anymore is a good book to show a boy how to learn to be himself. He has to learn to make his own choices. One of those choices is on how to face a bully. Another is on friendship - with his school friends, with his pet, and even with adults. Lundqvist even brings in a lesson from Socrates that an adult can appreciate as much as a child.

Recently a friend was looking for sports books for her son (grandson?). I want to recommend Not Just for Breakfast Anymore to her. It has an unexpected ending. It has a real ending. It has a good, satisfying ending. It has an ending that can lead to more books about Benny and Fletcher. That wouldn't be a bad thing.