Dodger ( 353 Pages)

This is Terry Pratchett's latest book, and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it. I've read other books he's written, but not for a long time. Now there are many "British words" in this text, and some of them were completely unfamiliar to me. But as I read, I came to understand almost all of them and that was partly because there is a terrific amount of humor in this book.  Speaking of humor,  the main character is a 17 year old boy by the nae of Dodger. He spends most of his time toshing. Now toshing means going down into the sewers of London and searching for money that has accidentally landed there. It doesn't sound like a great experience because of rats ever presence and because of sewage that accumulates in the sewers....not pleasant at all.  So Dodger is emerging from a sewer one evening during a horrible storm when he hears a coach ride by and a girl jumps out of it screaming. Of course he must save her. This is where the story takes off. It includes Dodger meeting up with Charlie Dickens, and Mr. Disraeli, among other well known characters. But will our students be able to connect with this book? Dodger is a great character. He lives with Solomon, a marvelous Jewish man who knows so much, and cares so much for Dodger. I am not doing the book justice. I giggled when Dodger said, "No Brit would ever say, " I think, therefore I am." However, he might say, "I think, therefore I am....I think." or how about this quote, " if you are going to be a successful urchin, you need to study how to urch."(p.78) Ha! I loved it. I'd really like some of you to get hold of this book and let me know what you think of it! PLEASE!!