Voss - Hardcover

Ives, David

3.47

126 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 039924722X ISBN 13: 9780399247224

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile, 2008

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In a series of letters home to his friend Meero, Vospop Vsklzwczdztwczky (Voss for short) tells the hilarious story of how he smuggles himself to America in a crate of black-market cheese puffs with his gloomy father Bogdown and his nutty uncle Shpoont.

Settling into the rundown Slobovian section of town, Voss soon finds his first job by opening the door for debutante Tiffany McBloomingdale (an unheard-of act of politeness), rescues his father from a sinister hospital, and even gets the girl of his dreams, though not the one he expects!

Through Voss?s comically broken English, readers will find a remarkably fresh view of America. Brimming with pointed satire, a healthy dose of action, and a one-of-a-kind narrator, Voss?s crazy adventures are sure to leave a lasting impression.

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About the Author:

David Ives is the author of many popular one-act comedies for the stage, collected as All in the Timing and Time Flies. He is also the author of the young adult novels Monsieur Eek and Scrib. He is not Slobovian himself, but speaks Slobovian fluently. He lives in New York City with his wife, Martha.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 7 Up—Vospop Vsklzwczdztwczky is a "15-year-old illegal immigrant Slobovian boy who got into dipp, dipp trobble." In letters to a friend back home, he tells of his journey to America in a "great big sheep," smuggled in a shipment of black market imitation "Chiss Poffs" with his gloomy father and his delusional uncle. Voss discovers that Slobovians are the "lowest of the low" in American society—the illegal Slobovian section (Voss doesn't know whether they've landed in "New York City, New York, San Francisco, Arizona, or Detritus, Michigan") is "the most deep-ressing part of town" where residents can't find work, lose hope, and sink into poverty or crime. Voss gets tangled up with billionaire Noah McBloomingdale and his celebrity daughter Tiffany; with Slobovian crime boss Bilias Opchuck; and with Leena Aleenska, the girl from his village whom a fortune-teller has predicted he'll marry. Amid these and more colorful characters, Voss heroically foils an evil scheme to harvest the organs of immigrants and sell them to rich Americans. With the same knack for humorous accents that he brought to Scrib (HarperCollins, 2005), Ives blends laugh-out-loud inanity with real social commentary on U.S. culture—from clothing and celebrity to advertisements and eating habits—and the plight of immigrants. Readers will chuckle over the customs and proverbs of fictional Slobovia and enjoy understanding what it is to be American through Voss's endearing critical eye. Well paced and engaging, this is a thoroughly entertaining and thought-provoking satire.—Riva Pollard, Prospect Sierra Middle School, El Cerrito, CA
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