Fat Fanny, Beanpole Bertha, and the Boys - Hardcover

Porte, Barbara Ann

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0531059286 ISBN 13: 9780531059289

Publisher: Orchard Books, 1991

Synopsis

Two fifth-graders--one too fat and one too thin--cope with some unorthodox family troubles through their friendship and their many adventures

About this title

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- Porte approaches the problem novel from left field with zesty humor, unique characters, and unlikely plot developments. But at the center of the story are always real people, fully drawn. Both Bertha and Fanny are neglected by parents whose lives are beyond their control. Bertha's father has mysteriously disappeared, and her mother is forced to hold two jobs to meet expenses. The care of the eight-year-old triplets is up to Bertha, and the responsibility often leaves her frazzled and unable to eat. Fanny's parents have divorced but are staying together for the sake of their business and, charged with not telling their secret, Fanny keeps from talking by eating. Bertha, the overworked pessimist, and Fanny, the cockeyed optimist, have their friendship as the one constant in their confused lives. Aided by Hildegarde, Fanny's six-foot-tall, storytelling Texan nanny, the children come through their trials with eccentricities, values, and friendship intact. When Bertha's father resurfaces after a bout with amnesia, and Fanny's finally leaves home to live on a houseboat, their lives become relatively serene. There's nothing usual or predictable about the trappings of this story, and the tendency toward wackiness is balanced by the honest portrayal of five children--bright, determined, and resilient--who are, at bottom, very real indeed. --Sally T. Margolis, Park Ridge Public Library, IL
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly

Best friends Bertha and Fanny are each experiencing a serious family problem. Bertha's father disappeared two years ago when his plane crashed over the Bermuda Triangle, and now Bertha's mother must work two jobs to feed Bertha and her triplet brothers. Fanny, the only child of two talent agents, lives and eats lavishly. However, her parents have just divorced, telling Fanny only after the fact and asking her to keep it a secret for business reasons. Fanny decides to occupy herself by teaching the triplets to tap dance so they can earn money for Bertha's family. Surprisingly, Fanny evolves into a slim and graceful dancer, and Bertha's father recovers from amnesia and returns home. Using a nonchalant, omniscient voice to chronicle these two families' lives, Porte humorously conveys the irony that life is full of surprises--so one shouldn't be surprised when they occur. Her story is thought-provoking, droll and deliberately incredible. The combination of a unique narrative style and colorful, unpredictable plot produces a clear winner. Illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 8-10.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Orchard Books
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0531059286
• ISBN 13: 9780531059289
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 101
• Illustrator: Chambliss Maxie