Trevor Lee and the Big Uh-Oh!
Trevor Lee and the Big Uh-Oh! is funny and heartwarming, with a memorable lead whose challenges are easy to relate to.
In Wiley Blevins’s thoroughly charming Trevor Lee and the Big Uh-Oh!, Trevor is in third grade and struggling to hide the fact that he cannot read from his new teacher. With help from his best friend Pinky, Trevor schemes and plots through every page of this delightful book.
Trevor is a richly drawn character with a unique voice. When he is not trying to avoid reading, he spends his time practicing karate kicks with his Mamaw and fighting with Hippie, the family rooster. He gets into all sorts of trouble with Pinky and he shares an abundance of observations on the pitfalls of life in the third grade. His antics and musings are often funny and always enjoyable.
The supporting characters are just as amusing. Pinky is a loyal friend and an equal contributor to any and all mischief. Two of Trevor’s other classmates, twin sisters Sally May and Sally Fay, are wonderful foils for Trevor and Pinky; they regularly point out the boys’ activities to their teacher. The teacher, Mrs. Burger, strikes the perfect balance between being stern and caring. She challenges Trevor to read, helping him through each letter and sound and never letting him squirm out of the task.
Trevor’s family includes a supportive mother, a father who can relate to his son’s difficulties because he had similar issues with math as a child, and a loving grandmother who watches over Trevor and offers him a great deal of encouragement and reassurance. All of these characters contribute to Blevins’s well-developed world, enlivening the relatable, humorous story with its daunting challenges.
The story takes place in a rural setting; Trevor lives on a farm. He is shown feeding chickens, picking fruit, and playing in the barn. The interesting setting helps bring the story to life. Black-and-white illustrations by Marta Kissi depict various people, farm animals, and activities in the story, wonderfully capturing its light, humorous tone.
Though the book is most appropriate for early readers, its humor will be appreciated by adults reading along, as when Trevor’s mother smacks his father on the arm when he comments how much he likes Dolly Parton’s “big voice.” This makes the book a great choice for families who want something to read together.
Trevor Lee and the Big Uh-Oh! is funny and heartwarming, with a memorable lead whose challenges are easy to relate to.
Reviewed by
Catherine Thureson
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
