Weird Kid

Written by Greg van Eekhout

Narrated by James Fouhey

From the author of Cog and Voyage of the Dogs, Weird Kid is a hilarious and heartfelt homage to everyone who feels like they don’t belong. Perfect for fans of Gordon Korman and Stuart Gibbs.

Jake Wind is trying to stay under the radar. Whose radar? Anyone who might be too interested in the fact that he has shapeshifting abilities he can’t control. Or that his parents found him as a ball of goo when he was a baby.

Keeping his powers in check is crucial, though, if he wants to live a normal life and go to middle school instead of being homeschooled (and if he wants to avoid being kidnapped and experimented on, of course).

Things feel like they’re going his way when he survives his first day of school without transforming and makes a new friend. But when mysterious sinkholes start popping up around town—sinkholes filled with the same extraterrestrial substance as Jake—and his neighbors, classmates, and even his family start acting a little, well, weird, Jake will have to learn to use his powers in order to save his town. 

""The short page count, humor, and action make this a good choice for reluctant readers. A solid purchase for school and public libraries."" —School Library Journal

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jul 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9780063086920

Greg van Eekhout

Greg van Eekhout lives in San Diego, California, with his astronomy/physics professor wife and two dogs. He’s worked as an educational software developer, ice-cream scooper, part-time college instructor, and telemarketer. Being a writer is the only job he’s ever actually liked. You can find more about Greg at his website: writingandsnacks.com.

Reviews for Weird Kid

[Rizki Novianti Utami · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story is so much fun, intriguing and heartwarming. I pick it up randomly, not hoping it will be a story about an alien living on earth. This Sci-Fi Middle Grade book is amazing.

[jalenv_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I checked Weird Kid out from my local library because James Nicoll Reviews had a positive review about it. I was not steered wrong. It's a good book.Jake Wind has a big problem. He's a shape-shifting blob of goo who fell to earth twelve years ago. He turned into the shape of a human baby when Mr. Wind touched him. Mr. and Mrs. Wind took him in. Jake has to worry because he's starting to have trouble keeping his human shape - something far more serious than if he were dealing with puberty causing his voice to change. His parents are afraid that if he changes in public, he could be taken away for experiments. Jake has succeeded in getting them to agree he can go to school instead of being home-schooled, but he knows he could lose that privilege if he can't keep himself together. Sometimes Jake loses shape completely and has to spend time in a bucket, like Security Chief Odo on 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'.Jake's problem holding his shape has already cost him his best friend, Eirryck, because Jake didn't dare spend time with him. Now Jake's best chance for a friend is newcomer Agnes Oakes, daughter of a woman his mother met at the gym. Agnes is a big fan of comic book superheroine Night Kite (who will probably remind readers of Batman). Jake is also a fan, but he prefers the alien born superhero Star Hammer (who sounds as if he's a cross between Superman and the Mighty Thor).The very first day of middle school, Jake loses control of one hand. It doesn't seem as if anyone saw the change, but he's stressed about it.

[astults_3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received an audio copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.The audiobook ARC used a computer generated male voice which I shouldn't comment on but I felt it was kinda perfect for the book since Jake is trying to fit in. You know, someone who isn't entirely sure of the right things to do or say sometimes, and takes things literally may not always pick up on the subtle verbal and social clues being given by others and may come across as monotone themselves. I'm sure the publisher will find a great voice actor or several to read this book.Jake started having a shapeshifting problem over the summer and kept turning down invites to things because Jake didn't want to have to explain why he is literally grinning from ear to ear, or sprouting extra hands. This can really damper someone's social life; they can only decline so many times before they stop getting invited. It's very reminiscent of the awkwardness of puberty thanks to hormones and changing bodies.Jake and his new friend look into the sinkhole mystery which deepens their friendship. I found the book highly entertaining. I was pretty confident nothing bad was going to happen to anyone which didn't create a lot of tension for me, but it might for a much younger reader. At one point, they infiltrate a lab facility and the small talk Jake engaged in had me laughing.