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This is reasonably entertaining and thought provoking book but not Sachar's best work. I much more highly recommend "Holes" and "A Boy in the Girl's Bathroom". Although there are a couple of inventive plot twists here, and the book does provoke thought regarding our value systems and human interaction, the middle portion of the book during which the "curse" was inflicted upon the main character seemed to drag a bit. In addition this book was not nearly as humorous as the two previously mentioned novels. As far as the obscenities are concerned, if the liberal use of four letter words and protracted discussions surrounding the significance of "flipping someone off" are not inappropriate then there is no concern. Personally, I felt obligated to "censor" certain sections as I read the book aloud to my nine year old daughter. I would recommend the book for 12 year olds and up.

This book was so amazing. David is a normal kid trying to fit in with the popular kids, and when he helps an operation to take Mrs. Bayfield's cane, he flips her off and gets cursed... Or does he? After that David loses his old friends but gains a bunch of new ones that remind everyone of the three stooges. To top that, things like his pants falling down while asking someone out, or his zipper being down when he walks into class happen to him. I couldn't put this book down. My mom usually reads the same books I read if I say they are good, and she loved it too. I had read Holes not that long ago, and thought it was great, but this book is one million times better. I really suggest that people read this.

Reading the back of the book won't do. In fact, at first I didn't want to read the book. But because all Louis Sachar's books are good, I read it and it's GREAT!When Scott becomes friends with Roger and Randy and the three plan to steal Mrs.Bayfield's cane, Scott invites his friend David to come along. And when they get there, Scott grabs the cane, Roger and Randy pull pranks, and David shows his middle finger.A lot of good for David! She puts a curse on him. He comes into Spanish with his zipper down, breaks a tube in Science, becomes friends with Larry and Mo and the three become the Stooges: Larry, Mo, and Curly. To find out what else happens to David and his curse, read THE BOY WHO LOST HIS FACE. (It's at your local bookstore.)

Totally inappropriate! Not only is the language graphic and repeated often, the scene where the boys are ogling pictures of naked 9-yr. old girls is very offensive. I do not recommend that teachers buy this book for their classrooms. Parents if you buy it preview it first before giving it to your child.

I have always enjoyed every book that Louis Sacher has ever written since the beginning of the Wayside School books. He has been able to make children and adults laugh at improbable situations that if one is a teacher, one sees everyday. Because of his name, children will take his books off the shelf and read them. After reading it,this book concerns me. In all of his other books, Sacher has never used any profanity or vulgar language. His books have been ones that teachers could safely read to a group of children without worry - until now. His use of such words as pissants and assholes as a greeting of these characters is showing a lack of originality in using the English language. As a teacher these are words that though they may be used in the home are not allowed at school. Why? Because they are in school to elevate their control of the English language not to have it validated that these are words that are okay to use. This story is so good and is one that I would readily have read to a fifth or sixth grade class. The conflicts that David, the main character, goes through as to what is really mean and not so mean are tender and real. Why did Sacher feel the need to mess it up with the constant return to inappropriate language? Yes, as a teacher, I can read a book outloud and remove the language but what if a child likes the book and reads the real language of the book. I am tired of the excuse that "this is how children talk today" for the reasoning behind this kind of terminlogy. If there is no model for something better then one will never know any better. That is what "good literature" is to achieve. I believe that any literature should try to achieve this goal even when it is juvenile humorous literature.