4 January 2002 HOW I BECAME A WRITER & OGGIE LEARNED TO DRIVE by Janet Taylor Lisle, Philomel Books, April 2002

The foundation of Archie and Oggie's idyllic childhood has already crumbled because their dad's departure to an apartment with his new girlfriend results in their mom's move from their cozy house into a rough neighborhood. Their schedule ping-pongs them back and forth between the households. And now, Oggie has heard that Cindi the Girlfriend is pregnant. Furthermore, the boys dread any unnecessary communication between their parents, who are at each other's throats. Archie, who is an eleven year-old aspiring writer, works at keeping himself and six year-old Oggie sane by creating an alternative universe--the story of The Mysterious Mole People:

"The main thing about the Mysterious Mole People is that they were normal humans once. They lived in regular daylight, in ordinary houses, and held down honest jobs like racing stock cars or selling famous-name sports equipment.

"But they got fed up with the way things were, like how everybody kept getting robbed at gunpoint and forests kept getting chopped down. Many years ago, the Mole People went underground. They developed thick, furry hides and powerful claws, and built a whole secret kingdom down under the earth. From there, to this day, they wage their revenge..."

But the boys' real life, which has them becoming increasingly ensnared in the activities of the local gang, begins to become entangled with the world Archie has created.

The relationship between Archie and Oggie is absolutely endearing. Oggie is a little kid who is into cars the way other six year-olds obsess over dinosaurs. There's plenty of action including a good dose of cops-and-robbers stuff. HOW I BECAME A WRITER & OGGIE LEARNED TO DRIVE is a great read and read-aloud, especially for nine to twelve year-olds.

Richie Partington

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