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Hilarious, touching, and realistic. This book is a "must" readfor every elementary student.
Regina A
Indianapolis, Indiana USA - 7/23/2005 9:28pm
Hey my name is kelsey read and I live in a small town inlebanon . Well i loved your book How I Became a Writer and Oggie Learned to Drive.it is a great book and i think there should be a movie. it would be a great movie.
from kelsey read
Kelsey R
Lebanon, Oregon U.S - 4/7/2005 7:22pm
well i though the book was wonderful.
andraya h
rapid city, SD USA - 3/23/2005 8:27pm
Dear Janet
The book Oggie was great!
brianna r
Edwardsville, kansas Usa - 10/26/2004 5:44pm
I was wondering does Archie's
book get published? Do you know why Oggie went to the bathroom instead of thenurses office? The chapter Ghost Driver kind of freaked me out a little becauseI did not know who was in the car.
Are you going to write a series for How I Became A Writer and Oggie Learned ToDrive? I really loved this book! I liked it so much that once I started I couldn'twait to find out what happened
next!
Rebekah T.
Edwardsville, Kansas United States of America - 10/19/2004 5:32pm
I was wondering if Archie's book was going to get published?I really liked the
book.
kayla g
kansas city, kansas usa - 10/12/2004 5:22pm
Does Archie get his book published? Why does Oggie go inthe bathroom and not go to the nurse's office.
I liked the book a lot.
Bailey H
Bonner, KS US - 10/5/2004 5:42pm
I LOVE YOUR WORK!
Annabell R
Columbia, North Carolina USA - 5/19/2004 7:32pm
it was great. i gave a presentation of it at school. everyoneloved it
nicole s
boise, idaho u.s - 5/18/2004 3:27pm
Once I started to read this book I could not put it downuntil I was done!!! I read this book in about 60 minutes and I think everybodyshould know about it!!!
kali C
Oakdale, Minnasota USA - 12/18/2003 3:35am
Janet Lisle is at her fiesty, sardonic best in Archie's monologues as he beginshis tale. Feeling abandoned, he and his little brother form their own companyand go increasingly Absent Without Leave whilst their split parents absorb themselvesin their own travails. Both boys are intensely inner directed: Intrepid Archiepulls through "sinking feelings" with his calling to be a writer. Little Oggieis the emotional barometer of the pair, reacting often to his upset family lifewith the "yeeks", a trembling terror. Even Bunny 1 and 2, his stuffed securitypets, (one for each parental house he must visit) are not always armor enoughand Archie must use his own security blanket, his tale-spinning talent, to keephis brother "normal."
Central to the book, and poignant and profound, is the commitment and creativecare Archie shows his little brother as they both try to understand and movebeyond their parents' separation. They employ bravado and humor, risk and ingenuity,to deal with parental absurdity, insensitivity and competition. They nurturetheir own little family. There is nobody else to depend on, especially afterArchie inadvertantly falls in with a teen gang and their crime boss in a sordidplace called Garden Street. Life quickly gets harrowing and out of control. Raven,a junior gang member or follower, appears at this point as the angel of deliverancefor the boys. ("We could join forces" she says.) Archie promptly embroiders acustom version of her into the serial tale he is telling Oggie, a story theykeep secret until Archie begins to realize he must give it separate life by writingit down. And so, late one sleepless night, Archie the author is born in his bedroomcloset with a pad and a pen.
HOW I BECAME A WRITER AND OGGIE LEARNED TO DRIVE is a book about writing, itspractices and hazards, its annoyances and responsabilities, and its relationto a writer's real life. Archie's comments on this score are frequent and ascerbic,and author Lisle, never far, comes forward to speak more directly about whatmust be her own experiences as a writer.
Archie's tale draws to a close as his imaginary "Mole People" take vigilanteaction on his hitlist of environmental and societal concerns, while Oggie finallymakes the book's title come true by driving off in the gang leader's getawaycar. But there remains a loose end to Archie's Mole story which hints at Archie'sfeelings about his real-life broken family: a missing turtle that he has notbeen able to write back into life, try as he might, with love.
j n
Venice, Cal. - 8/14/2003 2:22am
This book is in the student book award books and I am saving up for it becauseI love it so much!!!
barbara h
augusta, maine n. america - 4/24/2003 12:58pm
I thought "How I Became a Writer & Oggie Learned to Drive" was a great bookbecause I kind of speak Oggie's language. I also like cars a lot. I speak Archie'slanguage because I love to write. I also know what it's like to be Archie becauseI have a younger brother that I have to [sometimes] drag around. Even MORE sobecause my brother has a stuffed mouse that reminds me of Oggie's two Bunnies.Overall, I think Lisle's book deserves a hunded billion gazillion trillion awards.
Congratulations!!
Macon L
Arlington, MA USA - 1/8/2003 5:13pm
This book is a jewel. Seriously - I have read many books ( around 1,000,001even though I am only 11) and this book really stands out over every single one.It would be cool to read the book that Archie writes in this story. (hint Ms.Lisle...) My favorite character is Raven.
Alex P
Reston, VA USA - 12/20/2002 0:6am
I thought it was pretty good. Kind of short though.
Chelsea E.
Banks, Oregon America - 11/25/2002 8:43pm
I loved it!
Donna M
Fairfax, VA US - 11/25/2002 2:2pm
How I Became a Writer
and Oggie Learned to Drive
I liked the book alot! My favorite part is when Catman drives up to the house. That must have been scary! Sincerely, Maggie
Maggie F
Ipswich, Massachusetts USA - 12/5/2005 9:17pm
Hilarious, touching, and realistic. This book is a "must" readfor every elementary student.
Regina A
Indianapolis, Indiana USA - 7/23/2005 9:28pm
Hey my name is kelsey read and I live in a small town inlebanon . Well i loved your book How I Became a Writer and Oggie Learned to Drive.it is a great book and i think there should be a movie. it would be a great movie.
from kelsey read
Kelsey R
Lebanon, Oregon U.S - 4/7/2005 7:22pm
well i though the book was wonderful.
andraya h
rapid city, SD USA - 3/23/2005 8:27pm
Dear Janet
The book Oggie was great!
brianna r
Edwardsville, kansas Usa - 10/26/2004 5:44pm
I was wondering does Archie's
book get published? Do you know why Oggie went to the bathroom instead of thenurses office? The chapter Ghost Driver kind of freaked me out a little becauseI did not know who was in the car.
Are you going to write a series for How I Became A Writer and Oggie Learned ToDrive? I really loved this book! I liked it so much that once I started I couldn'twait to find out what happened
next!
Rebekah T.
Edwardsville, Kansas United States of America - 10/19/2004 5:32pm
I was wondering if Archie's book was going to get published?I really liked the
book.
kayla g
kansas city, kansas usa - 10/12/2004 5:22pm
Does Archie get his book published? Why does Oggie go inthe bathroom and not go to the nurse's office.
I liked the book a lot.
Bailey H
Bonner, KS US - 10/5/2004 5:42pm
I LOVE YOUR WORK!
Annabell R
Columbia, North Carolina USA - 5/19/2004 7:32pm
it was great. i gave a presentation of it at school. everyoneloved it
nicole s
boise, idaho u.s - 5/18/2004 3:27pm
Once I started to read this book I could not put it downuntil I was done!!! I read this book in about 60 minutes and I think everybodyshould know about it!!!
kali C
Oakdale, Minnasota USA - 12/18/2003 3:35am
Janet Lisle is at her fiesty, sardonic best in Archie's monologues as he beginshis tale. Feeling abandoned, he and his little brother form their own companyand go increasingly Absent Without Leave whilst their split parents absorb themselvesin their own travails. Both boys are intensely inner directed: Intrepid Archiepulls through "sinking feelings" with his calling to be a writer. Little Oggieis the emotional barometer of the pair, reacting often to his upset family lifewith the "yeeks", a trembling terror. Even Bunny 1 and 2, his stuffed securitypets, (one for each parental house he must visit) are not always armor enoughand Archie must use his own security blanket, his tale-spinning talent, to keephis brother "normal."
Central to the book, and poignant and profound, is the commitment and creativecare Archie shows his little brother as they both try to understand and movebeyond their parents' separation. They employ bravado and humor, risk and ingenuity,to deal with parental absurdity, insensitivity and competition. They nurturetheir own little family. There is nobody else to depend on, especially afterArchie inadvertantly falls in with a teen gang and their crime boss in a sordidplace called Garden Street. Life quickly gets harrowing and out of control. Raven,a junior gang member or follower, appears at this point as the angel of deliverancefor the boys. ("We could join forces" she says.) Archie promptly embroiders acustom version of her into the serial tale he is telling Oggie, a story theykeep secret until Archie begins to realize he must give it separate life by writingit down. And so, late one sleepless night, Archie the author is born in his bedroomcloset with a pad and a pen.
HOW I BECAME A WRITER AND OGGIE LEARNED TO DRIVE is a book about writing, itspractices and hazards, its annoyances and responsabilities, and its relationto a writer's real life. Archie's comments on this score are frequent and ascerbic,and author Lisle, never far, comes forward to speak more directly about whatmust be her own experiences as a writer.
Archie's tale draws to a close as his imaginary "Mole People" take vigilanteaction on his hitlist of environmental and societal concerns, while Oggie finallymakes the book's title come true by driving off in the gang leader's getawaycar. But there remains a loose end to Archie's Mole story which hints at Archie'sfeelings about his real-life broken family: a missing turtle that he has notbeen able to write back into life, try as he might, with love.
j n
Venice, Cal. - 8/14/2003 2:22am
This book is in the student book award books and I am saving up for it becauseI love it so much!!!
barbara h
augusta, maine n. america - 4/24/2003 12:58pm
I thought "How I Became a Writer & Oggie Learned to Drive" was a great bookbecause I kind of speak Oggie's language. I also like cars a lot. I speak Archie'slanguage because I love to write. I also know what it's like to be Archie becauseI have a younger brother that I have to [sometimes] drag around. Even MORE sobecause my brother has a stuffed mouse that reminds me of Oggie's two Bunnies.Overall, I think Lisle's book deserves a hunded billion gazillion trillion awards.
Congratulations!!
Macon L
Arlington, MA USA - 1/8/2003 5:13pm
This book is a jewel. Seriously - I have read many books ( around 1,000,001even though I am only 11) and this book really stands out over every single one.It would be cool to read the book that Archie writes in this story. (hint Ms.Lisle...) My favorite character is Raven.
Alex P
Reston, VA USA - 12/20/2002 0:6am
I thought it was pretty good. Kind of short though.
Chelsea E.
Banks, Oregon America - 11/25/2002 8:43pm
I loved it!
Donna M
Fairfax, VA US - 11/25/2002 2:2pm
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