The King of Average

by Gary Schwartz

Overview

James isn't the world's greatest kid, but he's not the worst, either: he's average! When he decides to become the most average kid who ever lived, James is transported to another world where he meets Mayor Culpa, a well-dressed talking Scapegoat who recruits him to become the new King of Average.

He's joined on his quest by a professional Optimist and his grouchy companion, an equally professional Pessimist. Together, they set out on a journey of self-discovery that leads them all the way from the Sea of Doubt to Mount Impossible, the highest peak in the Unattainable Mountains. When James stumbles into a Shangri-la called Epiphany, he uncovers the secret of who he really is.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781513703312
Publisher:	Libertary Co.
Publication date:	10/06/2015
Pages:	268
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.61(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Gary Schwartz began his professional career as a mime at age 13, performing up and down the Hudson River with Pete Seeger and the great folk entertainers of the 1960s. In the 1980s he appeared in numerous film and television projects including the Oscar-winning feature film Quest for Fire. Schwartz has lent his voice to hundreds of film and TV projects and is the voice of several well-known video game characters, including Heavy Weapons Guy and Demoman in Team Fortress 2. Schwartz has written for two children's television series in which he co-starred: Zoobilee Zoo, where he played Bravo Fox; and the Disney Channel's You and Me, Kid. Schwartz studied with and became the protégé of Viola Spolin, the creator of Theater Games, the basis for improvisational theater in America. He is a passionate, dynamic improv coach and facilitator devoted to carrying on Spolin's techniques. The King of Average is his first novel. To learn more visit gary-schwartz.com.

Editorial Reviews

★ 2016-02-04
A supposedly average boy realizes that he's not so mediocre after all in this debut middle-grade novel. James thinks he's a typical 11-year-old, which suits him just fine. His father is gone, his mother hates him (she commonly wishes he was never born while on the phone with her friends), and he has no siblings. James, who earns C's in school, looks rather ordinary (he certainly isn't handsome). Instead of fighting it, he embraces his mediocrity, declaring himself the best average guy the planet has ever seen. One day in a garden, he meets Mayor Culpa, a talking goat. Following the animal, James finds himself suddenly transported to another world. The chatty creature reveals that he's a Scapegoat ("As long as I'm to blame, no one else can be burdened. It's what I was bred for"). He tells James that he can become the Kingdom of Average's new ruler. But to claim the crown, the boy must first complete a mission—find the old king and discover why he abdicated the throne. Mayor Culpa, professional optimist Monsieur William Roget, and Roget's pint-sized pessimist, Kiljoy, join James on his journey. They travel from Disappointment Bay to Serenity Spa to the Unattainable Mountains, and as their quest evolves, James begins to learn that maybe he's not quite so mundane. When they reach the part of the kingdom dubbed Epiphany, James finally grasps who he is—someone extraordinary. While James initially believes that he's mediocre, Schwartz's novel assuredly is not. This is a volume that kids and parents can read together because it works on two levels—young ones should love the adventure-packed plot and hilarious characters, and grown-ups should chuckle at the wordplay embedded in every page. Schwartz's characters are more than clever—they're ingenious. Mayor Culpa constantly apologizes, and Kiljoy represents that little voice inside people's heads that attempts to invalidate their intentions. These living, breathing allusions effectively push the narrative forward (although Armitage's sketchlike illustrations fail to enhance the story—such fanciful places and characters should be left to the imagination). Schwartz's nicely succinct writing style places the focus on the striking worlds he creates. The book delivers an important lesson—be your own hero. With this debut, the author should soon be a hero to readers everywhere. A skilled and witty tale about a boy who would be king that should appeal to children and adults.

Kirkus Reviews

Awarded the Kirkus Star - Selected as Kirkus' Indie Book of the Month (April 2016) "A skilled and witty tale about a boy who would be king that should appeal to children and adults." "This is a volume that kids and parents can read together because it works on two levels-young ones should love the adventure-packed plot and hilarious characters, and grown-ups should chuckle at the wordplay embedded in every page. Schwartz's characters are more than clever-they're ingenious." "Schwartz's nicely succinct writing style places the focus on the striking worlds he creates. The book delivers an important lesson-be your own hero. With this debut, the author should soon be a hero to readers everywhere." -KIRKUS REVIEW

"THE KING OF AVERAGE is a unique fantasy with a powerfully encouraging message for youth." -IndieReader

"Gary Schwartz's The King of Average is engaging, imaginative, entertaining and funny while also exploring real emotional depths. It's like reading a lost work of L. Frank Baum." -Brian McDonald author of Invisible Ink and The Golden Theme

"The King of Average" by Gary Schwartz is an hilarious, adventure-packed, epic journey to find self-worth. As thoroughly 'kid friendly' as it is consistently entertaining, "The King of Average" is all the more impressive when considering that it is author Gary Schwartz debut as a novelist. Highly recommended for school and community library children's fiction collections. -Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher