Review: Fuzzy Mud

Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This excellent read by famed Louis Sachar, of Holes fame, follows two friends in a small town as they deal with bullies, divorce and a mysterious fuzzy mud.

A quick read, but one that presents depth of themes and character. Tamaya is a good student, a good girl and does not like to break the rules. Marshall, her neighbor, is two years older and walks Tamaya to school everyday. But when the "bad boy" Chad starts school at the prestigious private school the friends attend, Marshall becomes the target of Chad's bullying. To avoid a fight, Marshall leads Tamaya through a shortcut in the woods, where the y discover something strange about the mud.

Told from third person with Senate hearings and reports tucked between, the political, environmental and health implications embedded in this novel resonates with issues facing us today. Bullying and environmental disaster, pressure to do well in school and not look bad in front of peers is layered in such a way that will raise awareness and encourage bravery of many levels.

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