Also Known as Rowan Pohi

Author: Ralph Fletcher
Recommended Age: 10 +
Publisher: Clarion Books
ISBN-10: 0547572085
ISBN-13: 978-0547572086
Year Published: 2011
No. Pages: 208
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Main Character Gender: Male
Read & Reviewed by: Morgan



Bobby Steele and his friends, Big Poobs and Marcus are all public school kids who are waiting for tenth grade. Sitting in a IHOP restaurant with an application to a private school in their area, the boys decide to create a fictitious person to see if they can get him accepted. Rowan Pohi is born. When the acceptance letter lands on Bobby's doorstep it seems like it's a harmless joke. Now Bobby wonders if he can pull off being Rowan Pohi and see just how far he can take this joke. Will Bobby get caught?

This book was so amazingly creative that it kept me kept reading. I was always wondering what would happen next and just how Bobby would get caught playing the role of Rowan Pohi. After every page, I was sure that Bobby's joke would be discovered. Surely one of the adults would figure out his ruse. I was impressed with Bobby's ability to work under pressure and figure a way out of difficult situations. I was in awe of this kid who was first able to claim to be someone else and get away with it for so long.

Bobby, Big Poobs and Marcus were completely relatable and  are very much like my friends. Their dialogue and outlook on life were realistic to my age group. In fact, I would gladly have them as my friends. Ralph Fletcher wrote in first person so you really got to know Booby and experience exactly what was happening to him.This is the ultimate prank, one I'd loved to have pulled.

One of the themes in this book is love. On Bobby's first day of school as Rowan, he meets a girl named Heather and he instantly falls in love. Teenagers will relate to this as everyone has the awkwardness of a crush and first love. Another theme is abuse and parent separation. Bobby is dealing with the fact his mother has left them after his father physically abused her. He tries to grapple with his feelings about this throughout the novel but the. Reading this helped me understand Booby as well as the reality many kids face today.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a hilarious read. I rated this book a 10/10 and anyone reading this should be prepared for a unique story about the ultimate prank. Although this is primarily a fun book, Ralph Fletcher has ensured that it isn’t a superficial read.