Summer vacation is starting and soon-to-be-sixth-grader Henry is facing two months with
nothing to do. He can sadly feel himself ?being pulled by the gravitational force of
nothingness.? His best friend Max who may not even be his best friend anymore is going away
to chess camp. And all Henry's stay-at-home father has planned for him and his toddler brother
Sam is something called a staycation. Things start looking up however when he finds out
they'll be dog-sitting his grandfather's dog Rupert. That is until the day they bring Rupert
to the park where Henry does something irresponsible. Something with real consequences. And
suddenly Henry would give anything to go back to the nothingness. Can Henry make things right?
Or has he turned into the dingus Max said he shouldn't be? This classic middle-grade
coming-of-age novel from popular author Andrew Larsen is told with humor and heart. Henry is a
likable boy trying hard not to be a dingus (translation: ?a fool or a goof?) as he navigates
the changes in both his home and social lives. On top of that he knows his father is right
when he says Henry needs to step up and become more responsible. Happily Henry manages to do
just that in the end. With believable dialogue and touching scenes of everyday family life
this story feels honest and true. It would make a perfect summer reading choice. It could also
easily spark discussions about growing up and developing a sense of self.
