Skinnybones

Barbara Park’s 1982 middle grade novel Skinnybones follows protagonist Alex Frankovitch as he navigates issues with self-esteem, bullies, dishonesty, and baseball. Skinnybones is Park’s third full-length novel; it debuted to critical acclaim for its humor and realistic portrayal of children. Skinnybones has earned numerous awards, including the Texas Bluebonnet Awards in 1982 and 1985, the Tennessee Children’s Choice Book Award, and the Georgia Children’s Book Award.

This guide refers to the 1997 paperback First Yearling edition, featuring the revised 2016 cover art.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of bullying. 

Plot Summary

Alex Frankovitch writes to the Kitty Fritters Television Contest, completing an essay about why his cat eats this particular type of cat food. Alex’s essay is more of a roast of the brand, insulting the food’s taste and suggesting that people who care more about their cats would buy better food. He searches for the entry form hidden inside the bag of Kitty Fritters and ends up dumping the cat food all over the floor. When his mom comes home from running errands, Alex lies about the mess, suggesting that their cat, Fluffy, is the culprit. He argues with his skeptical mom until she reveals that Fluffy has been at the vet. Alex cleans up the mess, and Fluffy throws up on his shoe, causing his mom to laugh so hard that she forgets to punish him for lying.

Alex has been making people laugh since kindergarten, when he discovered that being funny is more fun than sitting quietly in class. He also developed his lying habit at this time; once he ran out of funny stories, he would make up funny things to make his peers laugh. Ever since, Alex has been the class clown of every class. He recalls the first day of fifth grade, when he made jokes to spice up the boring introduction activity. Alex’s jokes landed him on the bad side of the new student, T.J. Stoner, who is a rising baseball star.

Alex also plays baseball, but he has come to understand that he isn’t very good at it. For five years in a row, he won the Most Improved Player award. Alex was originally proud of this award until he realized that it is only given to players who need to improve. Last year, Alex desperately hoped not to win the award for the sixth year in a row, but his name was called at the awards ceremony. He wanted to pretend to be absent, but his dad forced him to accept the award. Alex was upset, but he made a big show of his acceptance and burped into the microphone to make people laugh. Despite playing the moment off comedically, Alex returned home to sulk about his lack of real baseball skills.

Alex is also self-conscious about his size. While T.J. is the largest student in sixth grade, Alex is the smallest. He tries to joke about it, but the idea of wearing a small-sized uniform bothers him so much that he lies to his coach, asking for a size large. Alex dreams of how his life will improve with the large uniform, but on uniform day, Alex is forced to accept a small uniform once again, as the coach saw through his lie.

Alex cannot stand hearing T.J. brag about baseball, so Alex decides to brag too, lying and saying that he has an impressive curveball. T.J. challenges Alex to a pitch-off. Alex tries desperately to get out of the contest through humor and more lies, but T.J. bullies him into it. Alex struggles through the contest and loses horribly in front of his peers, growing even more ashamed of his lack of baseball skills.

Alex muses that he persists in playing baseball for the caps because the caps make everyone look good. He recalls a time when his barber shaved him bald; wearing a baseball cap saved him embarrassment.

Alex has honed his bunting skill, as it’s the only part of baseball that he has any ability to perform due to his lack of athleticism. One day, while he is practicing his bunting, T.J. gives him a hard time about it. In the ensuing argument, T.J. reminds Alex that their Little League teams will be playing each other that weekend. Alex dreads having to face T.J.’s team. His own team hasn’t won all season, and T.J.’s team has never lost.

On the Friday before the big game, T.J. invites the entire class to attend the game and watch him break a record for the longest Little League winning streak. Alex tries to downplay the significance of the game, but T.J. insists that his peers join him for the monumental occasion. Alex tries to get out of the game by pretending to be sick, but his parents see through the façade and force him to go.

When Alex arrives at the field, he initially thinks he’s off the hook, mistaking the large audience for a graduation ceremony. However, a news crew arrives and informs him that the crowd has gathered for the big game. Alex desperately bargains with God, hoping for a miracle to send everyone home or cancel the game. Morale is low for Alex’s team, but when Alex manages to catch both a fly ball and a ground ball during the team warm-up, he feels more optimistic about the game.

However, Alex’s team is clearly outclassed by T.J.’s, and his teammates are frustrated and on the verge of tears. The game’s intensity is made worse by the news cameras. Alex finds himself at bat, staring down at T.J. on the pitcher’s mound. Alex manages to bunt one of T.J.’s pitches and runs for first base. When it looks like T.J. will catch the ball, causing Alex to be out, Alex calls out, “BOOGA BOOGA!” (101), distracting T.J. from the catch. Alex manages to make it all the way to second base—his most triumphant baseball moment ever.

Officials challenge Alex’s “booga booga” play, and the umpire declares Alex “out.” Alex is devastated that his shining moment is taken from him, but he is also amused by the “booga booga” discourse. He jokes his way off the field and tickles T.J. on the way out, catching T.J. off guard. Alex runs home to sulk.

Alex stays in his room all weekend until his mom makes him attend school on Monday. Alex has a horrible day, existing in the shadow of T.J.’s success and being tormented by all the kids and staff saying “booga booga” at him. Just as he is about to give up and cry in the middle of class, the principal makes a surprise announcement: Alex has been chosen as the winner of the Kitty Fritters Television Contest. Thanks to his hilarious and original entry, he will get to appear in a Kitty Fritters television commercial. The whole school celebrates Alex’s victory with him. Alex and T.J., who are both now famous in their class, end school with a question-and-answer session. Alex finds that he doesn’t mind sharing the spotlight with T.J., and he recognizes that T.J. might be a jerk because he has enjoyed praise and fame all his life. Alex is happily looking forward to shooting the commercial for Kitty Fritters.