Clarence Cochran, A Human Boy
“This is a story about friendship and seeing beyond appearances, but Loizeaux’s tiny human has a unique perspective that may bring new understanding about the importance of all species, even one as unpopular as Clarence’s.”
—School Library Journal
“Readers will cheer resourceful Clarence and his staunch mom in this humorous adventure story and enjoy viewing the roaches’ miniature world as depicted in Anne Wilsdorf’s black-and-white drawings.”
—Washington Parent
About the Book
When Clarence Cochran wakes up one evening, everything has changed. Gone are his beautiful wings and his hard lacquered shell. Gone are his six trusty many-jointed legs, perfect for scrambling up walls. Instead, he finds himself with skin the color of uncooked chicken, four useless appendages, and bits of blond fuzz here and there. What’s more, he’s wearing a strange pair of plaid boxer shorts. Clarence has changed from a cockroach into a miniature boy!
The cockroach community, including Clarence’s father and his two annoying older brothers, is shocked and disgusted. Only Clarence’s mother understands. “Be who you are,” she says. “You will do wonderful things.” But soon, other terrifying changes threaten the roach community that for years has been living happily in the Gilmartin family’s messy kitchen. And now it is up to tiny Clarence to bridge the divide between two worlds and save his cockroach family from extinction. The question is: can he do it?
Expressive drawings add visual punch to this funny, thought provoking modern fable that shows how even the most hostile species can find a way to coexist.
More Praise for Clarence Cochran, A Human Boy
“Loizeaux paints an entertaining picture of the slovenly Gilmartin family and the bounty that their kitchen provides the local cockroach community… black-and-white drawings amplify the humor of the text.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Clarence is a brave soul who dares the wilds of the carpet, befriends fleas to get past the dog, and develops a sweet, quasi-romantic friendship with a human girl.”
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Fun fare for the whole fam.”
—Fuse # 8 Blog
