Free Lunch

 

Ogle, R. (2019). Free lunch. NY: Norton Young Readers.

Free Lunch by Rex Ogle is a memoir about his 6th-grade year and his struggles living in poverty. The book opens with Rex and his mom buying groceries at the grocery store. Right away we learn that Rex's mom is struggling to put food on the table. Rex is not allowed to buy anything "extra" and when it is time to pay, Rex sees mom pay with something that says FOOD COUPON. They still don't have enough money to pay for everything, so mom puts back the bread. This is the first of many situations where the family has to deal with the lack of money. Rex lives with his mother, step-father, Sam, and little brother, Ford. Living without money, without enough to eat, without enough for school supplies is a catalyst for arguments and physical fights in Rex's home. Usually, going back to school in the fall is a good thing for Rex, a way to escape all the troubles at home. But this year is different--he is going to a middle school, a new school where multiple elementary schools feed into. That means lots of people he doesn't know. Things start off badly for him because a fight at home left him with a black eye for the first day of school. He notices other kids staring and talking about him and to make matters word, his English teacher, Mrs. Winstead sees the black eye, the holes in his shoes, his too-small jeans, and his too-big shirt and Rex feels like she already doesn't like him. Then comes the worst part of all--the lunch line. When it is time for Rex to pay for his lunch, he has to tell the cashier that he is on the Free Lunch Program. This embarrassment is almost too much for Rex and every day at lunch he feels sick and tries to find ways for the other kids not to find out he is on free lunch. During the fall, he also loses most of his friends because they made the football team, but Rex was not able to try out because they didn't have the money.

Ogle's novel about his own life growing up free lunch was an emotional one. It brings to life the frustrations and difficulties of growing up without the things many people take for granted. It is an eye-opening look at what it's like living in poverty and, in my opinion, is a must-read for teachers, especially those of low socioeconomic students. 

Rex Ogle