The Children’s Book Review | January 30, 2019
Get To Know Rex Gallagher from Beth Vrabel’s The Reckless Club, a new middle-grade Breakfast Club drama set in a old folks’ home.
The Children’s Book Review: What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Rex Gallagher: An eagerness to go out and make the world a brighter place. Bah-hahaha.
Nah, what really gets me out of bed is the fact that if I stayed, I’d have to deal with my grandmother. She’s stuck with me since my mom skipped town and my brother… well, let’s just say both Grandma and I would much rather she could go back to playing pinnacle in Florida.
I see you have a bag with you. Will you tell us what you keep inside of it?
No. *kicks bag further under her seat*
Are you hungry right now? Can we fix you anything to eat? Maybe we could make you your favorite dish?
I’m fine.
I mean, I guess if you had a sandwich or something, I’d eat it. But it’s not like I need it or anything. I had a granola bar this morning. And I had to serve a bunch of old people tuna casserole at lunch; that pretty much took care of my appetite for a decade or so.
But, yeah, if you have a sandwich, I guess I’ll take one. And maybe another one for later.
Do you like to read?
I used to read a lot. Aug… my brother, he used to read to me. When I got older, he used to put a book on my bed once in a while. Usually something huge and seemingly boring. Like books about elves and dark fairies or wizards. You know, stuff I wouldn’t see at school or anywhere really. He’d hound me about reading them, but they’d be super boring. Full of words like “behold!” and “hark.” *Snort* “Keep reading, Rex-asuarus,” he’d say. So I would; you know, just to get him off my back. But then something would happen. I don’t know how to explain it, but soon I’d see it. Whatever was going on in the book, I mean. It’d stop being boring or ridiculous and just be this place I could go to, even when I was in math class or something. And I’d get home and he’d ask about my day. Instead of telling him about how Ding smirked at me or the teacher who got on my case about my hair or about the cafeteria worker dumping my lunch when I couldn’t pay, I’d tell him about how close I was to the castle or the way the fey king was about to abdicate.
So, yeah, I read. I haven’t in a long time. But I think I will. Maybe I’ll even read to my brother this time. I think he’d like that.
Do you have a favorite song?
I didn’t used to, especially songs about love. Puke, right? But Lilith, this pain-in-the-butt drama queen I know, she can sing. I heard her peforming “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” not too long ago. It wasn’t in her usual everybody-better-listen-because-I’m-amazing way, either. It was just … just about wanting to know why it was easier for some people. Why some people get rainbows, you know? And I can’t really say that’s my favorite song—it actually hurts to hear it—but it plays in my head a lot, I guess.
Are you a rule follower or rule breaker?
Most people think I’m a rule breaker. But if you knew why Drama Queen, Ding, Picasso and Sports Barbie have to serve detention volunteering at Northbrook Retirement Home, maybe you’d change your mind about me.
When was the last time you felt embarrassed?
A few seconds ago, when I was talking about that song. Take that out of this interview, okay? Tell them I don’t like music, all right? The books part, too. How about you just tell them I don’t like anything? Tell them just to leave me alone. Forget about me.
If you weren’t answering the questions in this interview right now, what would you be doing?
Probably trying to dodge Ding. He keeps smiling at me like he wants to be my friend. I’ve got better things to do, Ding. Who needs friends? Definitely not Rex Gallagher.
Do you have any secrets you would like to share with us before you go?
Everyone’s got secrets. But, no, I don’t want to share mine.
—
The Reckless Club
Written by Beth Vrabel
Publisher’s Synopsis: On the last day of middle school, five kids who couldn’t be more different commit separate pranks, each sure they won’t be caught and they can’t get in trouble. They’re wrong. As punishment, they each have to volunteer one beautiful summer day-the last one before school-at Northbrook Retirement and Assisted Living Home, where they’ll push creamed carrots into toothless mouths, perform the world’s most pathetic skit in front of residents who won’t remember it anyway, hold gnarled hands of peach fuzzed old ladies who relentlessly push hard candies, and somehow forge a bond with each other that has nothing to do with what they’ve done and everything to do with who they’re becoming. All the action takes place in the course of this one day, with each chapter one hour of that day, as the five kids reveal what they’ve done, why they did it, and what they’re going to do now.
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Running Press Kids | October 2, 2018 | ISBN-13: 978-0762490400
Available Here:
About the Author
Beth Vrabel is the award-winning author of Caleb and Kit, A Blind Guide to Stinkville, A Blind Guide to Normal, and the Pack of Dorks series. She can’t clap to the beat or be trusted around Nutella, but indulges in both often, much to the dismay of her family. She lives in Texas, in the Dallas area.
This interview with Rex Gallagher, a character from The Reckless Club, was conducted between Beth Vrabel and Bianca Schulze. For similar books and articles, follow along with our content tagged with Beth Vrabel, Character Development, Character Interviews, Middle Grade Books, Middle School, and Summer Reading.
