Doubting Thomas

 

Doubting Thomas is a terrific book full of laughter but includes serious life situations. Morris has a way of writing about serious situations in a happier way. Thomas is a worried teenage boy entering puberty however he has one abnormality. Thomas finds that his nipples get rather itchy for no reason and no one can find a medical reason. At school Thomas is bullied and humiliated on a daily basis. He finds that he cannot tell anyone because no one can take his problem seriously.

Thomas is worried and tries many ways to find out why. Thomas constantly finds himself in front of the mirror with a torch and magnifying glass to see if he has able to an abnormality with his nipples. Although he has seen doctors and have been told there is nothing wrong he still believes there is. Whist stresses and worries him a lot.

Not only is his nipples a worry but his mother and father. They are quite stressed a the moment. On a school day Thomas finds himself following his father in his way to work. However on his journey he notices that he doesn’t get off the usual spot to go to work. Thomas becomes worried especially when he sees his father get off the stop that heads to the movie theatre. Thomas hides himself and observes that his father walks in and out to buy another movie ticket three times. Thomas becomes noticed by his father and tells him that he was let go from work a couple of weeks ago. His father is too scared to let his wife know become she is worried with work as business is not going well.

One day after school Thomas goes to his mothers’ salon to help her. He finds himself placing chemical free lotion into smaller bottles however he reads the fine print and sees that it does contain chemicals. He questions his mother and she lies, Thomas' nipples become very itchy, he realises that she is lying to him and her customers. Thomas is very disappointed. Thomas finds out that his mothers beauty salon is not doing well and she has to let go one of her employees.

As the story lines progresses he realises his nipples itch when people around tell him lies. He finds numerous facts out from his parents that would place the family in hardship if they were all honest with each other. Thomas wants to find a cure and enters a competition where he wins a trip with his parents and friends to Paris. On their trip to Paris his parents believe that he chose the trip for his parents because they never had a honeymoon. However this was not the reason behind why Thomas chosen Paris, he chose Paris because there was a lady who would help him sure his itchy nipples. Thomas and his friends go on a wild journey to find the lady, the information that they find out his helpful. Thomas finds out that his family and friends should not tell lies as this does not help anyone. Once Thomas' family and friends realise this they cure Thomas' itchy nipples.

 

Morris Gleitzman has again written a great book that are full of quirks and serious life situations. The book could be read from year four to seven. I found it funny to read and interesting how Gleitzman wrote how Thomas would find a cure for his itchy nipples. Gleitzman has focalised on Thomas in the journey to find a cure for his itchy nipples. Gleitzman allows the text to form connections with the readers emotions and imagination. Doubting Thomas would be a recommended novel to read as a whole class and further develop students ability to analyse text or as part of a individual reading program.