Kids Humor
ONLY, ONLY MARISOL RAINEY by Erin Entrada Kelly
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I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher in order to write this review.
Nothing can dampen Marisol’s joy at riding her beloved bicycle Ginny–nothing except Daggers. Marisol doesn’t know whether her neighbor’s German Shepherd is really called Daggers, but she and her best friend Jada think it’s the perfect name for such a big scary dog. Fortunately, Daggers is penned up behind a fence where he can’t get near Marisol.
When Lost Dog posters appear around the neighborhood, Marisol is terrified. Daggers, whose real name turns out to be Gregory, could be anywhere! What’s to stop him from eating Marisol now? Determined to find Gregory and get him back behind the fence, Marisol enlists the help of her friend Felix, who can communicate with animals, in exchange for promising to teach him how to ride a bike. But as Marisol starts spending more time with Felix, Jada starts acting strangely grumpy, and with efforts to contact Gregory failing, Marisol will have to figure out how to be a good friend and neighbor even when it’s scary.
Third in the Marisol Rainey series, Erin Entrada Kelly’s latest is as charming, funny, and uplifting as its predecessors. Marisol’s emotions rise to the surface in simple, honest prose that invites connections and giggles at the warm humor and expressive illustrations. I’d recommend this one to younger middle grade and chapter book readers, fans of Ramona Quimby, Clementine, and Jada Jones.
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DAD by Gary Paulsen
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I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher in order to write this review.
Carl’s dad is a rescue-dog-loving, environment-saving, just-generally-really nice guy. And Carl can’t take it anymore.
When his dad inadvertently ruins Carl’s chances to impress the girl he likes, Carl decides to take a leaf out of a puppy training book and try using positive reinforcement to nudge his dad toward behavior that is more, well, normal. Things don’t go well at first (the pink overalls and garage sale incident, for instance) but the family pit bull, Carol, seems to get exactly what Carl wants to do and starts to guide him in the right direction. But as positive training results blend with the hilarious, spectacular fails, will Carl’s new and improved dad be all he’s cracked up to be? Or is it possible that teaching an old dad new tricks will lead to the loss of the old dad altogether?
This spirited narrator had me laughing from page one. In addition to hilarious descriptions and zany situations, strong themes of family and identity give the novel the kind of depth you expect from Gary Paulsen. As a dog lover, I especially appreciated how much of a pivotal character rescue-pup Carol ended up being. Any fan of middle grade contemporary fiction will love this new title, especially those looking for an unrelenting comedy. This is also a great candidate for classroom use since the humor will appeal to even the most reluctant readers while the thematic content will allow for meaningful discussion.
ONE DEAD SPY: THE LIFE, TIMES, AND LAST WORDS OF NATHAN HALE, AMERICA’S MOST FAMOUS SPY by Nathan Hale
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Revolutionary Captain Nathan Hale is about to be executed for spying on the British. While the British officer is fetching the hanging orders, the jovial hangman helps Nathan brainstorm some awesome Last Words. But when Nathan says “I regret that I have but one life to give for my country,” he is immediately swallowed by a giant book. It turns out those Last Words were so awesome that Nathan Hale made history! And his brief visit to the history book gives him a glimpse of some fascinating events that happen in the future. When the British officer returns, Nathan Hale delays his hanging by telling the story of the Revolutionary War and its outcome. And he promises to delay his hanging even further by telling about other dramatic historical events as the series of Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales continues.
This graphic novel series is great! Author/Artist Nathan Hale (illustrator of Rapunzel’s Revenge) brings American history to life with his artwork and infuses it with humor through the great framing story of the character Nathan Hale, the pompous British officer, and the comedic hangman. One Dead Spy is currently on the NYT Bestselling Graphic Novels list. Two sequels have been published so far (Big Bad Ironclad! and Donner Dinner Party). A fourth (Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood) comes out next month.
ALVIN HO: ALLERGIC TO GIRLS, SCHOOL, AND OTHER SCARY THINGS by Lenore Look
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Alvin Ho’s first day of second grade confirms his fears: he is still allergic to school. Since the first day of kindergarten, he hasn’t been able to speak a word at school, and second grade will be no different. Even worse, his desk buddy is once again Flea, who—despite having an eye patch and stiff leg that makes her look like a pirate—is a girl and therefore an undesirable desk buddy. But through many misadventures involving chicken pox, Shakespearean curse words, and Johnny Astro, Alvin struggles to make friends and avoid scary situations—which for Alvin, means practically everything.
The Alvin Ho series is funny, realistic fiction for readers who have transitioned from Easy Reader books to chapter books. The sense of humor and cartoon drawings may appeal to kids who enjoy the Junie B. Jones books and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books—particularly readers who are not experienced enough readers to tackle DWK on their own. I would recommend Alvin Ho to first through third grade readers who enjoy humor and/or realistic fiction.
EMMY AND THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING RAT by Lynne Jonell
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Emmy used to be happy, back when people noticed her, before her parents got rich and forgot she existed, traveling sometimes for months at a time and leaving Emmy with her terrible new nanny, Miss Barmy. Now the students in her class seem to look right through her; her teacher can’t even remember her name. In fact, the only creature who notices Emmy is her class pet rat–and for some reason, Emmy can hear him speak. One day, in a fit of rebelliousness, Emmy sets her rat free and decides to skip her gymnastics class and explore her town instead. That is how she happens upon Professor Vole’s rodent shop and sees Miss Barmy place a mysterious, secret order for rodents. What’s more, she finds a caged rat in the shop that is identical to the rat she set free. And the twin rat, along with all of the other rodents, are labeled with strange special powers. Sure that something sinister is happening, Emmy is determined to find out the secret of the rats and to stop Miss Barmy and Professor Vole from whatever evil they might be plotting. Unfortunately, Miss Barmy is on to her and it will take all of Emmy’s cleverness–and a lot of help from her friends Joe and the Rat–to solve the mystery before it’s too late.
This book is a fun, silly, and suspenseful story. It has plenty of mystery and intrigue to keep you turning pages, as long as you have a taste for the absurd and unbelievable. Personally, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to middle grade readers who like fantasy set in the real world.
If you liked Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat ,you might also like Mousenet and Whales on Stilts.
WHALES ON STILTS by M.T. Anderson
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Lily has always considered herself to be boring. Compared to her friends Katie (the star of the Horror Hollow adventure book series) and Jasper (the famous boy inventor), Lily is boring. She never has any adventures of her own. But when she stumbles upon the plot of an evil half-human half-whale criminal mastermind who is determined to conquer the world with an army of whales on stilts . . . well, her life is about to get a whole lot more interesting.
This silly sci-fi novel reads like a superhero cartoon, complete with a snarky omniscient narrator, larger-than-life characters, and absurd action sequences. It is very, very silly, so don’t expect much substance. But it is a fun read for elementary age kids (grades 3-4) who like books like Captain Underpants, Magic Pickle, or the Lunch Lady series.
If you liked Whales on Stilts, you may also like Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell or “Who Could That Be At This Hour?” by Lemony Snicket.
LUNCH LADY AND THE CYBORG SUBSTITUTE by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
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The Breakfast Bunch have always wondered what their Lunch Lady’s life was like outside of school. But they never suspected that she was secretly a crime-fighting vigilante who uses her incredible strength and a slew of interesting gadgets to keep the school safe from all evil. So when a suspicious substitute teacher shows up, the Lunch Lady is immediately on his tail, with the unsuspecting Breakfast Bunch trailing along behind them.
This popular graphic novel series is both action-packed and hilariously funny. Captain Underpants lovers will be delighted to discover this new comical school-themed superhero series. It will appeal most to upper-elementary age readers.
If you like the Lunch Lady series, you might like N.E.R.D.S. by Michael Buckley.
BAD KITTY FOR PRESIDENT by Nick Bruel
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When Old Kitty retires as president of the Neighborhood Cat Club, all of the kitties, from both the Left and the Right sides of the street are vying for his position. After the primaries (a rigorous round of baby-kissing), Kitty is nominated to represent the Right in a fierce contest with the Left’s candidate, Big Kitty. After both Kitty and Big Kitty fail to get an endorsement from Old Kitty, they begin their campaigns in earnest. But will a snazzy website and mudslinging TV ads be enough to win Kitty the election?
Bad Kitty for President is a great read for election year. One of the more educational of the Bad Kitty books, the story includes a fairly detailed description of the election process, including definitions of key election-related terms. And of course, the story is hilarious, narrated as though the author is speaking to the cat, advising and admonishing her as her devious mind comes up with new schemes. I am convinced that all cats are as devious as Bad Kitty. I highly recommend the Bad Kitty series to 3rd-4th grade readers who enjoy humor and/or animal stories.
FRANKIE PICKLE AND THE CLOSET OF DOOM by Eric Wight
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Frankie Piccolini and his trusty dog Argile go on many adventures. They hunt for treasure in the Amazon, fight vicious lava monsters in subterranean caves, and save the world from the onslaught of giant mechanical robots–and they do it all without ever leaving Frankie’s bedroom. But when Mayor Mom gives Frankie a choice–clean your room or deal with The Consequences–Frankie chooses The Consequences and the Pickle Cave quickly turns into a giant bottomless pit of dirty clothes, broken toys, and half-eaten, rotting sandwiches. Although it was glorious at first, Frankie’s mess starts to get in the way of his superhero adventures. Even Argile will no longer enter the Pickle Cave. Will Frankie Pickle have to relent and take care of The Consequences once and for all?
One of 2012-2013’s VSRA Virginia Reader’s Choice Award nominees, Frankie Pickle is a prose/graphic novel hybrid about a boy’s incredible imagination and the adventures of real life. This short and humorous book may appeal to reluctant readers, particularly in grades 3-5. It is the first in a series, followed by Frankie Pickle and the Mathematical Menace and Frankie Pickle and the Pine Run 3000.
If you liked Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom, you might like Captain Awesome to the Rescue.
CAPTAIN AWESOME TO THE RESCUE by Stan Kirby
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Starting a new school at age eight can be a terrifying experience. Luckily for Eugene McGillicudy, he has an alter-ego as a superhero: Captain Awesome, the MI-TEE-est superhero ever (except of course for Super Dude, the hero in the comic books Eugene likes to read). Dressed in his Captain Awesome outfit, Eugene is prepared to defend his toys from the drool of Queen Stinkypants from Planet Baby (aka, his little sister); he is prepared to face the horrible mind-reading powers of his new teacher Ms. Beastly—err, Beasley; he may even be prepared to face the torments of the pink-ribbon wearing nightmare Meredith Mooney who sits near him in class. But will he be able to figure out who stole Turbo the hamster before he gets accused of losing the precious class pet? And will Charlie Thomas Jones turn out to be the superhero-loving potential best friend he claims to be or just another super villain in disguise? Find out in Captain Awesome to the Rescue! by Stan Kirby.
Different from the typical humorous superhero book for the 2nd-4th grade reader, Captain Awesome himself possesses no superhero powers and fights no real supervillians. The books are about a boy using his huge imagination to survive in the average everyday world with which readers will be familiar. His adventures continue in Captain Awesome vs. Nacho Cheese Man.
Susan the Librarian 