mrsweems's review against another edition
4.0
A few of the stories were outstanding to read to my students. If you enjoy boy humor and funny antics then this is a good book.
nerfherder86's review against another edition
4.0
Great book for young guys: ten short stories by different authors, with plenty of gross-out humor and silliness. One is a science fiction story about a guy's parents being taken over by aliens; another is a bloody horror story about what happens when a wild kid doesn't tell his parents about the stupid stuff he's done to himself; Eoin Colfer's story "Artemis Begins" talks about his prankster brother and how that gave him the idea for his character Artemis Fowl. There's a goofy history project-gone-awry, a crotchety grandpa who tells a whopper of a memory, and an adopted evil turkey who is taking over the household. But my favorite story was "Dear Lady Author," cowritten by Jon Scieszka and Kate DiCamillo, in which a young man has to write a letter to an author for his school assignment. She writes back to him, but doesn't answer his questions in the way he thought she would. It is really funny and sweet. I would recommend this book to 4th-5th and 6th graders mostly, because the humor is pretty sophomoric and most of the characters are in those grades. There's a couple where they are in 8th grade but I can't see an 8th grader picking this up on his own. If a student needs something short to read, though, and hates to read, definitely try to get this in his hands. Hopefully it will inspire him to read something longer by any of the authors in it.
ubalstecha's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent collection of funny, silly and sometimes gross short stories and essays, written with the male reader in mind by some of the best children's authors out there.
Several stories in this collection stand out. The first is the short, and apparently true story, by Eoin Colfer about his inspiration for Artemis Foul. It involves a broken crystal plate, three brothers and a very angry mother.
The second is the equally good, but purely fictional, story about a young boy's attempt to complete an English assignment with as little effort as possible. Told as an exchange of letters between the boy and a children's book author, it is hilarious and rings true with authentic voices. My personal favourite in the whole book.
This is a must for any library where reluctant readers might be sent to "find a book". Get this.
Several stories in this collection stand out. The first is the short, and apparently true story, by Eoin Colfer about his inspiration for Artemis Foul. It involves a broken crystal plate, three brothers and a very angry mother.
The second is the equally good, but purely fictional, story about a young boy's attempt to complete an English assignment with as little effort as possible. Told as an exchange of letters between the boy and a children's book author, it is hilarious and rings true with authentic voices. My personal favourite in the whole book.
This is a must for any library where reluctant readers might be sent to "find a book". Get this.
librarybrods's review against another edition
4.0
The narration was just out of the park. Especially loved the DiCamillo/Scieszka collaboration.
tbonegreg's review against another edition
3.0
(3.5) The stories were all over the map, but were supposed to be held together because they were funny. Some managed this more than others. We especially liked the Christopher Paul Curtis story, though. The collection was worth it for that story alone.
staceym's review against another edition
4.0
I am enjoying the stories but I didn't think the first two were funny. So far my favorite is the mummy story by John Lubar, "Kid Appeal".
I enjoyed many of these stories but my original thought of them continued; many of the stories weren't funny. My least favorite story was "My Parents Give My Bedroom to a Biker" by Paul Feig. The story is about the kids parents and others get possessed by an alien and the day is saved with broccoli. It was really weird.
I enjoyed many of these stories but my original thought of them continued; many of the stories weren't funny. My least favorite story was "My Parents Give My Bedroom to a Biker" by Paul Feig. The story is about the kids parents and others get possessed by an alien and the day is saved with broccoli. It was really weird.
wendyfalconerslibrary's review against another edition
3.0
Mildly amusing business, maybe. With a heavy dollop of "that's a little creepy, actually."
maggie_daydreaming's review against another edition
3.0
Some of the stories I liked. Some I ABSOLUTELY DID NOT.
The last story, for example?
You'll regret reading it. It's that disgusting.
But Eion Colfer's?
Really interesting, and gave me an insight into his childhood (plus, in his biography at the end, he finally tells us how to pronounce his name)
And the one about "the school with the kids everyone writes about" was great too.
I'd list all of the others, but I don't remember them all at the moment.
Overall, I wasn't a huge fan.
The last story, for example?
You'll regret reading it. It's that disgusting.
But Eion Colfer's?
Really interesting, and gave me an insight into his childhood (plus, in his biography at the end, he finally tells us how to pronounce his name)
And the one about "the school with the kids everyone writes about" was great too.
I'd list all of the others, but I don't remember them all at the moment.
Overall, I wasn't a huge fan.
bethy_brew's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 - the kids thought this was hilarious, but there was a lot of gross humor.