tabatha_shipley's review against another edition
3.0
What I Did Like:
-Boys Will be Boys specifically had good language and dialogue. It flows nicely and the pacing works.
-As a collection, this is great. Some are scary, some are funny, some are quirky, and some are cute. It’s a great mix of lessons, mysteries, and scares.
-Believing in Brooklyn is the BEST story in this anthology. The message is great and the story is awesome. I would’ve rated that one much higher if it were stand-alone.
Who Should Read This One:
-Middle-grade readers OF ANY GENDER who like mysterious and scary stories will love this collection.
-Readers who like a fast, short story that gives you chills.
My Rating: 3 Stars. This is a good MG anthology that will appeal to anyone who likes this genre. I’m only afraid that they put themselves in a tight niche that will scare off too many readers by calling it “Guys Read”.
For Full Review (including what I didn’t like): https://youtu.be/bEc6QN40trU
-Boys Will be Boys specifically had good language and dialogue. It flows nicely and the pacing works.
-As a collection, this is great. Some are scary, some are funny, some are quirky, and some are cute. It’s a great mix of lessons, mysteries, and scares.
-Believing in Brooklyn is the BEST story in this anthology. The message is great and the story is awesome. I would’ve rated that one much higher if it were stand-alone.
Who Should Read This One:
-Middle-grade readers OF ANY GENDER who like mysterious and scary stories will love this collection.
-Readers who like a fast, short story that gives you chills.
My Rating: 3 Stars. This is a good MG anthology that will appeal to anyone who likes this genre. I’m only afraid that they put themselves in a tight niche that will scare off too many readers by calling it “Guys Read”.
For Full Review (including what I didn’t like): https://youtu.be/bEc6QN40trU
pwbalto's review against another edition
4.0
Gennifer Choldenko gives us a Hollywood-ready action story involving snakes and conspiracy; Bruce Hale 's protagonist has to go up against monsters in the sewers. Walter Dean Myers takes us to Somalia; we get a short, funny Diamond Brothers mystery from Anthony Horowitz; and Patrick Carman conjures up a ghost from the back pages of an old Archie comic.
Notably, the Guys Read books include plenty of stories that are entirely devoid of magic, and magic is what a lot of those foot-draggers in the children's section are trying to avoid.
I don't want to delve too deeply into why some kids think fantasy is a waste of time, or whether I think that maybe those kids are on to something, but it is a sure and true fact that contemporary realistic fiction for boys is in short supply in middle grade...
Full review on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/pink-me/2011/06/guys-read-thriller-scieszka-review.html
Notably, the Guys Read books include plenty of stories that are entirely devoid of magic, and magic is what a lot of those foot-draggers in the children's section are trying to avoid.
I don't want to delve too deeply into why some kids think fantasy is a waste of time, or whether I think that maybe those kids are on to something, but it is a sure and true fact that contemporary realistic fiction for boys is in short supply in middle grade...
Full review on Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/pink-me/2011/06/guys-read-thriller-scieszka-review.html
ubalstecha's review against another edition
4.0
This is an excellent collection of short stories aimed at boys. Full of mysteries and action, this will keep the reluctant reader boy in your life will love. Especially strong in the collection is the story named Pirate (by the great Margaret Peterson Haddix), which tells the tale of a 16 year-old Somali on his first pirate raid.
Worth picking up.
Worth picking up.
librarybrods's review against another edition
4.0
Short stories gathered by Jon Scieszka - great authors and great narrators! First one I've read in this particular series...I will be sure to check out the other genres.
leslie_d's review against another edition
3.0
The second installment of Guys Read’s Library is Thriller, a collection of short stories that delivers “the wildest mix of detectives, spooks, cryptids, snakes, pirates, smugglers, a body on the tracks, and one terribly powerful serving of fried pudding” (Jon Scieszka, “Before We Begin…). Yep, sounds like a guys read to me. And it begins with the cover.
Brett Helquist as Illustrator would not only do his part to provide an image for each story, but he has a mystery to share as well. Sciezska begins his Introduction by drawing attention to the cover. “Why is that shady-looking character lurking in the dark alley? What’s he doing with that crowbar? Is that something in his other hand? What is he doing? What has he done?” Sciezska continues to speculate and draw definitions of ‘mystery’ and ‘thriller’ from his contemplation and leaves the story of the cover art up to capable hands, the readers’. “You will have to work out the rest of the story yourself, because that’s all we’ve got from Brett Helquist’s cover. And Brett is suddenly not talking anymore. Smart guy.”
The stories vary in subject matter and in approach, there is even a comic. Three or four at the very least should capture the reader via style/voice. I am guessing the target audience will likely find more. I found humor in every story in Funny Business, but with Thriller I was beginning to think any review I wrote would ultimately surrender to “Jon Scieszka and these authors/illustrators know their audience, they know what they are doing.” It may yet. But as it was I was a bit underwhelmed. And then I found my three or four: (in no order of preference) Pirate by Walter Dean Myers, Thad, the Ghost, and Me by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Nate Macavoy, Monster Hunter by Bruce Hale, and Ghost Vision Glasses by Patrick Carman. Okay, The Old, Dead Nuisance by M.T. Anderson was a good way to start the anthology. And undoubtedly Patrick Carman’s Ghost Vision Glasses was the perfect last story of the collection. While I don’t think one should have to read such a book of stories in order (I like to pick out my favorite authors/titles first), Carman’s story does leave the right level of excitement that makes you think the whole book was a winner.
And Guys Read: Thriller is a winner. This Library of books Scieszka is curating, editing, is a brilliant idea, and it is meeting its promise. These books and stories will entertain the most reluctant middle-grade reader, and said reader will likely find at least one author to pursue. Many of these stories would provide great writing prompts, let alone inspire a reader to write or illustrate their own Thriller. Jon Scieszka and these authors/illustrators know their audience, they know what they are doing. I can’t recommend this Library enough.
**********************
Because it is Halloween-time and I am thinking about Neil Gaiman’s All Hallows’ Read, wouldn’t it be brilliant if we could get ahold of these Thriller stories in bite sizes, each printed in slim volumes of singular stories, to purchase and place in school libraries, English classrooms, and trick-or-treat pillowcases? Well, at least for your favorite young people in your life, Guys Read: Thriller en masse is available in time for the season.
L @ omphaloskepsis
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2011/10/28/guys-read-thriller/
Brett Helquist as Illustrator would not only do his part to provide an image for each story, but he has a mystery to share as well. Sciezska begins his Introduction by drawing attention to the cover. “Why is that shady-looking character lurking in the dark alley? What’s he doing with that crowbar? Is that something in his other hand? What is he doing? What has he done?” Sciezska continues to speculate and draw definitions of ‘mystery’ and ‘thriller’ from his contemplation and leaves the story of the cover art up to capable hands, the readers’. “You will have to work out the rest of the story yourself, because that’s all we’ve got from Brett Helquist’s cover. And Brett is suddenly not talking anymore. Smart guy.”
The stories vary in subject matter and in approach, there is even a comic. Three or four at the very least should capture the reader via style/voice. I am guessing the target audience will likely find more. I found humor in every story in Funny Business, but with Thriller I was beginning to think any review I wrote would ultimately surrender to “Jon Scieszka and these authors/illustrators know their audience, they know what they are doing.” It may yet. But as it was I was a bit underwhelmed. And then I found my three or four: (in no order of preference) Pirate by Walter Dean Myers, Thad, the Ghost, and Me by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Nate Macavoy, Monster Hunter by Bruce Hale, and Ghost Vision Glasses by Patrick Carman. Okay, The Old, Dead Nuisance by M.T. Anderson was a good way to start the anthology. And undoubtedly Patrick Carman’s Ghost Vision Glasses was the perfect last story of the collection. While I don’t think one should have to read such a book of stories in order (I like to pick out my favorite authors/titles first), Carman’s story does leave the right level of excitement that makes you think the whole book was a winner.
And Guys Read: Thriller is a winner. This Library of books Scieszka is curating, editing, is a brilliant idea, and it is meeting its promise. These books and stories will entertain the most reluctant middle-grade reader, and said reader will likely find at least one author to pursue. Many of these stories would provide great writing prompts, let alone inspire a reader to write or illustrate their own Thriller. Jon Scieszka and these authors/illustrators know their audience, they know what they are doing. I can’t recommend this Library enough.
**********************
Because it is Halloween-time and I am thinking about Neil Gaiman’s All Hallows’ Read, wouldn’t it be brilliant if we could get ahold of these Thriller stories in bite sizes, each printed in slim volumes of singular stories, to purchase and place in school libraries, English classrooms, and trick-or-treat pillowcases? Well, at least for your favorite young people in your life, Guys Read: Thriller en masse is available in time for the season.
L @ omphaloskepsis
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/2011/10/28/guys-read-thriller/
aprilbooksandwine's review against another edition
4.0
Guys Read: Thriller edited by Jon Scieszka, who also wrote the introduction, begins with a bang. The introduction is all about the book cover, opening the realm of possibility and letting the reader know that the 10 short stories by 10 prominent middle grade and young adult authors are going to be exciting and obviously thrilling. Each story features a male protagonist, which I think is a great way to reel in male readers. So, because this is a book of short stories, I thought I would write a sentence or two summarizing each short story and a sentence on my verdict of each short story.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
loveyourlibrary's review against another edition
3.0
There was so much variety in the stories, it really make me think about what a thriller is!
rachelkc's review against another edition
3.0
Besides the unnecessary gendering of this collection, I found the stories inside to be fun and interesting. As in any book of short stories, some resonated more than others, but altogether I found they worked well at keeping my attention with good pacing and just enough tension throughout. I felt involved in reading most of the stories, especially “Believing in Brooklyn” and “Nate Macavoy, Monster Hunter” (which felt like a Junior X-Files). Snakes aren’t my jam, so I checked out while reading “The Snake Mafia” and “Boys Will Be Boys” felt too simplistic (and that title, ugh).
ld2's review
3.0
This was a collection of stories that was truly directed for elementary and middle school boys. The stories were entertaining but forgettable, however, the diamond in the ruff of the series was definitely "Pirates". "Pirates" is an emotional and stark glimpse of life for the poverty stricken Somalians and how their struggles impact the life of one boy trying to survive. The collection is worth reading for that story alone.
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