Synopses & Reviews
Tucker MacBean's father has left and his mother is always either at work or in class, trying to finish college.and#160; This leaves Tucker to watch out for his younger brother, Beech, while they secretly try to save up enough money so that their mother can quit her job.and#160; When Tucker's favorite comic has a contest for kids to create the hero's new sidekick, he hopes he has found a way to help his mother and fix his family -- all he has to do is create the winning supercomic.and#160;and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160; With thoughtful characterizations --and#160; including Tucker's brother who has special needs -- copious black-and-white comic-book-like art, and an engaging storyline, this middle grade novel has humor, an enterprising main character, and the appeal of a comic-book adventure.
Review
“Janet Tashjian, known for her young adult books, offers a novel thats part
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2007), part intriguing mystery; yet the best element here is really the first-person voice, which captures so completely the pushes and pulls in the life of someone with learning disabilities. . . . Give this to kids who think they dont like reading. It might change their minds.”—
Booklist, Starred Review
“A kinder, gentler Wimpy Kid with all the fun and more plot.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“Sure to engage fans of Jeff Kinneys Diary of a Wimpy Kid books (Abrams) as well as those looking for a spunky, contemporary boy with a mystery to solve.”—School Library Journal
“[The] illustrations, drawn by Tashjians 14-year-old son, Jake, are quite clever.”—Publishers Weekly
“My Life as a Book is a fabulous, fast-paced choice for reluctant and avid readers alike.”—BookPage
“Cartoon drawings by the authors teenaged son decorate the margins and not only re-create Dereks illustrated vocabulary lists but also reduce the amount of text on each page, making the book more approachable for kids like Derek. Derek tells readers, ‘If my life were a book, Id have my own cool adventures. It is, and he does.”—The Horn Book
“This book is visually appealing to reluctant readers and shows that all kinds of stories can surprise us.”—Chicago Tribune
Review
"[The] illustrations, drawn by Tashjian's 14-year-old son, Jake, are quite clever." -Publishers Weekly
A kinder, gentler Wimpy Kid with all the fun and more plot.” Starred, Kirkus Reviews
My Life as a Book is a fabulous, fast-paced choice for reluctant and avid readers alike.” BookPage
Cartoon drawings by the author's teenaged son decorate the margins and not only re-create Derek's illustrated vocabulary lists but also reduce the amount of text on each page, making the book more approachable for kids like Derek. Derek tells readers, "If my life were a book, I'd have my own cool adventures." It is, and he does.” Horn Book
Review
Cartoon drawings by the author's teenaged son decorate the margins and not only re-create Derek's illustrated vocabulary lists but also reduce the amount of text on each page, making the book more approachable for kids like Derek. Derek tells readers, "If my life were a book, I'd have my own cool adventures." It is, and he does.” Horn Book
Review
“This book is visually appealing to reluctant readers and shows that all kinds of stories can surprise us.” -Chicago Tribune
“Janet Tashjian, known for her young adult books, offers a novel thats part Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2007), part intriguing mystery; yet the best element here is really the first-person voice, which captures so completely the pushes and pulls in the life of someone with learning disabilities . . . . Give this to kids who think they dont like reading. It might change their minds.” -Starred, Booklist
“Amusing stick figures accompany Dereks narration, dutifully following his teachers suggestion of animating any difficult vocabulary word.” -Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books
“Sure to engage fans of Jeff Kinneys “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” books (Abrams) as well as those looking for a spunky, contemporary boy with a mystery to solve.” -School Library Journal
"[The] illustrations, drawn by Tashjian's 14-year-old son, Jake, are quite clever." -Publishers Weekly
“A kinder, gentler Wimpy Kid with all the fun and more plot.” —Starred, Kirkus Reviews
“My Life as a Book is a fabulous, fast-paced choice for reluctant and avid readers alike.” —BookPage
“Cartoon drawings by the author's teenaged son decorate the margins and not only re-create Derek's illustrated vocabulary lists but also reduce the amount of text on each page, making the book more approachable for kids like Derek. Derek tells readers, "If my life were a book, I'd have my own cool adventures." It is, and he does.” -Horn Book
Review
"Harkraderand#8217;s newest underdog story has strong pacing and is filled with a memorable cast of adolescent eccentrics...the pursuit of individual creativity while recognizing the benefits of teamwork leads to an eminently satisfying conclusion."
and#8212;Kirkus
Synopsis
Summers finally here, and Derek Fallon is looking forward to pelting the UPS truck with water balloons, climbing onto the garage roof, and conducting silly investigations. But when his parents decide to send him to Learning Camp, Dereks dreams of fun come to an end. Ever since hes been labeled a “reluctant reader,” his mom has pushed him to read “real” books—something other than his beloved Calvin & Hobbes.
As Derek forges unexpected friendships and uncovers a family secret involving himself (in diapers! no less), he realizes that adventures and surprises are around the corner, complete with curve balls. My Life as a Book is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Synopsis
Summer's finally here, but when Derek Fallon's parents decide to send him to Learning Camp, his dreams of fun come to an end. Derek soon realizes that adventures and surprises are around the corner, complete with curve balls. Illustrations.
Synopsis
Derek Fallon has trouble sitting still and reading. But creating cartoons of his vocabulary words comes easy. If only life were as simple!
Synopsis
Summers finally here, and Derek Fallon is looking forward to pelting the UPS truck with water balloons, climbing onto the garage roof, and conducting unusual investigations. But when Dereks parents get tired of cleaning up after his “fun,” they decide to send him to Learning Camp. His entire summer is ruined! Until Derek starts digging into a family secret involving himself (in diapers! no less), and he realizes that this summer may not be so bad after all. . . .
Synopsis
For fans of Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, this sequel toand#160;The Adventures of Beanboyand#160;combines comic illustrations, a small-town bully facing off against a budding artist, and a rousing, decisive game of dodge ball.
About the Author
Janet Tashjian is the author of many popular novels including Larry and the Meaning of Life; Vote for Larry; The Gospel According to Larry; Fault Line; Multiple Choice; and Tru Confessions. She lives with her family in Los Angeles, California.
www.janettashjian.com
Jake Tashjian has been drawing pictures of his vocabulary words since he was a kid (he’s now fourteen), and has a stack of index cards taller than a house.