Masters of Disaster

November 1, 2010

Gr 5-7-Henry Mosley is concerned that his everyday life lacks the excitement experienced by the young heroes of his favorite novels. "We may be the most boring twelve-year-olds on the planet," he tells his friends Riley and Reed. Henry proposes that they undertake a series of projects, thus "Becoming Men of Action and Daring" who "Alter the Course of History" and, with luck, "Impress Girls." While the dialogue and setting are modern, this is an affectionate and spot-on homage to the "boy chums" adventures of yesteryear. Each self-contained chapter details one of Henry's wild plans-from driving a bicycle off a roof to searching for bodies in a haunted house to spending the night in a Dumpster. The friends fill familiar roles-Henry the mastermind; Riley the scientific planner and loyal sidekick; and cautious, nervous Reed, who generally ends up right in the thick of the calamity du jour. Henry's schemes often involve serious danger, but the guys come through with only a few bumps and nicks-and some lingering bad smells. There is even a bully antagonist, although the brutish Dwight stays mostly on the fringes of the action-until the trio's spectacular last-chapter revenge. Middle school boys will be attracted by the zany stunts and frequent gross-out encounters with garbage, mud, slime, and "doody."-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2010
Grades 4-6 Henry convinces his best friends, Riley and Reed, that the three 12-year-olds should prove their manhood by undertaking a series of daring exploits. The first, in which Reed rides a bicycle off a third-story roof, sets the pattern: Henry, the creative force, comes up with one hare-brained scheme after another; Riley, the observer, records the disastrous consequences; and Reed, the reluctant adventurer, puts his life on the line and ends up not just battered but slimed by disgusting, odiferous ooze. Although the pattern quickly grows predictable, that will only make the story funnier for readers drawn to the broad humor of exploding science experiments and upended portable toilets. Three of the episodic chapters are based on short stories Paulsen wrote for Boys Life magazine from 2001 to 2004. Certain plot points strain credibility, but readers willing to suspend disbelief and follow the boys over-the-top exploits will enjoy plenty of laughs along the way.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)