Hot Reading Fun in the Summertime

How's summer going, reader dudes?? This is a great time of year. A chance to relax and have fun. Here you see the Iron Guy chilling at a favorite spot.

Of course, he must still work out to maintain his MANLY physique.

Summer is also a great time for really fun reads. Here are some that the Iron Guy has enjoyed in the past. I'm going to avoid the obvious picks, like Percy Jackson, Harry Potter or The 39 Clues and focus on some that aren't as well known but still tremendously fun reads. (Some of these may be hard to find because they've been out for a while but the Charlotte Mecklenburg library has copies)


N.E. R. D. S. by Michael Buckley--Secret agents, flying school buses, world-destroying villains, laughs and action--what more could you want? I must confess that I've read only the first one but other guys have read and recommended them.




How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell--Could you eat 15 worms? "Yeecchh!!" you say. Would you do it for $50.00? That's the idea behind this terrific book. It's been making guys laugh for almost 40 years and will make YOU laugh too.



 
The Island trilogy by Gordon Korman--a great survival story with thrills, thrills, thrills. Several troubled kids go on a boat for an extended rehab trip but end up stranded on a deserted island. This island isn't on any map--and for good reason! A really terrific read!




The Adventurrous Deed of Deadwood Jones by Helen Hemphill--Yeehaa! Adventure in the Old West! Two brothers skeedaddle to Texas after the Civil War when some racists threaten them. They join a cattle drive and look for their father. Great fun but serious and sad parts, so you get get a little substance with your fun. Don't let that scare you off, though--still very fun and very highly recommended.

The Bone Graphic novels by Jeff Smith--What can I say about this epic graphic novel fantasy series that hundreds of others haven't already said? Probably the best fantasy series ever put into graphic form. Go get it NOW!!



The Tiger's Apprentice trilogy by Laurence Yep--Based on Chinese mythology, this fantasy trilogy starts in San Francisco but takes you through far-flung magical lands and into dangers with wild creatures. A great read!




The Hank the Cowdog audiobooks--Going on a car trip this summer? Then take along these very funny audiobooks. John R. Erickson wrote and narrated these and guys really enjoy them. I've seen kids beg for these in carpools!






Sluggers/Barnstormers series by Phil Bildner and Loren Long--Finally, one of my all-time
favorite series. These books are perfect summer reads. An old-time baseball travels around the country in 1898 to raise for an uncle who's not only ill but in trouble with a very bad guy. And a lot of mysterious things happen around a magical baseball. Start one and you'll be hooked! (PS--the first few books came out under the Barnstormers name and the rest under Sluggers)

OK, guys, enjoy your summer! Keep reading and, if you want to find out what the Iron Guy and other people have said about these books, click on the tabs under this post. And if you want to add your $.02, send us a review! All the instructions are on the left-hand side of this page.

All Together Now....

Ladies and Gentlemen - The Beatles!!!!!

"All Together Now" by The Beatles (my most favorite band ever!!!!!)

One, two, three, four can I have a little more?
Five, six, seven eight nine ten I love you.
A, B, C, D can I bring my friend to tea? E, F, G H I J I love you.
Bum bum bum, bum pa bum sail the ship,
bum pa bum chop the tree,
bum pa bum skip the rope,
Look at meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,
All together now....

And now some book reviews:


Bone: Treasure Hunters, Volume 8 by Jeff Smith - Fresh into the PLCMC Library's Graphic Novel Collection is the latest instalment of the Bone Series. Well kids things are really getting interesting in the Bone Graphic Novel Series. In this instalment the Bone Cousins (Phoney, Smiley and Fone Bone), Gran'ma Ben, Thorn and Bartleby have gained entrance into the once great ruling city of Atheia. Inside and outside the city things are not well. Outside the city Ghost Circles are everywhere and Briar (Gran'ma Ben's Sister) is gathering both rat creatures and human warriors to serve the Lord of the Locust and bring an end to all. Inside the city things are not all that great either as our heroes must contend with Tarsil, The Captain of the Queen's Guard, who has turned traitor and now rules the city. So besides the dragons disappearing, enemies all around who would like nothing better than to find and crush the former royal linage of the kingdom (that would be Thorn and Gran'ma Ben) and all that support it, the nearing release the Lord of the Locust into the world and all other types of nastiness; everything is just great!!!!!! I tell ya, you need to get ahold of this latest volume as soon as possible and read it. This is really just awesome stuff!!!!!!!!!!



The Strongest Man in the World: Louis Cyr by Nicolas Debon - This Graphic Novel tells the true life story of Louis Cyr who could have actually been the strongest man in the world, ever! In his lifetime he performed such astounding events as lifting a huge draft horse on his back, lifting huge boulders that weighed well over 450 pounds, resisting the pull of four horses weighing 1,200 pound each, lifting a 553 pound weight with one finger and many more outstanding featsof strength. He even owned his own circus. At his final performance as a strong man he lifted on his back a platform with 18 men standing on it that weighed approximately 4,300 pounds. Both the writing and artwork are really outstanding. This is a fascinating biography about a very interesting man.







One last thing I would like to share with you guys is a very special Comics Camp we had in July with Dave McDonald creator/writer/artist of "The Secret Adventures of Hamster Sam: Attack of the Evil Boll Weevils!" (coming to the PLCMC Library System very soon) The program was lots of fun and all who attended had a great time. Check out some photos from the event:





Dave talking about making comics.

Dave showing everyone how to draw Hamster Sam.

One of the attendees of the event drawing his own character for the entire room on the spot!!!!!(nerves of steel I tell ya)

Some of the attendees hard at work creating their own comic masterpieces!!!!!

This program was a blast!!!

If you are interested in attending future Comic Camps keep on the lookout here and at the ImaginOn Web Site for when the next one will be. We should have another no later than September with the most awesome team of Herc and John returning (hope you guys are enjoying your summer and we miss seeing you)!!!!!

Whelp, until the next blog. Wagon Train Hoooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill