Michael! Michael! He's Our Man!

Hey, all you cool reader guys. Our old friend Michael has sent TWO more of his first-rate book reviews! Michael always finds the most interesting reads and always gives his straight-up thoughts on them. Let's see what he's read lately:

Bone: Quest For the Spark, book 3
by Tom Sniegoski
    Tom, Percival, Lorimar, Abbey, Barclay, Randolf, Stinky, and Smelly are all back one last time for the fateful conclusion! The Nacht is incredibly close to his goal, Tom only has one piece of the Spark left to find, and Lorimar is ready to betray her friends in order to save her people, the First Folk. Plus, Rock Jaw (Master of the Eastern Border) returns! Isn't that guy just a boss? And for long-time Bone fans, the great cat performs an encore of his odd behavior back in Crown of Horns! Plus, this is one fantasy book that is 300 pages of non-stop action! No, I mean literally, someone is always engaged in action during this book. This book is really not just a step up, but like, a whole flight up from the previous Quest books. And although I considered this sequel trilogy just a way to make more money from Bone, it really has turned out so well. I can say with confidence once again that Bone is the best fantasy series I've ever read. Definitely a must-read for any fans of fantasy, supernatural, or action!

The Infinity Ring, book 3
The Trap Door
by Lisa McMann
    The daring trio of Dak, Sera, and Riq are back again in their third book, but fifth adventure. They've landed in America again, but this time they're not in Washington, D.C., but they're in Maryland in 1850. What's stopping them this time? SQ disguised as slave traders disguised as abolitionists! Whew! While the three are in peril nearly the whole book, Riq is in the most danger, being an African-American. He is quickly sold into slavery, and Dak and Sera must help him out while dealing with problems of their own. And where is the Hystorian? This is a pretty decent book. It's slower than the previous two, because those two took place in battlefields, and this one is pre-Civil War, making the action more sparse and not as weapon-filled as one (meaning me) might like. I do think, however, that the author does a very nice job of explaining not only why slavery is wrong, but also why some people of the time thought it was OK, answering the oft-asked question, "How could one person treat another human being that way?" The climax was good, and there's a bit of a surprise ending. To join in the friends' next adventure, set in Japan, with samurai and ninjas, log onto infinityring.com and get in the game! And don't forget book 4, Curse of the Ancients, by Matt de la Pena, coming soon. And one more thing guys: Don't mess with the cards!

Michael Lanier
Pianist, guitarist, banjoist, autoharpist, jaw harpist, Ukeist, Mandolinist


Thanks, Michael! Once again, you've picked a couple of books that sound really good. I have not read any of the Tom Sniegoski Bone series but I really want to now. Keep up the good work! Can't wait to hear from you again.

Guys LOVE Graphic Novels!

Hey, all you reader guys out there. We survived yesterday. You what day I mean--the one devoted to all the stuff that makes MANLY MEN like us shudder in our manly boots. The day devoted to kissing and hugging and romance. In other words, Valentine's Day, the one devoted to looooove!!! 

The MANLY MAN view of romance

So to get the thought of all that stuff out of our minds, let's ask ourselves--what do guys LOVE? And the answer to that is obvious--GRAPHIC NOVELS!! Yes, indeed, graphic novels are great! You've got exciting stories, laughs, heroes punching out villains, and sometimes whole planets blow up! So let me tell you about a few graphic novels that I and a regular contributor to this blog have read and enjoyed lately.

 Star Wars: The Clone Wars--The Colossus of Destiny by Jeremy Barlow; art by the Fillbach Brothers

This was a great story. Jedi Master Mace Windu speeds to the planet Simocadia to stop a Separatist invasion but Yoda appears and tells him it's a mistake. Mace goes anyway and has to face the results of his decision. This one has lots of good Star Wars action, cool artwork and Mace Windu, one of the best Jedi Masters. How could you go wrong?


The Adventures of Daniel Boom aka Loud Boy: Game On!  by D. J. Steinberg; illustrated by Brian Smith


If you like cartoon series with whiz-bang action and goofball humor like Fairly Odd Parents or TUFF Puppy, you'd like this graphic novel series. Loud Boy is one of the five kids who've discovered they have super powers. In this one, Loud Boy and friends are charged by their Uncle Stanley to keep the Flooggget out of the hands of Old Fogey and his evil cohorts. But along the way, Loud get sucked into a video game--literally! Unless he can win the game and get out, every kid on earth will disappear into cyberspace.Can Loud Boy do it? Read and see--and have a really good time as you do!

Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarret J. Krosoczka

I've been a fan of Lunch Lady, the cafeteria supervisor and crime fighter, for a long time. In this book, Lunch Lady and her sidekick Betty.are working a summer camp--which supposedly has a swamp monster in the lake. It couldn't be true--or could it? Lunch Lady  will have to use all their high-tech school cafeteria crime-fighting equipment to save the camp! I really like these graphic novels--mystery, suspense, and good campy fun. CAMPY fun!!!! I just made a joke! Har, Har Har, Har!!!!!



And to prove that I'm not the only one who enjoys graphic novels, here's a review from our old friend Michael:

Lunch Lady, book 8
Lunch Lady and the Picture Day Peril
by Jarret J. Krosoczka
    Lunch Lady, Betty, Hector, Terrence, and Dee are all back! When a school photographer scams school kids out of thousands of dollars and then runs, it's up to Lunch Lady to find her, or the student council's fund will be ruined. I do think that the scene transitions are a bit jerky, but there's an action scene that I consider the best of the series so far. Plus, does the ending suggest the start of a serial? I guess book 9 will reveal that. But for comic book readers, this is a good one to check out!

And here's one more from Michael:


Mal and Chad, book 3
Belly Flop
by Stephen McCraine
    Comic-book duo Mal and Chad are back for their third and longest adventure yet! When Mal learns that Megan is pushing him away, he wonders how cool he has to be to hang out with her. Also, a talent show is being held at Einstein Elementary, and Mal sees this as an opportunity to show his level of coolness. Plus you can expect plenty of episodes with his inventions. Comedy, romance, sci-fi, inspiration, and action all come into play in this book as well as the other books in this series. As far as graphic novels go, this is one of the best! I was a little bored during the first few chapters because this book focuses more on the romance and inspiration than anything else. The five elements I listed above did not blend together as well as it has in previous books. However, what action there was was very well-done, and this book is definitely worth reading!

Michael Lanier
Pianist, guitarist, banjoist, autoharpist, jaw harpist, Ukeist, Mandolinist


So you see, guys really do LOVE graphic novels! If you'd like to read about more graphic novels, click on the "graphic novels" tab under this post. And what about YOU? How you read a good graphic novel lately? One that you LOVED? Write in and let us know! And remember--these graphic novels are:



Guy Tested--Guy Approved!

Thank You, Lenore Look!

Greetings, all guys everywhere! This is Iron Guy Carl and I'm sorry I've been gone so long. Life has been busy and busier at the library but that's one of those good problems. It shows that people value their libraries and we're glad you do.

The Iron Guy had something truly extraordinary happen while I was so busy, however. Lenore Look, one of my favorite authors, read the December post--the one in which I said that if I could have any book for Christmas, I'd want a complete set of the Alvin Ho books. Well, guess what--that's what she actually sent me!! The Iron Guy is now the proud owner of all four volumes of the adventures of nervous little Alvin Ho. Oh, I am so totally and completely thrilled!!! THANK YOU so much, Lenore Look!! That was extremely generous of you. No wonder we made her an Honorary Guy!

If you'd like to see what I'm so excited about, click on the "Alvin Ho" tab underneath this post and you will see all the reviews of these hilarious books and the audiobook. Better yet, scurry on down to your local library and check one out. If they don't have any, make a giant sign that says, "Get the Alvin Ho Books" and march up and down the street until they do! Well, maybe you don't need to go that far, but find one and read it and you'll see what I mean. And if you have read them (or some of them) write in and let us know what you think.

 Thanks again, Lenore Look!!

Great Graphic Novels for Guys

Hey, guys, our good and true friend Michael has done it again, sending us TWO reviews of great graphic novels. Let's hear what he thinks about them:

Mal and Chad, book 3
Belly Flop
by Stephen McCraine
    Comic-book duo Mal and Chad are back for their third and longest adventure yet! When Mal learns that Megan is pushing him away, he wonders how cool he has to be to hang out with her. Also, a talent show is being held at Einstein Elementary, and Mal sees this as an opportunity to show his level of coolness. Plus you can expect plenty of episodes with his inventions. Comedy, romance, sci-fi, inspiration, and action all come into play in this book as well as the other books in this series. As far as graphic novels go, this is one of the best! I was a little bored during the first few chapters because this book focuses more on the romance and inspiration than anything else. The five elements I listed above did not blend together as well as it has in previous books. However, what action there was was very well-done, and this book is definitely worth reading!

Lunch Lady, book 8
Lunch Lady and the Picture Day Peril
by Jarret J. Krosoczka
    Lunch Lady, Betty, Hector, Terrence, and Dee are all back! When a school photographer scams school kids out of thousands of dollars and then runs, it's up to Lunch Lady to find her, or the student council's fund will be ruined. I do think that the scene transitions are a bit jerky, but there's an action scene that I consider the best of the series so far. Plus, does the ending suggest the start of a serial? I guess book 9 will reveal that. But for comic book readers, this is a good one to check out!

Michael Lanier
Pianist, guitarist, banjoist, autoharpist, jaw harpist, Ukeist, Mandolinist



Thanks, Michael! It's always good to hear from you and I know that you'll give us the real scoop. Here are two graphic novels recommended by another reader guy just like you. So be sure to check them out and, as always, tell us how you like them!

Books for Christmas? Yes! (not "poo!") and Danger Goes Beserk, the Latest Brixton Borhters Book by Mac Barnett

Hey, ho, all you holiday-loving reader guys! Let me ask something--do you look forward to getting books for Christmas? Or is your attitude like this:

Well, I hope your attitude is NOT like this kid's! Let me put another question to you--what book would you WANT to get for Christmas? Good question! So write in and tell us what it would be!! If you had your wish of ANY book in the world, what would you like to see under your tree? And it could be a set of books. For instance, I'd love to get a set of the Alvin Ho books by the great Lenore Look. Or--I'm such a sly dog to make this segue--the complete set of the Brixton Bothers books by the outstanding Mac Barnett. That's because 1) I'm a big fan and 2) I've just read Danger Goes Beserk, the fourth and latest book in the series. Boy, was it ever a terrific read!! Each of the Brixton Brothers books gets better and better. This one has mystery and comedy and action and suspense--just what guys want in their books.

Here's a little background--12-year-old Steve Brixton is obsessed with the Bailey Brothers mysteries, a set of books published in the '50's. So when he stumbles into a mystery and becomes a private detective, he brings everything he learned from the Bailey Brothers to his cases. The only thing is--do these really help when Steve meets real-life bad guys? (BTW, Steve doesn't have a brother--he calls  his agency The Brixton Brothers because it sounds cool)

In this book, Steve opens his own office--only it's in the big doghouse in his backyard. He gets hired by a surfer dude named Danimal to find retrieve a stolen surfboard. The problem? It's been taken by a dangerous surfing gang called the Beserkers. Not only that, there's a group of pirates stealing cargo ships off the coast of Steve's California town. On top of that, someone is stealing the gym shorts out a classmate's locker. Can Steve and his chum Dana solve these mysteries? Can Steve really trail a suspect by walking backwards? And what are the Beserkers really up to? The only way to find out is to read this terrific book! You will certainly enjoy yourself if you do. Mac Barnett is truly becoming a first-class mystery writer. The mysteries become more perplexing, the bad guys become more dangerous, and Steve becomes more heroic with each book. So go out and find it, guys!! Or ask your parents to get these books for you. Or run to the bookstore  if you get Christmas money. Or head to your local library. Just find those Brixton Brothers! (If you want to find out more, click on the "Brixton Brothers" tab under this post)

So, how about it? Are there any Brixton Brothers fans out there? Write in and let us know. Or just write and tell us what books you'd like to get. We'd love to know.

And here's something to make your holidays merry and bright. It's Brian Setzer singing "Jingle Bells."

Have a great holiday and a rockin' new year!

Michael's Christmas Gift; Three New Reviews of Cool-Sounding Books

Greetings of the Season and Ho-Ho-Ho to all you reader guys out there. I know you can hardly contain the excitement of getting ready to be out of school for nearly two weeks!! Plus, add Christmas into the mix, and you all are probably about to burst. Well, our old and faithful friend Michael has gotten into the holiday spirit and is sharing three reviews of books that boys might like:

The Missing, book 5
Caught
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
    Something's wrong with time. It's frozen, and only time travelers can move in it. But how are Jonah and Katherine supposed to know that in frozen time, if four time travelers touch, they'll be sent to a random time period. Or maybe... not so random. This time the missing kid is Lieserl Einstein, daughter of Albert, if you haven't guessed. But this book focuses more on Albert's wife, Mileva. Jonah and Katherine must stay with her to find Lieserl, but being a scientist herself, is she smart enough to figure out the secrets to time travel? Unlike Sabotaged, this book has no action in it at all, which was a little disappointing. On the other hand, if you've ever wanted to pry into the life of Albert Einstein, but never had the attention span for a biography, then you'd probably like this book. And once again, Haddix introduces a new concept of time travel: frozen time in a time hollow. I must say this, though: the surprise at the end of book is worth all the somewhat-boring history facts building up to it. Basically, it's worth the read. Look for the next two titles of the Missing: Risked and Revealed.

Cahills Vs. Vespers, book 5
Trust No One
by Linda Sue Park
    In this book, the Cahills will be betrayed by one of their own. In this book, the Vespers' master plan will be revealed. And in this book, someone will die. The Cahills, Rosenblooms, Starlings, Wizards, Holts, Kabras, and one Tolliver are at it again, either trying to rescue their family from bondage... or escape from it. This book's stolen item is the Voynich: an ancient manuscript that has never been translated. This book will see Dan, Amy, Jake, and Atticus all over the world. Plus, Amy is still mixed up about Evan and Jake. And the team finally takes a guess about who Vesper One is. Now, allow me to say something here: When The 39 Clues first started, it was for fourth graders. As the books progressed, the maturity level of the books kept rising. What started as a man in black showing up here and there is now a full-blown knife and gun show. And for people who have grown up with the series, like me, that's all fine and dandy. But for younger readers, this book in particular may prove to be a little too mature. Aside from the bloodiness and language, there are actually a few jokes about nudity. So if you're 10 or 11 and you're reading this, just be careful. But for 16 and 17-year-olds, like me, this is a great book that you won't want to miss. Look for book 6: Day of Doom by David Baldacci, the last book, coming in March 2013. And always remember: Steven Spielberg directs the 39 Clues movie saga, starting in 2014!

The Infinity Ring, book 2
Divide and Conquer
by Carrie Ryan
    For all of you who read the books but don't play the game: The books start off where the online episode of the game ended, and vice versa. So although book 1 promised a trip to Paris 1792, this book starts in Paris 885, where Vikings are about to attack! Not knowing exactly what the Break is supposed to be, Riq uses his skills to do what he thinks will fix it. But has he really helped, or only made things worse? This whole book is pretty much a war, so it's much more action-packed than book 1. For 11-year-olds though, it may be a little bloody, and there's a scene where a Viking describes torture in great detail, which even made me shudder. All in all though, this book is a great read, and the action scenes are pretty good considering there are no guns. Look for book 3: The Trap Door by Lisa McMann.

Michael Lanier
Pianist, guitarist, banjoist, autoharpist, jaw harpist, Ukeist, Mandolinist

Thanks, Michael!! I've had to be very careful not to read your review of Trust No One because I just checked it out! Take a look at these books, guys, and tell me if you agree with Michael or not. I'll try to write something before Christmas but  you know how the best-laid plans go. So have a great holiday season, Michael and all you reader guys!!

Oh, Yeah! Oh, Ye-ah!! Rick Riordan Does It AGAIN with The Demigod Diaries and The Mark of Athena!!

I've told you before that I'm probably Rick Riordan's # 1 fan in Charlotte and there's a very good reason. It's because he writes fan-tastic books.Actually, now there are TWO more very good reasons and they are THE DEMIGOD DIARIES and THE MARK OF ATHENA, two terrific books!! You want action? You got it! You want suspense that will make your pulse race like a Kentucky Derby horse? It's there. And you want the trademark goofball humor? It's all there!
Take a look:

The Demigod Diaries--There are four stories, written by different demigods in their diaries. Luke Castellan and Thalia get trapped in a decrepit old mansion in Richmond, waiting for a monster to devour them. Percy and Annabeth have to get the cadeuceus, the symbol of Hermes, back from a giant who runs a flea market! Leo Valdez tries to track down his walking mechanical table while dodging the Maneads--the most frightening creatures I've seen yet in a Rick Riordan book. At the end is a story by a guest author--and wait until you find out who it is! All these stories move along and keep you laughing, gasping in suspense and reading, reading, reading. Plus there are cards, puzzles, etc. A true winner! If you haven't already read it, don't waste a minute--go find it at your library or bookstore or get it on your e-reader.

The Mark of Athena--The seven demigods finally set off on their quest to keep Gaea from awakening and destroying the world. Of course, to do so, they must sail across the Atlantic and try to survive what awaits them. If they make it, then they must get past the Pillars of Hercules--and past Hercules himself! If they can do that, then the REAL danger begins in Rome! Annabeth must go on a quest alone to follow the Mark of Athena and recover the Pallas Athena. (what's that? I won't tell you! You gotta find out!) Percy and Jason and Piper must overcome two giants while Leo and Hazel and Frank make an unexpected discovery. Do you think they've faced danger before? Ha! Just wait until you see who Annabeth meets!! Or the underwater trap waiting for Percy, Jason and Piper. And, while this is going on, the demigods from Camp Jupiter are moving across the country to attack Camp Half-Blood. Whew!
If you haven't noticed, there's a lot going on in this book! These are two of the best in the whole Percy Jackson series. There's enough adventure and excitement to satisfy the most enthusiastic or reluctant guy reader. But not only is there action, there's also laugh-out-loud humor. Like when Percy tries to save the quest from half-dolphin monsters by using a can of Diet Coke. Or when they face an evil giant wearing a tutu. And there are very touching scenes as well, like when Hazel finally figures out the connection between her and Leo and Sammy Valdez. And then there's the scene in which Annabeth starts to descend under Rome to find the Pallas Athena. She knows that the chances are coming back alive are extremely slim. She looks up and sees the blue sky framed in the doorway leading underground. She also knows that she can go back up those stairs into the sunshine and be safe. She has a choice to make.What will she do? THAT'S masterful writing, guys!

These books get the Iron Guy Seal of Approval as Two Terrific Books!!

BUT---

I have to warn you. There is--there is--well, the only way to warn you properly is to make a Public Service Announcement:

Well, you've been warned but you've also been encouraged. Go and get these two fantastic reads!! You will not regret it. And if you've already read them, hit that "Comment" button below and send me a review. We love to hear what reader guys think!