Book Review and Giveaway: Guys Read: Thriller edited by Jon Scieszka

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 I'm always excited to receive a book installment from the Guys Read Series of short stories. With ten short stories in each collection, there is sure to be at least one any boy would love. Volume Two, GUYS READ: THRILLER, edited by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Brett Helquist, is no exception.

 The short stories are written by top notch middle grade authors and include, M.T. Anderson, Patrick Carman, Gennifer Choldenko, Matt De La Peña, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Bruce Hale, Anthony Horowitz, Jarret J. Krosoczka, James Patterson, and Walter Dean Myers

From scary ghost stories to mystery and even a teenage terrorist, GUYS READ: THRILLER is full of thrills. With ten good short stories, it is hard to pick out the best.

When Paul's dad drags him along to film inside of a haunted house, Paul tries to stay out of the way of two feuding psychics. While nobody is paying attention to him, Paul goes on a hunt through the house to try to find the Smitch family fortune. Instead, he finds ghosts and tries to flee until he realizes the one who calls himself the Old Nuisance might have information which could lead him to the treasure. If only the psychics would stop fighting long enough for him to find it. The Old, Dead Nuisance by M.T. Anderson is spooky, but not too scary, and humorous. A fun ghost story for bedtime that won't cause nightmares.

Nothing could be worse than having to live with the least effective detective in North London unless that detective happens to be your big brother. What ensues in The Double Eagle Has Landed by Anthony Horowitz is a boy who tries to help his dim witted brother in a mystery that is both charming and funny.

Perhaps the most thought provoking of the short stories is Pirate by Walter Dean Myers. Abdullah is a teenage terrorist from Somalia who has been recruited to work as a modern real life pirate. He is forced to keep watch over Erica, a  twelve-year-old hostage, until a ransom is paid. The fictional story gives a real life glimpse into the Somalian pirate crisis and why young Somalian's are willing to risk their lives in a dangerous endeavor. The story is sure to leave the reader on the edge of his seat.

I was absolutely thrilled to find one of the stories was in the form of a comic. I'm a firm believer in letting boys read whatever they want, including comics, as long as they read. What happens when your friends warn you not to eat the fried pudding at the carnival? In Pudding by Jarret J. Krosoczka, the protagonist is about to find out, in a comic strip full of action.

If I had to choose a favorite it would be Ghost Vision Glasses by Patrick Carman. Ten-year-old, Kyle Jennings liked to use his money for candy, action figures, and weird stuff. The weird stuff is what appeals to him the most and he gladly limits his spending on candy and action figures so he can acquire the best weird stuff around. Scotty Vincent is the neighbor who antagonizes Kyle, often taking his weird stuff and breaking it. When Kyle's parents buy a cabin on Lake Lenore, he finds a stack of old comic books with advertisements for fascinating weird stuff. The endearing and quirky Kyle can't resist sending away for every weird item he reads about. The only item that shows up is a pair of Ghost Vision Glasses. The Ghost Vision Glasses are so scary and powerful, they may just help Kyle take care of his bully problem.

I highly recommend GUYS READ: THRILLER for the reluctant reader. The collection of short stories works great for the reader with a short attention span. It is easy to finish a story in a reading session and have a new story to look forward to the following day. Ages 8-12  Grades 3-7

Publishing Information

• Publisher:  Waldon Pond Press
• Released:  9/20/2011
• Pages: 288
• ISBN:  978-0-06-196375-9

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**Disclosure: In accordance with FTC regulations, I have received a copy of the book at no charge from the publisher for review purposes only. I have not received payment of any kind in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and not influenced by the author or publisher in any way.

Book Giveaway: I am giving away my advance reader's edition of Guys Read: Thriller in paperback version. To enter: Use the Rafflecopter form. Please click HERE to load the right form if it does not load correctly. Contest ends WED. DEC. 7, 2011 at 11:59 EST.