ReaderGuys

November Mysteries

2010-11-23T09:35:00.000-08:00

In November we talked about mysteries and went on a treasure hunt to find the characters of famous mystery books. Reader Guys love to read mysteries. Here are some they read this month.

"A2" read Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett. This is mystery set in now time bout Vermeer's first and last painting.

"A3" read Encylopedia Brown by Donald Sobol. Encyclopedia Brown solves mysteries in every chapter!

"R" read Hand the Cowdog by John Erickson. I like The Case of the Saddle House Robbery.

"L" read The Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull: There are four kids trying to solve a mystery and there is a lot of magic candy.

More Mysteries

2010-11-23T09:11:00.000-08:00

"A1" read 39 Clues, all 10 of them. Amy and Dan are looking for 39 clues, but a bunch of other teams are looking for them, too. Whoever finds them all will learn the final secret to all power.

"A2" read N.E.R.D.S 2: M is for Mama's Boy by Michael Buckley. He was surprised to discover that Simon, who he thought had died in the first book, is the bad guy in this book.

"A3" read The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. He said his whole class is reading it. There is this guy who doesn't really exist, is murdered, and makes chess pieces move by themselves.

"Mr T" read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. In the first book Brian is going to see his dad in Canada when the airplane crashes. His mom gave him a hatchet before he left. Mr. T is actually on the third book, The River when Brian takes some people to the place where he stayed to show them how he survived.

"The B" read Left Behind by Jerry B. Jenkins, all of them. These books talk about religion and the main characters are running away from people who want to execute them. In the last one the heat seeker satellite has a smiley face.

Historical Adventure

2010-10-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

In October we talked about Historical Adventure books. Historical Adventure books are Historical Fiction books with attitude.
Gideon the Cutpurse by Linday Buckly-Archer: While visiting Derbyshire England Peter and his new friend, Kate, get magically transported back to the 1700's.
Lord of the Nutcracker Men by Ian Lawrence: A English boy during WWI has been sent to the country to escape the bombing of London. His father who is in the army, sends him wooden figures of the men he meets. The boy begins to believe that the battles he plays out with the figures affect the outcome of the real battlefield.
On Wings of Heroes by Richard Peck: Davy's biggest hero is his brother, and while his brother is away fighting in WWII Davy does what he can for the war effort.

What Reader Guys are Reading in October

2010-10-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

In October Dynamite read Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. I like it because it's funny.
He also read Eyewitness Robots and by Roger Bridgeman
X-man read the Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne: I have read all of them. I have at least 30 in my room.
Ragnarock read Among the Hidden and Among the Impostors by Margaret Haddox.

Sports Books

2010-09-17T08:32:00.000-07:00

With the World Series around the corner and the start of the football season, we talked about sports books this month. There great fiction and nonfiction books about sports. Here are some we talked about.

On Guard by Eric Stevens. This is from the Team Jake Maddox series. It has great basketball action scenes and good illustrations.

Top of the Order by John Coy. Every boy on the team has his own challenges at home, but together on the field they can't be beat.

Eyewitness Soccer by DK. Do you want to learn the rules of the game, vital soccer skills, some of the sports greatest heros, all will great illustrations? This nonfiction is for you.

We are the Ship by Kadir Nelson: Before African Americans were allowed in the major leagues, they had their own Negro League that created stars of heroic proportions.

Welcome Back, Reader Guys

2010-09-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

We had our first Reader Guys meeting of the new school year this week. I asked what the guys had read over the summer. Here is what reader guys are reading. (Each of the guys picked their own alias for the blog)

Brissinger:I read Eragon (by Christopher Paolini)I like it because of all the magic, fighting, and battle skills. It is a great adventure.

Yeled: I read the Deltora Quest series (by Emily Rodda). I read the whole series. I like the action, survival skills and mythical creatures.

Connwear: I read The Magic Thief (by Sarah Prineas). I liked a lot of stuff about it, especially the magic.

Have a Great Summer

2010-07-09T11:07:00.000-07:00

I hope all the Reader Guys are having a great summer. Our next Reader Guys meeting will be the third Thursday in September. I have heard rumors that there might be an awesome balloon cannon battle that day. You will have to come and see.

Be prepared to tell us about what you read over the summer.

In April we talked about survival books.

2010-04-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

In April we talked about Survival books. We tried to put up a tent, and we assembled our own first aid kits.

Here are the books we talked about.

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver: When Torak's mentor is killed by a giant demon creature, Torak finds himself alone in the deep forest. He finds an orphan wolf cub and discovers that he can understand his language. Together they must survive and try to find the secret of who made the demon creature.

The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare: When a boy is left alone in his families cabin in 18th century Maine, he needs the help of the local Native American tribe to survive.

The Boy's Book of Survival by Guy Campbell: This is a nonfiction book that tells you how to survive just about anything from a shark attack to a bad report card.

What Reader Guys read in April

2010-04-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

Gavin read Fable Haven 5 by Brandon Mull: It is an awesome book and it has a basilisk.

MR. J read Leven Thumps by Obert Skye: My favorite is #5, but I have read the whole series.

Fred read the Spiderwick series by Tony DiTerlizzi: There is another Jared who doesn't really look like Jared and he transforms into a slime thing. I will see the movie after I read all the series.

The Old Man read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen: I love it. It is one of my favorite books. Brian is in a plane flying over Canada when the pilot has a heart attack. He is able to bring the plane down in a lake. He servives the crash, but then he is alone in the wilderness with only a hatchet to help him survive.

Warrior Books

2010-03-19T09:09:00.001-07:00

We talked about cool warrior books in March. Then we made swords out of water noodles and had sword fighting tournaments.

Here are the books we talked about

Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan: Will is chosen to be the Ranger's apprentice. Rangers are kind of like Medieval spies. The book is cool because it explains the techniques the Rangers use to keep from being seen and to defend themselves from enemies.

The Squire's Tale by Gerald Morris: The Gerald Morris books are based on King Arthur tales. Some of the knights are noble but some are just silly. These books have some really funny parts and other parts that make you think.

Stoneheart by Charlie Fletcher: A boy, George lives in London. When he breaks a statue at a museum, he is thrown into another dimention where all the statues of the city are alive. Some of the statues are good, but others are evil and the statues are at war with each other.

Five Ancestors by Jeff Stone: There are five students at a monastery in China. They are studying different styles of martial arts. When their monastery is attacked, and their mentor killed, the five go on a quest to bring the evil enemy to justice.

What reader guys read in March

2010-03-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

Doctor Cockroach read Garfield by Jim Davis. In this one Garfield was watching a movie and kept kicking Odie off of the table.

Doctor Panda read The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan. I liked it.

Nick read Left Behind by Jerry Jenkins. I like it because it is about religion.

Luke read the Lightning Thief. I like the gods and how Mt Olympus changes from place to place. It moves with western civilization.

Doctor M read Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins. It is about a kid that falls through a drain and ends up in an underground world under the city.

Spies Like Us

2010-02-19T09:19:00.000-08:00

In February we talked about spy books. There are both fiction books about spies and non-ficton books about spies. All the reader guys agreed that the coolest thing about spies are the gadgets. They also thought it was cool when spies in books and movies do amazing stunts. Some great spy books are:

The Alex Ryder series by Anthony Horowitz
NERDS by Michael Buckley
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

We used decoders to go on a hunt for super villains. It was hard, but be brought them in.

February Favorites

2010-02-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

So what have reader guys been reading this month?

Quicksilver: I read Diary of a Whimpy Kid #5. (by Jeff Kinney). It is really funny. It tells funny stories that happen at school. Once he said, "I'm going to be famous soon, but right now I am sitting in front of two morons."

Doggie: I have been reading Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. The movie is nothing like the book, but it was cool. In the movie they don't even wear Camp Half Blood shirts. The battle with the minotaur was wrong, too. In the book he snapped the minotaur's horn off and stabs him.

Dr. M: I have been reading Lightning Thief, too. I have read all the books. I like the ending.

Vortex: I have been reading Eye Spy Aliens by Tracy West. I just like aliens.

Amazing A: I like to read Harry Potter. I have read them all four times.

In January we talked about funny books.

2010-01-22T09:40:00.000-08:00

What is the funniest book you ever read?

J and Fred said: Garfield by Jim Davis
M said: Nurk by Ursula Vernon
Picachu: The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
DocCyclops: The Science Fair by Dave Barry
Quicksilver: Diary of a Whimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney and Chocolate Fever by Robert Smith
the old man: Some of the Scary Stories to tell in the dark are funny. I like the one about the haunted hotel room.

Some Great Jokes

2010-01-22T09:23:00.000-08:00

Our Reader Guys told some great jokes

Picachu told this one: Three princesses were marooned on a desert island. They find a bottle and open it. In it is a Genii who grant them three wishes. The first one wishes to be in New York, and Poof! she is gone. The second one wishes to be in Paris, and Poof! she is gone. The third one said, "Now I am lonely, I wish my sisters were here with me" and Poof! the sisters were back on the island.

Dragon 01 told this one: Three men were stranded in a desert and were dying of thirst. They met a Genii that told them they could scream really loud and get whatever they wanted. The first one screams "Coke" and gallons of coke fall from the sky on his head. The second screams "Sprite" and gallons of sprite fall from the sky on his head. The third guy thought it was so fun he yelled "Whee!"

Quicksilver had this riddle: How do you know that a vampire has a cold? Because of his coffin.

Not all jokes involve words. Look at the Reader Guy in the picture. Now that is funny.

In November we did balloon animals

2009-11-20T08:58:00.000-08:00

After we talked about all the cool books we read, we learned how to do balloon animals. We made a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, and Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer. Dynamite mostly had fun blowing up the balloons and letting them go all around the room.

Quicksilver read Leven Thumps

2009-11-20T08:52:00.000-08:00

I read Leven Thumps 1, 2, and 3. In #3 in the beginning they were in a forest. My favorite part is when they are riding on a thing with wings. Then it fell into the ocean. Leven and the sycophant, Clover start to swim. Leven gets pulled under, but Clover swims to shore. Then Leven's friends come. Three and 1/2 stars out of five.

Dynamite read Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

2009-11-20T08:42:00.000-08:00

I read The Adventures of Captain Underpants. There are these guys, George and Herald who are making comics and the principal doesn't like them. Then one day during a football game they put pepper in the cheerleader's pom poms and soap in the band instruments. They got sent to the principal's office and had to do all kinds of homework. They had ordered a ring that could hypnotize people. They hypnotized the principal and made him into a superhero, Captain Underpants. He said "Tra la la la, I am Captain Underpants, the greatest superhero of the world." I rate this book 7 out of 10 because it was kind of short.

In October we talked about spooky stories

2009-10-16T09:32:00.000-07:00

In October Reader Guys we talked about spooky stories. We made a tent out of the puppet theaters and then went in and told each other spooky stories.

Red told a spooky story

2009-10-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

There once was a girl. She was at her house and her mom was really mad and her. She told her to get some eggs at the store. As she was walking along she hears footsteps. As she was walking along the steps were getting faster and faster. She went in the house. All of the sudden this weird Monster appeared without legs or arms. Then the next morning when the mom found her she had no legs or arms.

Dragon 01 told a spooky story

2009-10-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

One morning a man walks into a hotel and asks for a room. They say the rooms are all full, except one that is haunted. He says, "I'll be OK because I have a knife" and takes the room. He hears a voice that says, “I have you where I want you and I now I’m going to eat you.” He pulls out his knife and throws it at the clock. It bounces off the clock, hits him, and he falls out the window. The next day another man comes to the hotel. They told him that all the rooms were taken except one that was haunted. He said, “It’s OK, I have a light.” So he goes in the room and hears a voice, “I have you where I want you and now I’m going to eat you.” He is so scared his throws his light at it. It bounces off the bed, hits him on the head and kills him. The next day another man comes to the hotel. They tell him the only room left is the haunted one. He says, “I have a gun, so I’ll be OK." He went up in the room, and hears “I have you where I want you and now I’m going to eat you.” Shaking, he raises the gun and walks around the bed. He looks behind the bed, and there is a little boy there with a booger saying, “I got you where I want you and now I’m going to eat you.”

Daddy Longlegs read Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde

2009-10-16T09:24:00.000-07:00

I read one called Heir Apparent. There is a girl and she is stuck in a video game and she has to win in an hour or she will die.

Frank read Epic by Conor Kostick

2009-10-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

I have been reading Epic by Canor Kostick and now I am reading the second one called Saga. Imagine a world where the political system is run by a video game. Your level in the game is based on your status in real life.

Daddy Longlegs read Atherton by Patrick Carmen

2009-10-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

I have been reading Atherton. There is a scientist who made this place where everyone wants to live and it is floating around the world. Now I am reading the second one in the series.

Dragon 01 read The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth Speare

2009-10-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

I have read a lot of books and the best book I ever read is The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth Speare. If I were ranking it out of five, I would give it a 28!

Frank read the Aretmis Fowl Books

2009-09-18T09:46:00.000-07:00

I have been reading the Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer. I have read almost all of them plus his book Airman. They are action packed and the villains are really villainous. They are really gripping

Doctor 03 read The Ghost Camp

2009-09-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

I read The Ghost Camp by R.L. Stine. It scared me to death.

Doc Cyclops read some R.L.Stine books

2009-09-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

I like R.L. Stine books because some are scary and some are not. The Cuckoo Clock of Doom is not very scary.

Dragon 01 read Sea of Monsters

2009-09-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

I read Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan. I would probably give it 10 stars out of five. It has some great action scenes and some cool things.

Gavin read all three Fablehaven books

2009-09-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

I read all three Fablehaven books by Brandon Mull. Five Stars! (out of five)

Dynamite read Hooway for Wodney Wat

2009-09-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

I read Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester. It is so funny. A big rodent comes in. When they are doing recess, she is always doing mistakes.

Puppet Day a Reader Guys

2009-09-18T08:46:00.001-07:00

At Reader Guys this month we made sock puppets. It was fun. Some of the guys put on a lot of eyeballs. Some put on mustaches. Then we made up puppet shows. It was fun.

Welcome to the Reader Guys Place

2009-09-17T10:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Reader Guys Place. Reader Guys are a bunch of boys, age 8-12 who get together once a month to talk about what we are reading, and to do fun stuff. Mr. Dallin (a guy librarian!) tells us about new books for guys. Best of all, NO GIRLS ALLOWED!