Saturday, August 8, 2009

Neil Armstrong is My Uncle & Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me by Nan Marino

"Muscle Man McGinty is a squirrelly runt, a lying snake, and a pitiful excuse for a ten-year-old."

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Abstract: It’s the summer of 1969 and the world is getting ready for a man named Neil Armstrong to make history by taking the first step on the moon. But change happens a bit more slowly in Massapequa Park, and it’ll take one giant leap for Tamara to understand the likes of Muscle Man McGinty.

Roaring Brook Press; 154 pages

3 comments:

Stephanie said...

I was expecting this to be totally different than it was. I thought it would be funny, but it wasn't. Plus I thought the main character was completely apathetic and I didn't like her at all. Not my favorite book of the year.

DogEar said...

I adored this book. Tamara, the narrator, carries the story with such authenticity and artlessness that I read it more than once. I can understand why Kirkus raved about it and why it received a starred review in Publisher's Weekly. It's simply wonderful! I used it for two bookclubs at my library (one for homeschoolers and one for all students) and both groups enjoyed it.

shelf-employed said...

I enjoyed Tamara because she wasn't a perfect character. She was funny,and despite her disdain for Muscle Man McGinty, she was a bit of a liar herself.

I think kids will relate to Muscle Man's unflappable optimism and Tammy's candor.