Tuesday, May 12, 2009

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

Flap copy from ARC:
"Muscle Man McGinty is a squirrelly runt, a lying snake, and a pitiful excuse for a ten-year-old. The problem is that no one on Ramble Street knows it, but me.

Tamara Ann Simpson is tired of all the lies. And boy, oh boy, can Muscle Man McGinty tell some whoppers! When he does the unthinkable and challenges the entire block to a game of kickball, Tamara knows she's found her opportunity to prove to everyone what a wormy little liar Muscle Man really is. Of course, things would be a lot easier if her best friend Kebsie Grobser were here to help her...

It's the summer of 1969 and the world is getting ready for a young man named Neil Armstron to make history by walking 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."


What an excellent offering for young adults! This slim book should be an easy read for the 8-12 crowd, and offers some important life lessons about loss and dreams and rushing to judgment. In this first person account, Tamara speaks with a clear and wonderful voice that really captures the petulant anger and confusion of a young girl whose best friend moved away without advance notice or a forwarding address. I enjoyed this novel and recommend teachers consider it for possible inclusion in a school curriculum. Highly recommended!

1 comment:

nanmarino said...

I'm so glad that you enjoyed my book. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing it -- and for being the first person to post a review on Amazon.