Ismael: Bereit sein ist alles

Ishmael Leseur #3

by Michael Gerard Bauer

Ishmael has made it to the Senior School and things are really looking up. His nemesis and chief tormentor Barry Bagsley has finally decided to leave him alone, while his dream girl and chief goddess Kelly Faulkner has finally decided not to. Has he broken free of Ishmael Leseur's Syndrome at last? Could his remaining two years at St Daniel's College actually be described as 'normal'? Absolutely not. Ishmael's mates critique the Ishmael books: Ignatius Prindabel: I found 37 factual errors. Scobie: Harry Potter for those with an IQ higher than the mean. Bill Kingsley: Funnier than the Arcturian Grendel-Worm. Razzman: Short on chicks, that's all I'm saying.

Genres: Young Adult, High School, Coming Of Age, Teen, Romance, School, Friendship

384 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2011

About the author

Michael Gerard Bauer was born and lives in Brisbane Australia. In 2000 he resigned from his full-time position as an English/Economics teacher to pursue his dream of becoming a writer.

In 2004 his first YA novel The Running Man was published to great acclaim. It subsequently won the 2005 Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year for Older Readers and was short-listed for the NSW, Victoria and South Australian State Premiers’ Literary awards.

In 2008 the German translation of The Running Man was short-listed for the German Youth Literature Prize and won the German Catholic Children’s and Young People’s Book Prize. In 2014 it was short-listed for the Prix Farniente in Belgium. In 2009 the Italian translation of The Running Man was a finalists for the “Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cento” Prize.

In 2007 his second novel, a ‘laugh out loud’ comedy entitled Don’t Call Me Ishmael! was short-listed in both the CBCA awards and the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and won the 2007 Children’s Peace Literature Award and the 2008 South Australian Festival Award for Children’s Literature. It was also included in the 2007 White Ravens selection for Outstanding International Books for children and young adults. Its sequel Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs was a 2008 CBCA Notable book. The final book in the trilogy Ishmael and the Hoops of Steel and was released in July 2011. It was shortlisted for the 2012 CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers.

Michael’s other books include, Dinosaur Knights a 2010 CBCA Notable Book described as ‘an original and adrenalin-pumping adventure’, You Turkeys! an illustrated chapter book, part of the Scholastic Mates series for early readers, and Just a Dog which was named Honour Book in the 2011 CBCA awards in the Younger Readers category and won the 2011 Queensland Premier's award for best Children's Book.

Michael has also written a series of three humorous books for younger readers: Eric Vale Epic Fail; (BILBY Award Winner 2014; KOALA Honour Book 2014) Eric Vale Super Male; (CBCA Notable Book 2014) and Eric Vale Off the Rails (Selected as one of the 2013 GET READING 50 Books You Can't Put Down). The books are fully illustrated by Michael's son Joe who as well as being a talented artist is an amazing young film-maker and along with his wife Rita Artmann make up Artspear Entertainment the creators of the extremely popular TOON SANDWICH film trailer spoofs on You Tube.  Joe also created the trailer for Eric Vale Epic Fail.

The first of spin-off series from the Eric Vale books Secret Agent Derek 'Danger' Dale: The Case of Animals Behaving Really REALLY Badly came out in July 2014. Two other Derek Dale action adventures The Case of the Really REALLY Scary Things and The Case of the Really REALLY Magnetic Magnetic have now been released.

In May 2016 the YA comedy The Pain, My Mother, Sir Tiffy, Cyber Boy and Me was released. Michael's first picture book Rodney Loses It! illustrated by Chrissie Krebs was published in September 2017. It won the 2018 CBCA Award in the Early Readers category as well as the 2018 Speech Therapy Award. His most recent YA book The Things That Will Not Stand won the 2019 Prime Minister's Award in the YA category and was a White Ravens selection

These days Michael is a full-time writer. His books are widely set as school texts and he is in high demand for talks and workshops at schools and Festivals around Australia. He has also enjoyed three very successful visits to Indonesia as a Writer in Residence at the Jakarta International School (2007 and 2008) and the British International School (2008). As well he has visited the American community School in Abu Dhabi (2012) and spent three weeks at schools in Southern China. In 2010 Michael was one of the guest authors at the White Ravens International Children’s and Youth Literature Festival in Munich Germany and in 2012 he was invited to the Edinburgh Writers festival.

Michael’s books are curre

Reviews

[Christine Bongers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inhaled this in a two-night laugh-fest. Hats off to MGB, the Ishmael series just keeps getting better. He has produced a corker of a read in this third and final novel, which sees our cast of lovable larrikins finish Year 12 at St Daniels. The colourful rejacketed full set will pull in the younger readers (though my 11-year-old preferred the old jackets designed by MGB's son Joe, and I do too). A favourite read for 2011.

[Jelka · Rating 5 out of 5]

A family favourite. These books are so much fun.

Ishmael and the Hoops of Steel is the perfect conclusion to this trilogy. It is great seeing how these characters have developed since the first book.

There are a couple of things that annoyed me, but they feel authentic to teenage boys.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ishmael and the Hoops of Steel

The Laugh-Out-Loud Conclusion to the Ishmael Story.


Michael Gerard Bauer


Scholastic.com.au

Price : $19.99
Ages: 9 +
ISBN: 978-1-86291-917-4

Ahh high School, remember it? Though we may try hard to forget there is much that we have gained in our life from our experiences at high school. It is that period in our life when we start to find our feet and our place in the world. If you are fortunate enough to be an Ishmael fan and to have read the previous 2 Ishmael publications then you are a step ahead of me and I am slightly jealous (well very jealous, ok!). It didn’t matter though as I could completely dive into the pages and follow every word. And while I am exposing my insecurities I am going to tell you a secret…. I am in love with Ishmael Leseur. There I said it. Well you would be too, I mean seriously. He is sweet and sincere, he is smart and has these really cute insecurities. He is brilliant on the debate team and is one of those guys that does what he thinks is right at the time. He occasionally put’s his foot in his mouth but that is a pretty common problem at high school; I think it is actually contagious. Oh and he suffers from Ishmael Leseur’s Syndrome.
But alas I am no Kelly Falkner.

Ishmael and the Hoops of Steel is brilliantly written by Michael Gerard Bauer. The characters are fantastic, all perfect examples of kids you may have gone to school with (or been yourself). They are plump with life and realism, quirks, talents, weaknesses, eccentricities and varying abilities. The humour is like a perfectly timed comedic performance. I sat with my head in the pages giggling hopelessly to my self through the entire book. Michael Gerard Bauer conjures up images of the awkward teenage years in the most amusingly well placed way. I must also take my hat of to MGB for making Shakespeare awesome!

This book will have you laughing, cheering loudly for the accomplishments of the fellow students and getting right into the school spirit of things. As well as the Ish-man’s (he lets me call him that) personal journey (it’s a girl thing), there is also the fab fives (Ignatius, Scobie, Razzman and Bill with Ishmael) challenge of winning that ever elusive college cup as their big gift to the hands down best teacher in the world Miss Tarango. You know that is going to be an epic challenge with last being the average score on most sporting and talent accomplishments. But when you have the fab five’s personal assortment of skills nothing is impossible. Surely!

Ok, ok so I don’t just love Ishmael, I love them all!
Here is a little taste:

“Razz really did try to work his ‘magic’ and help me find a partner. He dragged me along to a couple of parties and dances with him and Sally, but I didn’t end up meeting anyone. It wasn’t Razz’s fault. I’m pretty useless in those make-a-quick-impression situations. They’re fine if you’re a Brad type like Jess’s boyfriend. Girls just take one look and say, ‘Great, I’ll have one of those!’ But if you’re like me, it’s more, ‘hmmmmmmmm, haven’t you got anything else?’ I need time to grow on people. A bit like mould.”

I absolutely loved this book, like hot donuts and chocolate fudge love. I am going to get myself the rest of the series, I have catching up to do!!!

A Bug in a Book recommended review by Angela Hall. Michael Gerard Bauer

[Jewlya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a glistening example of how a trilogy should end. From the day I began the very first of these books with
I knew I was in for a good time accompanied by a barrel of laughs. What I hadn't bargined for was all the stuff that came with it. This book reay touched down on real life friendship. It wasn't the kind of friendship you expect to find in a book. It's the kind you have in real ife, the friends you tease to no end and love eachother even though no-one ever says it kind. So that was what affectd me most that the author could put into words the type of friendship I'd only expect to find if I happend to walk into a boys school, not inside a wonderfuly funny serious about a boy with a disease. Overall it's been a fantastic journey to watch Ishmael, the 'razzman', Scobie, Prindabel and Bill grow throughout a story that held suprises, friendship and laughs. I'm sad to see it end but not with the way it did.

[Paula Vince · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the final installment of the funny but perceptive high school trilogy that begins with Don't Call Me Ishmael. There was a copy of this last novel available as an e-book from the library, so I borrowed it.

It takes Ishmael and his four best friends through Years 11 and 12 at St. Daniel's. They study Hamlet in Mr Slattery's English class and actually take on board some life lessons from the Elizabethan era; every teacher's dream.

I'm assuming that anyone reading this review will be familiar with the characters of the five boys from the first two novels.

James Scobie pushes his boundaries to consider attempting a bit of sport, Bill Kingsley comes out of the closet (not a spoiler since he makes his big reveal early on in the book), and Ignatius Prindabel quietly amazes the others by becoming a drawcard for nerdy science chicks. Orazio Zorzotto seriously considers boosting his grades, if it may lead to being a P.E. teacher some day. As for Ishmael, he initially loses Kelly Faulkner when she relocates to New Zealand with her family. Yet when she returns, suffering depression, he makes it his personal goal to turn the light back on in those ice-blue eyes.

The novel's title is truly inspired. The 'hoops' aren't referring to the fact that Bill Kingsley has made himself trim and buff by spinning hula hoops. It's partially drawn from Hamlet, when Polonius tells his son, Laertes, 'Those friends thou hast and their adoption tried, grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel.' The boys interpret it to mean, 'Hold your true friends tight with the strongest bonds you can find.'

Given all the merciless happenings that take place at school, they truly need each other, even Razz and Prindabel. At one point, Razz tells Bill, 'If you're crossing the stream, don't disturb the piranhas.' I appreciate how Bauer, who has worked in the education system, appreciates what a minefield it can be. In all honesty, I've never had as rough a life since I left High School.

Finally, the boys draw upon their 'hoops of steel' bond in a most creative manner.

The best aspect of this book is the empowering, underlying motivation to set our sights on worthy goals, refusing to let the apparent impossibility of achieving them intimidate us. Our quintet set their sights on winning their House Cup for Miss Tarango, giving it their all. Their eagerness helps them to invent and maximise opportunity rather than focusing on brick walls. They become creative, possibility thinkers, each drawing from their own unique strengths for the sake of the whole. Orazio describes his theory of how 'reverse cool' can become cool again, and it almost makes sense with these boys and their teamwork.

Now, is there a drawback of this book? Hmm, I never thought I'd say this of a storybook bully, but there's not enough Barry Bagsley. In fact, although he's sometimes referred to in passing, Big Bad Bazz doesn't show his face within these pages even one single time. Now, that's unrealistic.

Sure, he made a pact with Ishmael under heated circumstances toward the end of Return of the Dugongs, yet I can't believe he'd gracefully slip out of the picture entirely. It suggests that Michael Gerard Bauer simply had no spot for Barry in this plot. That's fair enough, but perhaps he should have taken Barry right out of the picture with a cross country move or change of school.

At least Barry's dropkick friend, Danny Wallace, gives Ishmael a couple of straight vodkas at a formal in another eventful incident. Boys will be boys.

It made me laugh several times, and I do regret parting with these boys. I quite understand how Miss Tarango would consider these five her favourites.

[Jos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nun gehen sie auf ihren Schulschluss zu, die wunderbaren und liebenswerten fünf Freunde - und so mancher skurriler Schülertyp gesellt sich hinzu. Eine muntere Fortsetzung, erzählt mit viel Witz, Ironie und Esprit.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

As good as Don't call me Ishmael. A great read.

[Jill Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a brilliant conclusion to Ishmael Leseur’s education. It starts with the ultimate let down, Kelly Faulkner saying farewell in an email, and the rest of the year looked like it would spiral down from there. Luckily for Ishmael he had his fab five friends to cheer him up. Razz was still the same madcap take on any challenge dude, and being a mate decided he needed to find a new girlfriend for his buddy. This could be great or a total disaster. For Ishmael having Ishmael Leseur’s Syndrome meant that it would most likely be a disaster. James Scobie a leader extraordinaire, Prindabel the power pointer, Ignatius the all knowing, and Bill Kingsley who had trimmed down over the break by hooping, were the others in their dynamic debating team. They happily pointed out the many flaws in Razz’s first plan. Fixing Ishmael up with his cousin Cindy could only lead to trouble.

The teachers form a constant reminder that school for the seniors in Year 11 was not going to be easy. They were led into the year with the ‘I AM WOMAN’ anthem courtesy of Ms H, while Mr Barker still the undisputed Sultan of Sarcasm kept them on their toes. Their Charlton House Patron, Miss Tarango, who had them all under her spell, with her dimple and irresistible take on all the work load thrown at me ethics, they would do anything for her. The sports master Mr Hardcastle was hard no nonsense tolerated zone, Mr Guthrie the cause fighting Homeroom hero would become an awesome coach.

This is, for an older audience, something along the lines of Adrian Moles Diary but funnier, clever in almost every way. The easy conversation between the friends and the obstacles faced by just getting through the year to attack Year 12 and complete their schooling, such a reflection of a teenage life that it is scarily realistic. Needless to say I loved the ‘Tarango Challenge’ and how James Scobie got Charlton House to win one point at a time to present their patron with the College Cup, if they could.

Needless to say, I loved this book as I’ve loved this series. Young adults are treated here to a LOL ride. This creative and talented author has created a winning combination.

[Nipun · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

I found this book to be generally disappointing compared to the previous two, mainly due to the comedy, which lacks the dry wit and tastefully over-the-top, self-deprecating style of the previous books. While the previous books had me laughing every few pages, there were only a handful of genuinely funny moments throughout Hoops of Steel. This is largely due to the new, confident Ishmael being nowhere near as funny as the insecure one. Ishmael was also quite despicable in this book - his obsession with certain women, which was cute and charming in previous books, reaches a disturbing peak when he fantasises about and makes an advance on his best friend's girlfriend. Lastly, while the series has generally had weak plots, the focus on the competition for House cup, rather than Ishmael's hilarious struggle with his imagined condition, made this much more obvious in Hoops. One change that I believe would have helped would have been to include Barry Bagsley, who would have given the story more depth (another character even suggests to include him in an arc, but unfortunately a new character is cast instead).

In spite of the above, Ishmael and the Hoops of Steel ends on a satisfying note, something I've found sadly uncommon among my favourite YA series'. The moving title (once explained in the book), the final scene with Razza, and Kelly's last phone call were all well-handled, true to the story and characters (though I thought Ishmael choosing to let Kelly go would have been a more complex arc, as well as there being more in the book about Kelly's possible depression). Despite the issues I had with the book, I was very happy with the knot that Bauer's ending ties on an excellent series.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Gerard Bauer's last Ishmael book sees Ishmael and his mates Scobie,Razz, Bill and Ignatius in their last 2 years at St Daniel's College. Smarting from his breakup with Kelly Faulkner, Ishmael is determined to make his mark on the last 2 years of school. Miss Tarango, their favourite teacher, again features and the boys undertake a massive challenge for her - to WIN the College Cup. None of them feel they are good at much at all, and the way these four (and various members of their house) plot and scheme their way through the competitions has to be read to be believed. Along with that, there is romance, tragedy and concussion - not to mention kissing your best mate's girl. No spoilers, but I can tell you that you will smile while you are reading this book. I did, often. It's got it all! I also found myself laughing out loud in the teachers' staff-room at the boys' antics. Bauer's teenage boys are drawn from real life - I felt like I knew every one of them, and loved them all the more for that. Razz, in particular, reminded me of a boy I went to high school with - heck, they all did. I have quite an abiding affection for this novel. Don't just think this is a novel for boys though - I think girls will enjoy this just as much, and maybe even more, than the boys. Give it a go - you won't be sorry!

[Edacheeky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. I enjoyed this book so much and no matter what, i was always in the mood for it.
The characters - i'll never be able to forget the colourful characters in this series their personalities and loving, comical nature. Particularly the notes from each character at the back of the book - they made me smile and laugh.

The storyline - it was true to life. It was the experience of any teenager and made me laugh, somtimes uncontrollably. It even made me cry - the end of the book when he finished year 12 and reminisced on his school years - how he had to laave all that behind and that connection he had with his friends.

It was a beautiful novel. I loved it and i'll always remember the good times i had reading this book.
:)

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Third and last in the Ishmael novels about 5 boys at a private school. This is the year that the fab 5 finish school so they have to end their year with a bang. Ishmael has girlfriend problems, Bill has boyfriend issues, Razz just has problems, Scobie wants to become a sports star and Prindabel is his usual nerdy self. Written with his usual humour, this book also illustrates some of the issues of growing up, as the boys face final exams and heading off to university. My main criticism is that some of the plot elements seem a bit too contrived and don't ring true, as the boys always seem to come out on top.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cringe worthy have been replaced by more mature themes, signalling the end of Ishmael's transition from a nervous boy into a confident man. It's a wonderful story that Bauer gives us as he tackles social issues with superb grace and humility that makes us feel all the more better after reading it.

To me personally, it felt like a lovely send off as I would leave behind my teenage years and the all-boys school for which I have known for the entirety of my childhood.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant end to a brilliant trilogy!
Ishmael and his friends are in their final years of schooling, and they're set on going out with a bang.
This book has a bit of everything, with plenty of comedy - and a lot of heart.
The Ishmael trilogy is not just for children, but for anyone who's ever been through (and survived) highschool.
I can't recommend it highly enough.

[Dylan T · Rating 4 out of 5]

i didn't enjoy this one as well as the second or first book but it was a still a really good read, i felt that the book speed through the years too fast and sometimes i had trouble keeping up. i have really enjoyed all of the Ishmael series. at the end of the book i felt happy for Ishmael because every turned out good, and at the start of the series things weren't looking too good.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover for this book is so misleading - I wouldn't even have looked at this book if it weren't shortlisted. It is a fantastic and fun book and the five main characters are a joy to meet. Definitely recommended.

[Anne Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read - very funny.

[Jonny Ertl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great book. It continued straite on from the second book but still has stuff from the first book. It shows how he gets through year 11 and 12 with all the exams and work.

[Marita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect book about friendship, school, the vaguaries of first love, written with humour and generosity.

[Danny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The near perfect end to the Ishmael series. 3.5 stars.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Book very funny could do with a bit more of an introduction at the start.

[Julienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laugh out loud funny! Be prepared for weird looks if you read this in public! Brilliant!

[Mrs. M · Rating 1 out of 5]

Abandoned, did not finish because I was reading with my pre-teen and it got too dicey.