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Macdonald Hall/Bruno & Boots #6
Lights, Camera, DISASTER!
Macdonald Hall has been chosen as the set for a Hollywood movie, featuring superstar Jordie Jones.
Bruno Walton would do anything to be in the movie. Boots O’Neal will do anything to keep Bruno out of trouble. Meanwhile, the girls at the school next door would do anything to meet Jordie Jones.
When they discover that the star just wants to be a normal guy, one who plays hockey, hangs out with friends, and goes to dances, Bruno and Boots decide to help Jordie out.
Who would ever have guessed that a favour could go so wrong, so fast? Anyone who knows Bruno and Boots, of course, because when they’re around, no day is complete without some really special effects.
Bruno Walton would do anything to be in the movie. Boots O’Neal will do anything to keep Bruno out of trouble. Meanwhile, the girls at the school next door would do anything to meet Jordie Jones.
When they discover that the star just wants to be a normal guy, one who plays hockey, hangs out with friends, and goes to dances, Bruno and Boots decide to help Jordie out.
Who would ever have guessed that a favour could go so wrong, so fast? Anyone who knows Bruno and Boots, of course, because when they’re around, no day is complete without some really special effects.
232 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
36 people are currently reading
370 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Korman
249 books4,425 followersGordon Korman is a Canadian author of children's and young adult fiction books. Korman's books have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide over a career spanning four decades and have appeared at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 26, 2018
Well, if truth be told, I have never been all that much a fan of novels involving movie productions (or featuring film celebrities) and thus the beginning of the sixth instalment of Gordon Korman's MadDonald Hall Goes Hollywood with the school basically being overrun by a movie crew shooting an American school based film titled Academy Blues does already very much tend to feel both unacademic and indeed also personally very much annoying (likely also because my own hometown of Dundas, Ontario, is CONSTANTLY being used for movie shoots or television series, with many and frustrating official road and sidewalk closures, parking restrictions, you name it).
And indeed, that both MacDonald Hall headmaster Mr. Sturgeon and especially Bruno Walton seem so totally in favour of MacDonald Hall being basically hijacked by Hollywood, this certainly has definitely made me more than a bit livid and frustrated, as especially Bruno's repeated attempts to sneak onto the set of Academy Blues in order to appear as an extra and to perhaps be "discovered" as well as him calling his fellow students, including his roommate Melvin "Boots" O'Neal moronic and stupid when they are not similarly agog and excited with regard to a Hollywood movie being shot at their school, at MacDonald Hall, all this does very much make me cringe and growl with very much non appreciation (not to mention that the manner in which the usually so down-to-earth, entertaining and fun Miss Scrimmage's girls are depicted by Gordon Korman as being so enthralled and overcome with and by film star fever that they actually continuously stalk and even attempt to kidnap main Academy Blues actor Jordie Jones feels really non relatable and unnatural for and to me, most likely also because I have NEVER gone even remotely goo-goo over actors, as basically ALL my celebrity crushes especially when I was a teenager were of the literary character type and perhaps sometimes on actors playing certain literary characters, but indeed and actually always happening and occurring silently and not by having me act and deport myself like a clamouring, screaming, ecstatic crazy and strangely lovesick fool).
Combined with the fact that I have equally not at ALL enjoyed reading how at first especially Bruno is so intent on being part of Academy Blues that he is actually really behaving both nastily and in fact potentially viciously towards main Academy Blues star Jordie Jones (wanting to booby-trap him, wanting to potentially injure him in some way so he might be able to perhaps take his place) and that there also is simply NOT enough of my favourite MacDonald Hall student character Elmer Drimsdale present in MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood (Elmer does not appear until something like page 132 and then he is basically depicted as being majorly silly and ridiculous on the camping in Algonquin Park trip), I really cannot say that MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood has been all that engaging and pleasurable to read. And really, truly, the only aspect of MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood that I have indeed and in fact enjoyed and appreciated on a personal and emotional level is that Gordon Korman does thankfully also and rather stridently demonstrate the many downsides of being a young movie star, in so far that Jordie Jones is generally lonely, often has to work and live in isolation from other teenagers and that he really cannot engage in many if not most fun and diverting activities because his work as an actor, as a teenaged actor and heart-throb take so much, take all of his time (and this has in fact kind of mildly saved MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood to and for me, but only to the point and extent that I am now instead of granting the novel but one star, considering a high two star ranking, but no, even though by the end of MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood, I certainly no longer was actively despising and hating Gordon Korman's narrative, I was and am nevertheless rather disappointed and neither willing nor able to consider more than a high two stars at best).
And indeed, that both MacDonald Hall headmaster Mr. Sturgeon and especially Bruno Walton seem so totally in favour of MacDonald Hall being basically hijacked by Hollywood, this certainly has definitely made me more than a bit livid and frustrated, as especially Bruno's repeated attempts to sneak onto the set of Academy Blues in order to appear as an extra and to perhaps be "discovered" as well as him calling his fellow students, including his roommate Melvin "Boots" O'Neal moronic and stupid when they are not similarly agog and excited with regard to a Hollywood movie being shot at their school, at MacDonald Hall, all this does very much make me cringe and growl with very much non appreciation (not to mention that the manner in which the usually so down-to-earth, entertaining and fun Miss Scrimmage's girls are depicted by Gordon Korman as being so enthralled and overcome with and by film star fever that they actually continuously stalk and even attempt to kidnap main Academy Blues actor Jordie Jones feels really non relatable and unnatural for and to me, most likely also because I have NEVER gone even remotely goo-goo over actors, as basically ALL my celebrity crushes especially when I was a teenager were of the literary character type and perhaps sometimes on actors playing certain literary characters, but indeed and actually always happening and occurring silently and not by having me act and deport myself like a clamouring, screaming, ecstatic crazy and strangely lovesick fool).
Combined with the fact that I have equally not at ALL enjoyed reading how at first especially Bruno is so intent on being part of Academy Blues that he is actually really behaving both nastily and in fact potentially viciously towards main Academy Blues star Jordie Jones (wanting to booby-trap him, wanting to potentially injure him in some way so he might be able to perhaps take his place) and that there also is simply NOT enough of my favourite MacDonald Hall student character Elmer Drimsdale present in MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood (Elmer does not appear until something like page 132 and then he is basically depicted as being majorly silly and ridiculous on the camping in Algonquin Park trip), I really cannot say that MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood has been all that engaging and pleasurable to read. And really, truly, the only aspect of MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood that I have indeed and in fact enjoyed and appreciated on a personal and emotional level is that Gordon Korman does thankfully also and rather stridently demonstrate the many downsides of being a young movie star, in so far that Jordie Jones is generally lonely, often has to work and live in isolation from other teenagers and that he really cannot engage in many if not most fun and diverting activities because his work as an actor, as a teenaged actor and heart-throb take so much, take all of his time (and this has in fact kind of mildly saved MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood to and for me, but only to the point and extent that I am now instead of granting the novel but one star, considering a high two star ranking, but no, even though by the end of MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood, I certainly no longer was actively despising and hating Gordon Korman's narrative, I was and am nevertheless rather disappointed and neither willing nor able to consider more than a high two stars at best).
October 4, 2017
Canadian children's author Gordon Korman has had a long career as the prolific writer of humorous, exciting, and easy-to-read novels geared toward grades 4 to 9. He started writing at age 12, when he wrote This Can't Be Happening at MacDonald Hall! for a seventh grade English class. Over the course of nearly 20 years after the publication of this first MacDonald Hall book, Korman published a total of 7 titles about the boarding school exploits of best friends Bruno and Boots.This month, I read them all:
This Can't Be Happening at MacDonald Hall! (1977)
Go Jump in the Pool! (1979)
Beware the Fish! (1980)
The War with Mr. Wizzle (1982)
The Zucchini Warriors (1988)
MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood (1991)
Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall (1995)
The series stars best friends and roommates Bruno Walton and Melvin "Boots" O'Neal, who are known pranksters on the MacDonald Hall campus. Though the two boys often butt heads with their headmaster, the long-suffering yet fair-minded Mr. Sturgeon, whom they call "The Fish," they also have a fond affection for their school. The boys and their classmates also have many associations with students at Miss Scrimmage's Finishing School for Young Ladies, which is located across the road from MacDonald Hall, and whose high-strung Headmistress frequently overreacts to late-night visits from MacDonald Hall students by wildly wielding a shotgun.
Each book of the series focuses on a different major scheme involving Bruno and Boots. Sometimes, they seek to make a particular improvement to their school, such as a pool or a recreation center. Other times, they go to war with a particular teacher who is making their lives difficult, or with an outside force that threatens to close the school. In the final two books, they even befriend a Hollywood celebrity and uncover a phantom prankster.
What I love about these books is their sense of humor. Last spring, I attended a talk by two children's illustrators who insisted that the key to humor in children's books is underwear and toilet jokes. I found this to be a disappointing underestimation of what kids are capable of finding funny, but I was also hard-pressed to think of many examples of funny books, especially funny books targeted at boys, that could make kids laugh without resorting to crude humor. Thankfully, I have been reminded that this series fits that bill exactly. Perhaps because Korman started writing these when he was himself an adolescent, he completely understands what middle school boys find funny, and he delivers it in every single book. Pranks, schemes, disasters, explosions, science experiments, sporting events - these are the backdrops for Korman's jokes, and most of the time, they are clever, respectful and well-executed. Even when the characters disobey their teachers, they often do so in the name of a noble cause that helps their school or their friends.
Also refreshing is the complete lack of serious dating in these books. There are some storylines involving long-distance and unrequited crushes, but none of the preoccupation with having exclusive girlfriends and boyfriends that seems prevalent in more contemporary books. The girls of Miss Scrimmage's (particularly Cathy and Diane) are not presented as potential romantic partners for Bruno, Boots, and their friends, but as partners in crime, good friends, and pranksters in their own right. All the female characters are actually very well-done, including Mrs. Sturgeon, the headmaster's wife, whose affection for Bruno and Boots often keeps her husband from acting rashly in his punishment of them.
Are the MacDonald Hall books great literature? Probably not. But neither are they to be completely dismissed as "fluff" or 'twaddle." For boys who like funny books, but whose parents would prefer not to promote toilet humor (or worse, crude jokes with a sexual basis), they are the perfect escapist read. Interestingly, these books have also recently been turned into a series of films, which are all available to stream on Netflix. I watched half of the first one, Go Jump in the Pool!, and noted some differences, mainly in the age of the characters (MacDonald Hall seems to be a high school in the movie world) and in the character of Miss Scrimmage (who is now a peace-loving hippie and not an unhinged woman with a shotgun), but overall, I didn't think it was terrible. I would definitely recommend reading the books first, but fans of the series will probably enjoy the film adaptations.
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
This Can't Be Happening at MacDonald Hall! (1977)
Go Jump in the Pool! (1979)
Beware the Fish! (1980)
The War with Mr. Wizzle (1982)
The Zucchini Warriors (1988)
MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood (1991)
Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall (1995)
The series stars best friends and roommates Bruno Walton and Melvin "Boots" O'Neal, who are known pranksters on the MacDonald Hall campus. Though the two boys often butt heads with their headmaster, the long-suffering yet fair-minded Mr. Sturgeon, whom they call "The Fish," they also have a fond affection for their school. The boys and their classmates also have many associations with students at Miss Scrimmage's Finishing School for Young Ladies, which is located across the road from MacDonald Hall, and whose high-strung Headmistress frequently overreacts to late-night visits from MacDonald Hall students by wildly wielding a shotgun.
Each book of the series focuses on a different major scheme involving Bruno and Boots. Sometimes, they seek to make a particular improvement to their school, such as a pool or a recreation center. Other times, they go to war with a particular teacher who is making their lives difficult, or with an outside force that threatens to close the school. In the final two books, they even befriend a Hollywood celebrity and uncover a phantom prankster.
What I love about these books is their sense of humor. Last spring, I attended a talk by two children's illustrators who insisted that the key to humor in children's books is underwear and toilet jokes. I found this to be a disappointing underestimation of what kids are capable of finding funny, but I was also hard-pressed to think of many examples of funny books, especially funny books targeted at boys, that could make kids laugh without resorting to crude humor. Thankfully, I have been reminded that this series fits that bill exactly. Perhaps because Korman started writing these when he was himself an adolescent, he completely understands what middle school boys find funny, and he delivers it in every single book. Pranks, schemes, disasters, explosions, science experiments, sporting events - these are the backdrops for Korman's jokes, and most of the time, they are clever, respectful and well-executed. Even when the characters disobey their teachers, they often do so in the name of a noble cause that helps their school or their friends.
Also refreshing is the complete lack of serious dating in these books. There are some storylines involving long-distance and unrequited crushes, but none of the preoccupation with having exclusive girlfriends and boyfriends that seems prevalent in more contemporary books. The girls of Miss Scrimmage's (particularly Cathy and Diane) are not presented as potential romantic partners for Bruno, Boots, and their friends, but as partners in crime, good friends, and pranksters in their own right. All the female characters are actually very well-done, including Mrs. Sturgeon, the headmaster's wife, whose affection for Bruno and Boots often keeps her husband from acting rashly in his punishment of them.
Are the MacDonald Hall books great literature? Probably not. But neither are they to be completely dismissed as "fluff" or 'twaddle." For boys who like funny books, but whose parents would prefer not to promote toilet humor (or worse, crude jokes with a sexual basis), they are the perfect escapist read. Interestingly, these books have also recently been turned into a series of films, which are all available to stream on Netflix. I watched half of the first one, Go Jump in the Pool!, and noted some differences, mainly in the age of the characters (MacDonald Hall seems to be a high school in the movie world) and in the character of Miss Scrimmage (who is now a peace-loving hippie and not an unhinged woman with a shotgun), but overall, I didn't think it was terrible. I would definitely recommend reading the books first, but fans of the series will probably enjoy the film adaptations.
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
June 19, 2021
This book was so precious. As a child, I loved reading Macdonald Hall books. I found this one for free and I had never read it. These books are just as fun as an adult as they were as a child. Like... Gordon Korman's writing is timeless. The characters, the twists... all of it was just so well done and perfectly put together. Hats off to this book and to the writer. Having the little obsession that I do with books dealing with fame, this one hit the spot.
August 2, 2022
This might be my favourite of the MacDonald Hall books! The climax was chaotic in the best (and funniest) way possible. Gordon Korman's humour and books are unparalleled in my opinion. I will never get tired of rereading this series!
January 12, 2022
Not sure why the ‘90s had such a fascination with Hollywood teenagers wanting to live normal lives—the Help! I’m Trapped series had a book with a similar plot line—but that’s what this was about. A movie gets filmed at MacDonald Hall, and Bruno and Boots make friend with the star, who just wants to go to dances and play hockey.
It was decent. Not amazing, but Bruno and Boots are endearing characters, so I can put up with a plot that’s a little far-fetched.
It was decent. Not amazing, but Bruno and Boots are endearing characters, so I can put up with a plot that’s a little far-fetched.
September 23, 2020
I do love the Bruno and Boots books, and while "Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood" is certainly not the best of the series, it still has the inevitable B&B charm.
The familiar characters are still there and as fun as ever(Mr. Sturgeon especially stands out)and Bruno continues to get himself and Boots into crazy situations as he is determined to get into a movie being shot at Macdonald Hall. I love the subplot of the two boys befriending Jordie Jones, the lonely young movie star, and of course, I love the humor. I nearly laughed out loud several times while reading this book. My only real complaint is that the verbal humor was a bit more childish than in the other books(i.e. Bruno's Cutesy Newbar jokes). Still, I wish Mark Davies' documentary was real. Seeing Mr. Sturgeon smashing Miss Scrimmage's shotgun or the runaway trailer finale alone would be priceless!
The familiar characters are still there and as fun as ever(Mr. Sturgeon especially stands out)and Bruno continues to get himself and Boots into crazy situations as he is determined to get into a movie being shot at Macdonald Hall. I love the subplot of the two boys befriending Jordie Jones, the lonely young movie star, and of course, I love the humor. I nearly laughed out loud several times while reading this book. My only real complaint is that the verbal humor was a bit more childish than in the other books(i.e. Bruno's Cutesy Newbar jokes). Still, I wish Mark Davies' documentary was real. Seeing Mr. Sturgeon smashing Miss Scrimmage's shotgun or the runaway trailer finale alone would be priceless!
December 10, 2023
I liked this one better this time around. I still don't think Bruno would go around in a smoking jacket and act like an idiot. Prankster yes, jackass- no. It redeemed itself with the friendship Bruno forges with the famous actor, who wasn't just a pretty face/ butt. Then the book got funny esp. when the group goes on a'survival' trip to algonquin park, joined by some of the girls at the local girl's school.
Korman's sense of Humour isn't just for 10 year-olds. His humorous books are just as funny the 2nd, 5th or 15th time thru.
Listened to this read aloud by my son. Our whole teen/ adult family enjoys Korman's books...still.
Korman's sense of Humour isn't just for 10 year-olds. His humorous books are just as funny the 2nd, 5th or 15th time thru.
Listened to this read aloud by my son. Our whole teen/ adult family enjoys Korman's books...still.
May 1, 2011
I read a few of Korman's Macdonald Hall books as a kid, but not this one. They're all wacky stories about a Canadian boarding school and a particular pair of roommates (Bruno and Boots) who are always getting into some kind of trouble; in this particular book, the trouble involves a Hollywood film being shot on their campus. This book wasn't as good as I remembered some of the others being, but it was still fun to read.
November 2, 2021
I liked it. A lot of sub stories in the book that kept it moving forward. I also liked that it didn’t delve into drugs, alcohol, smoking, or sex like a lot of the books targeting kids do these days. It was just fun without the angst associated with tweens and teens these days.
April 26, 2013
Hilarious, with cartoon-like antics (this would make a great manga). Nothing better for a fun read.
Want to read
September 11, 2012Oh my goodness there is another Bruno and Boots book? I so have to read this.
July 24, 2025
This volume is the penultimate in this series. It is a great read in a wonderful series. I have been working my way through Gordon Korman’s complete works, and this was the 90th volume I have read from Korman’s masterful pen. Because of a dual form of dyslexia, I did not learn to read until later, because of that I have a great fondness for Middle Grade books, and books for tween and teens. And Korman is one of the all-time masters. I believe this was Korman’s 16th volume published. And to date it is the second to last in the MacDonald Hall series which was originally published as Bruno and Boots.
The series consists of:
This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall
Go Jump in the Pool
Beware the Fish!
The Wizzle War
(formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle )
The Zucchini Warriors
Light’s Camera, Disaster
(aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)
The Jokes on Us
(formerly Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall)
Book 6 was renamed in 2003 the stories were originally published between 1978 and 1995, though some have been rewritten to be more up to date. Three of the original 7 have been renamed at some point over the years. The current description of this volume is:
“Gordon Korman's classic, bestselling series celebrates its 35th anniversary! Macdonald Hall's ivy-covered buildings have housed and educated many fine young Canadians. But Bruno Walton and Boots O'Neal are far from being fine young Canadians. The roommates and best friends are nothing but trouble! Together they've snuck out after lights-out, swapped flags, kidnapped mascots . . . and that's only the beginning.
Macdonald Hall has been chosen as the ideal setting for a Hollywood movie — with superstar Jordie Jones! But when Bruno Walton and Boots O'Neal discover that the star just wants to be a normal guy, one who plays hockey, hangs out with friends and goes to dances, they decide to help Jordie out. Who would have guessed that a simple favour could go so wrong, so fast?
Join two of Gordon Korman's most memorable characters in seven side-splitting, rip-roaring adventures! Macdonald Hall is the series that started it all, and thirty-five years later it remains a must-read for old fans and new, the young — and the young at heart.”
The chapters in this volume are:
1: Macdonald Hollywood
2: Tap-Dancing Garbage Picker
3: Booby-Trapping the Star
4: Body Double
5: Getting into Character
6: The Royal Sneeze
7: Fred the Goalie
8: Bench Strength
9: Meet the Press
10: The Stuntman
11: Nothing and Nowhere
12: The Rescue Mission
13: The Media Circus
14: A Cry in the Woods
15: Is It Dangerous?
16: The Super-Duper Jumbo-Boomer
Epilogue
This is followed by a preview of the final volume in the series. This volume was the only one published in 1991 by Korman, but he had 1 in 1990, Losing Joe's Place and 2 in 1992, The Twinkie Squad and The D−Poems of Jeremy Bloom that bookend it. This one was originally published as Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood. This story has been updated some over the years but the whole series is masterfully written. Korman is a master of the Middle Grade and even Young Adult genres, his books are amazing for kids, tweens and teens. And even some of us older readers. C.S. Lewis in On Stories: And Other Essays on Literature stated:
“It is very rarely that a middle-aged man finds an author who gives him, what he knew so often in his teens and twenties, the sense of having opened a new door.”
I said in a previous review that Korman accomplishes that in this and all of his other books I have read. This was another great read. For many authors have a great first work and often it is not followed up well or even at all. Having now watched the three made for TV MacDonald Hall Movies I have very clear pictures in my head while reading this volume.
Bruno and Boots have a knack for creating trouble, and for not getting caught, this time they seem to get caught almost immediately, time and time again. There is a film cred on campus filming the outdoor shots for a movie called “Academy Blues” starring Jordie Jones. The girls across the street from MacDonald Hall have at Miss Scrimmage’s Finishing School all gone gaga over Jones presence. Between Bruno trying to get in the film, the girls trying to get to Jones. And Bruno and Boots befriending the lonely Jones there will be no end to the hijinks. Much like Korman’s Slapshots series and the stand alone The Chicken Doesn't Skate there are some great Hockey moments in this volume. And the Die in the Woods outdoor adventure trip is just awesome.
Can Bruno pull it off? Can Bruno make his way into the film? Can Jones get some time as a normal boy? Can MacDonald hall survive going Hollywood? To find out read this excellent sixth volume in this series. An excellent read, I can easily recommend this book and series!
The series consists of:
This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall
Go Jump in the Pool
Beware the Fish!
The Wizzle War
(formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle )
The Zucchini Warriors
Light’s Camera, Disaster
(aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)
The Jokes on Us
(formerly Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall)
Book 6 was renamed in 2003 the stories were originally published between 1978 and 1995, though some have been rewritten to be more up to date. Three of the original 7 have been renamed at some point over the years. The current description of this volume is:
“Gordon Korman's classic, bestselling series celebrates its 35th anniversary! Macdonald Hall's ivy-covered buildings have housed and educated many fine young Canadians. But Bruno Walton and Boots O'Neal are far from being fine young Canadians. The roommates and best friends are nothing but trouble! Together they've snuck out after lights-out, swapped flags, kidnapped mascots . . . and that's only the beginning.
Macdonald Hall has been chosen as the ideal setting for a Hollywood movie — with superstar Jordie Jones! But when Bruno Walton and Boots O'Neal discover that the star just wants to be a normal guy, one who plays hockey, hangs out with friends and goes to dances, they decide to help Jordie out. Who would have guessed that a simple favour could go so wrong, so fast?
Join two of Gordon Korman's most memorable characters in seven side-splitting, rip-roaring adventures! Macdonald Hall is the series that started it all, and thirty-five years later it remains a must-read for old fans and new, the young — and the young at heart.”
The chapters in this volume are:
1: Macdonald Hollywood
2: Tap-Dancing Garbage Picker
3: Booby-Trapping the Star
4: Body Double
5: Getting into Character
6: The Royal Sneeze
7: Fred the Goalie
8: Bench Strength
9: Meet the Press
10: The Stuntman
11: Nothing and Nowhere
12: The Rescue Mission
13: The Media Circus
14: A Cry in the Woods
15: Is It Dangerous?
16: The Super-Duper Jumbo-Boomer
Epilogue
This is followed by a preview of the final volume in the series. This volume was the only one published in 1991 by Korman, but he had 1 in 1990, Losing Joe's Place and 2 in 1992, The Twinkie Squad and The D−Poems of Jeremy Bloom that bookend it. This one was originally published as Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood. This story has been updated some over the years but the whole series is masterfully written. Korman is a master of the Middle Grade and even Young Adult genres, his books are amazing for kids, tweens and teens. And even some of us older readers. C.S. Lewis in On Stories: And Other Essays on Literature stated:
“It is very rarely that a middle-aged man finds an author who gives him, what he knew so often in his teens and twenties, the sense of having opened a new door.”
I said in a previous review that Korman accomplishes that in this and all of his other books I have read. This was another great read. For many authors have a great first work and often it is not followed up well or even at all. Having now watched the three made for TV MacDonald Hall Movies I have very clear pictures in my head while reading this volume.
Bruno and Boots have a knack for creating trouble, and for not getting caught, this time they seem to get caught almost immediately, time and time again. There is a film cred on campus filming the outdoor shots for a movie called “Academy Blues” starring Jordie Jones. The girls across the street from MacDonald Hall have at Miss Scrimmage’s Finishing School all gone gaga over Jones presence. Between Bruno trying to get in the film, the girls trying to get to Jones. And Bruno and Boots befriending the lonely Jones there will be no end to the hijinks. Much like Korman’s Slapshots series and the stand alone The Chicken Doesn't Skate there are some great Hockey moments in this volume. And the Die in the Woods outdoor adventure trip is just awesome.
Can Bruno pull it off? Can Bruno make his way into the film? Can Jones get some time as a normal boy? Can MacDonald hall survive going Hollywood? To find out read this excellent sixth volume in this series. An excellent read, I can easily recommend this book and series!
March 28, 2022
MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood is a fairly standard MacDonald Hall book - something unusual happens at MacDonald Hall, and a variety of competing interests & miscommunications result in a delightful romp. In this case, Hollywood tries to make a movie set at the most respected & shenanigan-prone boarding school in all of Canada.
If you've read the other MacDonald Hall books, you know what to expect. If you haven't, this isn't the best place to start...but it isn't the worst, either. This series has never been heavy on continuity. Truth be told, Goes Hollywood is a pretty standard comic caper, but it stands out because of Korman's masterful execution. It's not one of his more insightful books - the MacDonald Hall series never is - and it's also not the pure farce found in some of his other stories, but it's still a damn good YA read.
So how exactly does Goes Hollywood compare to the rest of the series? The plot itself is fairly strong - better than Something Fishy, for instance, but still a bit lighter fare than The War With Mr Wizzle. The supporting students of MacDonald Hall don't get put to much use, except at the end, which is a shame, because they're one of the strongest parts of the series...but the girls from Miss Scrimmage's are in fine form here, and they're probably the best part of the series.
The new character of Jordie Jones isn't particularly deep or original, but he's reasonably well done, realistic, and sympathetic. As new characters go, he's certainly more engaging than Boots' younger brother, but I'm unsure how he compares to some of the other, more vivid but less realistic characters from some of the other books in the series.
On the whole, MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood is a fun little book. It's not exactly substantial or ground-breaking, but it is funny and very well-done.
If you've read the other MacDonald Hall books, you know what to expect. If you haven't, this isn't the best place to start...but it isn't the worst, either. This series has never been heavy on continuity. Truth be told, Goes Hollywood is a pretty standard comic caper, but it stands out because of Korman's masterful execution. It's not one of his more insightful books - the MacDonald Hall series never is - and it's also not the pure farce found in some of his other stories, but it's still a damn good YA read.
So how exactly does Goes Hollywood compare to the rest of the series? The plot itself is fairly strong - better than Something Fishy, for instance, but still a bit lighter fare than The War With Mr Wizzle. The supporting students of MacDonald Hall don't get put to much use, except at the end, which is a shame, because they're one of the strongest parts of the series...but the girls from Miss Scrimmage's are in fine form here, and they're probably the best part of the series.
The new character of Jordie Jones isn't particularly deep or original, but he's reasonably well done, realistic, and sympathetic. As new characters go, he's certainly more engaging than Boots' younger brother, but I'm unsure how he compares to some of the other, more vivid but less realistic characters from some of the other books in the series.
On the whole, MacDonald Hall Goes Hollywood is a fun little book. It's not exactly substantial or ground-breaking, but it is funny and very well-done.
October 18, 2018
Korman has hit his stride again in this one, giving us a story that's funny and wacky in a way that sounds natural. This time around, we also get a little bit of empathy along with the fun, when Bruno and Boots meet a teen actor who is very lonely, and they decide to befriend him and give him a chance to be a normal boy. Well, what passes for normal at Macdonald Hall. *grins*
There were, once again, a couple things that annoyed me. Like the movie critic who hates everything; if he simply hates everything, then he has no worth as a critic. I can't recall what else annoyed me, but thankfully there were only a couple things, and they were relatively small and easily skimmed over. For the most part, the writing was pretty good, and the characters's thoughts and actions were believable, so it was a satisfying story.
There were, once again, a couple things that annoyed me. Like the movie critic who hates everything; if he simply hates everything, then he has no worth as a critic. I can't recall what else annoyed me, but thankfully there were only a couple things, and they were relatively small and easily skimmed over. For the most part, the writing was pretty good, and the characters's thoughts and actions were believable, so it was a satisfying story.
November 4, 2021
My son and I read this book together. Another great read! We loved the funny names (Dinkman, Goose Golden, The Fish). Bruno attends MacDonald Hall and there's going to be a movie filmed at this school and Bruno wants to be IN it. He doesn't care how, he simply wants his one second of fame. His antics are hilarious, and befriending Jordie Jones humanized movie stars for the readers - stars are people with real emotions and feelings and their lives are not so glamorous all the time. The action kept us reading and giggling right to the end.
March 30, 2019
1. This was slightly less entertaining the second time around, possibly because I didn't have all the other MacDonald Hall books to immediately compare it to.
2. These books are a lot of fun- tongue in cheek humor, snark and a other of crazy characters. The one problem I had with most of the rest of the series was the overuse of Elmer as a plot device. He's barely there in this one, so that probably colored my views a little.
3. It's still really funny. :D
2. These books are a lot of fun- tongue in cheek humor, snark and a other of crazy characters. The one problem I had with most of the rest of the series was the overuse of Elmer as a plot device. He's barely there in this one, so that probably colored my views a little.
3. It's still really funny. :D
July 25, 2025
Child superstar Jordie Jones is filming a new movie on the grounds of Macdonald Hall, which attracts everyone. Bruno is keen on getting into the movie, despite disliking him, but he eventually befriends the lonely kid, and it reaches a point where Jones goes missing. Where could he have gone? 4 stars for the humor. But I don't understand why my library doesn't have the original versions of the series.
August 18, 2024
No rhyme or reason to this book.
There is nostalgia surrounding it for me and if nothing else it took me back to the house on Road 0 where I first read it. Listened to my sister read it. Read it to my brothers.
There were better thematic and story line moments than I would have thought.
Also some pretty good jokes.
A little clunky in the writing style, but clean, funny, and harmless.
There is nostalgia surrounding it for me and if nothing else it took me back to the house on Road 0 where I first read it. Listened to my sister read it. Read it to my brothers.
There were better thematic and story line moments than I would have thought.
Also some pretty good jokes.
A little clunky in the writing style, but clean, funny, and harmless.
January 22, 2019
I do love me a good Bruno and Boots books. Yeah, they are dated and you feel it round the edges (and on the cover, yikes!) But after all these years these books are still genuinely funny. Gordon Korman is a master.
April 26, 2023
This might be my favourite of the MacDonald Hall books! The climax was chaotic in the best (and funniest) way possible. Gordon Korman's humour and books are unparalleled in my opinion. I will never get tired of rereading this series!
May 28, 2018
This is probably the MacDonald Hall book I read the fewest number of times as a kid, but it's available for kindle now, so I picked it up. I hope they get around to all the rest of them.
November 15, 2018
There was a joke involving (financial) interests and another about the illiterate deserving to be saved. Both of them made me snicker uncontrollably.
This book is excellent.
This book is excellent.
April 13, 2019
Tis cute
March 14, 2022
Read this with my granddaughter ( age 11 ). his is a lot of fun. A bit silly and a bit dated but enjoyable.
January 11, 2025
Random, but definitely entertaining
November 5, 2021
Gordon Korman was a favorite as a kid. Books hold up.
June 20, 2008
YA. There's a movie being made at Macdonald Hall and Bruno won't rest until he gets a part in it. This was pretty much your standard Bruno and Boots book. Bruno hatches a horrible plan; Boots tries to talk him out of it. There's some hockey, some camping; Miss Scrimmage nearly kills several people with her shotgun, etc. It's an okay book, but nothing new really happens. Bruno does get a boycrush on Jordie Jones, the kid starring in the film, but since Boots doesn't even seem to notice it's not particularly a source of tension.
July 9, 2014
I think I enjoyed this one more the second time around, reading it to my son. While I remembered the basic plot about a movie filming on campus and Bruno's animosity towards the star, Jordie Jones, I'd entirely forgotten the Die-in-the-Woods wilderness survival trip at the end.
April 6, 2007
Great hilarity and delightful jokes :D A great series to read as a child.
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