A Year in the Life of a Complete and Total Genius

Arthur Bean #1

by Stacey Matson

Arthur Bean is a genius-it's just that no one else realizes this quite yet. He's going to be a world-famous author, and the first step is to win this year's story-writing contest. What he writes is pretty funny, but it gets him into trouble too.

Like with his English teacher.
And the school newspaper advisor.
And cool girl Kennedy.
And Arthur's number one nemesis, Robbie Zack.

But all great authors spark controversy, so Arthur's not too concerned. Through letters, email exchanges, "SEE ME" notes and doodles, enter the funny, touching, and often mixed-up mind of Arthur Bean, creative genius.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Humor, Canada, Fiction, Friendship

275 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2014

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is written through letters, emails and journal entries. It is humourous, appealing for grades 7 and 8s, and has a deeper story of friendship and loss beneath the surface. I enjoyed it very much.

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funniest book EVER!!!

[Paige Bredemeier · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book A Year in the Life of a Complete and Total Genius is about a boy who is determined he will win the writing contest for his district and become a famous writer. Along the way, he tries to get his crush to fall in love with him and is stuck tutoring his worst enemy. He ends up in writer's block when writing for the contest. I think the book is kinda repetitive in the school assignments so there wasn't as much just.... writing and storytelling more just school assignments and diary entries. I think if you don't want just storytelling in the book then it would be great but that just wasn't my favorite. Cause if you find just basic writing with nothing extra boring then this would be good just not for me. It was a great story and I just enjoyed that he knitted. The story shows that sometimes what you first thought you wanted might not be what you need.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an AWESOME book. I have never read a book that managed to tell a story entirely in journal entries and emails and letters! Not only that, but I really enjoyed reading the story and getting to know the characters. I think the plot of the story was very cool, and there were quite a lot of twists. If there was ever a sequel to this book, I would buy it in a heartbeat (:

The one problem I had with this book was a character named Kennedy. She was a kind, sweet character but she overused the caps lock button and the word LOL when she emailed with the main character Arthur. I can tell that her overuse of the word LOL was part of her character, but the book didn't really explain that, the LOL's were just, there. It was rather distracting and normally, there were at LEAST 2 LOL's and 2 caps locked words per email, even if the email was rather small (she only used no LOL's and caps locks was when they were discussing things that were sad).

So basically, in a nutshell, this was a fun, unique book that had it's imperfections like all books do. I recommend this book to people who like to try different genres or people who love great pieces of writing (the main character Arthur is an author).

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for middle schoolers who are reluctant readers. The book follows a 7th grade boy throughout his whole school year. His mom died the summer before school starts. He learns to cope with this along with handling his arch nemesis and the girl on which he has a major crush. The story is told through emails, letters, and journal entries, which will also appeal to many students.

[LouAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read Arthur Beans' reading journal (RJ), texts, and assignments...follow his writing for the school paper and his rehearsals as Romeo, his knitting projects, his daily confrontations with bully Robbie Zack, and he thoughts and feelings about his mother's death. For fans of The Fourth Stall.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute read. some parts had me thinking of Sheldon Cooper. ha.

[Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of a few page turners that I've ever read in my life.

[Roland Murray]

week 1
I can kind of tell what kind of genre it is by what the book cover is so i look at the book cover and then read the back of the book and then if it is like fantasy or like mystery or action that is usually a kind of book i will choose for silent reading.
week 2
1 the main characters and gray wing he is the leader of his team there are the forest cats and the mountain cats and there are like 2 groups of 20 cats each and we dont know who the leader of the other team is.
week 3
The story doesn't take place in real life but if it did it would take place in school because they communicate through text and email and letters. And not much has happened but texting the teacher at school because he joined a new school so i think that he is a real nerd and he is going to be the kid that nobody likes and is always correcting people.
week 4
The main character is really different to me cause he is really smart and doesn't really have any friends and doesn't play sports and hates sports but the bully named robbie played a lot of sports and likes sports a lot so it's kind of easy to understand him and him problems like not having time to do anything after school because of a practice or game in his sports.
week 5
i dont like the main character because he dosent relate to me a lot because he dosent play sports and is really nerdy and smart and dosent have a real social life outside of school and only does school work so thats why i like some of the other charecters more than him
week 6
Arthur was reading one of his classmates books kennedys and in her book in the srating paragraph they said that she was wiping all the gory blood off of her back pockets and then said they should bury what made the blood very deep. I Think that there goal was to make us kind of feel disguisted in a way and fell what the character was feeling.
week 7
The whos are arthur and kennedy the what is a book competition in their school and if you win you move on to like nationals when is december 2024 where the competition is at their school why because arthur wants to be really famous writer and wants to beat his crush in the competition so she likes him
week 9
The main character who i dont really like because he is really nerdy and dosent really play sports and just sits at home plays video games and does homework so he gets bullied a lot and wonders why he gets bullied its because they dont like that about him and because he is very different from them.
week 10

Yes because he is really cool and he does a lot of fun stuff in his family cause one time they all went to the oceaan and went scooba diving and there was a lot of creatures so if i was friends with him i would get to do all the fun stuff they do sometimescause i would ask him to invite me to do it.

[Joshua Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

YA writers often fall into a trap when writing in first person POV when the main character is a contemporary teenager: They rely on stereotypes to create what, in their minds, is a typical modern teenage voice. Stacey Matson did not fall into that trap. She manages to create the unique and realistic voice of not only her lead character (Arthur Bean, seventh grade boy) but also his unrequited love interest (Kennedy) and his chief rival (Robbie). The voices of the adults, mostly teachers, also come through crystal clear, each having a unique way of interacting with the kids in the story.
Arthur Bean dreams of being famous. Having lost his mother the previous year, Arthur sets out to fulfill the promise he made to her that he would one day be famous. Opportunities arrive throughout the year, including a writing contest and a school production of Romeo and Juliet. Arthur tries to balance his home life with a depressed and disengaged father, his school life with the constant pressure of completing homework and tutoring his rival Robbie, and his personal life in which he wants to make Kennedy fall madly in love with him. The text is a series of communications between Robbie and his teachers, his classmates, and his reading journal which he calls RJ.
Rarely have I read a text that brings this age group to life the way Arthur's heart beat off the pages. Highly recommended for personal reading as well as a targeted suggestion for reluctant teenage readers who are searching for their own place in the world.

[Sienna Schuring · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book, A Year in the Life of a Total and Complete Genius is a Fiction book. The main character Arthur Bean is in 7th grade and doesn't like school. Arthur writes in his Reading Journal (RJ) almost everyday. Arthur's mom died so it's only him and his dad living in an apartment. Arthur loves to write but doesn't like to read, so in school they are having a juniors authors contest and Arthur wants to enter it. Arthur enters the contest but he has nothing to write about, luckily he has a couple months. During those months Arthur joins the school play for Romeo and Juliet. His crush Kennedy is Juliet and Arthur is Romeo. Arthur likes the fact that he gets to kiss his crush in front of the whole school. But she has a boyfriend but they keep on breaking up and then getting back together. A couple months have passed and Arthur still hasn't gotten a story for the Authors contest. So what will Arthur do so he can win? I think the theme for this book is to never give up because Arthur never had stories but he never gave up. I gave this book a 5 out of 5 stars because the story was very put together and there were so many plot twists. My opinion on this book is that the book is very interesting. This book is also very put together from Arthur's point of view.

[Bryan Ens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm writing this review as an adult (I was not the target audience). I was expecting something silly and superficial. Matson definitely delivered on the silly!... but the book was NOT superficial in the least. The main character (Arthur Bean) has recently lost his mom, and the grief comes through. He also wants to be successful as a writer, but encounters some massive failures in that respect (although he shows that he has promise). Reality and what he presents as reality are often at odds with each other, but there is growth in his character as the story progresses. Grief, disappointment, making friends, learning humility... all are themes touched on in this book. each chapter represents 1 month (going through the school year), but each month is further broken into numerous letters, diary entries, and emails, so book is very ADHD friendly (topics change constantly, and yet the story is not disjointed). I'm looking forward to reading Arthur's further adventures! I'll gladly recommend this book!

[Ommpy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main character of this book, Arthur Bean, is technically a genius. After starting 7th grade, things get a little complicated. Arthur wants to be a famous author one day, and one day, Arthur gets that chance by receiving a letter in the mail for a junior author contest! Arthur DEFINITELY enters the competition, but so does his secret crush, named Kennedy. In the middle of all that, Arthur needs to write a short story for his English teacher, & has to audition for a Shakespeare play (Romeo & Juliet).

This was an AMAZING book. I would give it 5 stars; which you already know if you have looked at my rating. This book is easy to read because it is written as people sending letters or e-mails to each other. That format is also good for beginner readers, & enjoyable for master readers!

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seventh grader Arthur Bean truly believes he is a genius, and the world will notice it when he wins the short story writing contest in April. Luckily the book starts in September, so he has several months to get that story written and share it with his writing partner Kennedy, the kindest and coolest girl in the world, who he also believes will be falling in love with him any minute. Add in a giant case of procrastination, a dead parent and one misguided bully, and Arthur's life seems pretty much in line with most of the 7th graders I know. His year unfolds through entries into his Reading Journal (RJ), emails with Kennedy, notes to and from his teachers. It's fairly fun to read, though Arthur's voice and his constant bragging did get on my nerves.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've wrapped up the year reading a few YA novels to recommend to my middle and high school students for second semester, and I will recommend this one. Arthur Bean is not your typical middle school student. He's very confident and talented, but he faces heartache and sorrow in a realistic way. Told in the format of emails, letters, and school assignments, the novel is fast-paced and fun, but with a air of sadness behind it. I don't know if all middle schoolers will recognize the depth of Arthur's grief, but they will recognize that he tries his best to cope with loss and the perils of middle school with humor and attitude!

[Jonah Negris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed this book very much. This book is organized as a series of letters and email that were written by the main character Arthur Bean. Arthur is hoping to be a writer one day and he is hoping to be very famous. Arthur is a very good writer but failed to do exactly what his assignments were asking for. He wrote to his english teacher Ms. Whitehead very often regarding his assignments. Arthur also emailed his friends kennedy and robbie a lot.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this with my kids. We enjoyed the format, which is a series of Arthur’s emails, homework assignments, journal entries, school newspaper stories, and notes to and from his teachers. It was a nice exploration of the concept of the epistolary novel, and it was fun to read the school writing assignments and see what Arthur did with them. But we were a little more lukewarm on the story itself and the character development.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arthur Bean comes across as an egotistical, mature seventh grader, but he’s actually just lonely, sad, and desperate for approval- from teachers, his dad, and any potential friends. He recently lost his mom and has been coping as best he can. He claims to be the world’s best writer and uses humor and sarcasm in all his pieces, causing issues with his English teacher, classmates, etc. A funny, entertaining middle grade novel! It was written entirely in letters, emails, notes, and the like.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book walks through a school year with Arthur Bean. It is written as notes to a journal, submitted assignments, grades for the assignments, etc. It has some pretty humorous moments. I'd consider a Diary of a Wimpy Kid type of book without the pictures.

[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read. Arthur is witty and quirky and I wish I had the confidence now he has in himself at 13. 😂. I hadn't realised when I started reading that this book would be all snippets of written exchanges, which I enjoyed as it moved the book along quickly, which I quite liked about it

[Debdanz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was miscataloged by my library system and I'm glad it was or I would have never picked it up. But the problem has been rectified now (once a librarian, always a librarian), and I hope it will get into the hands of the kids who need it.

[Alyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite the romp! See http://www.eatreadandbemommy.com/2017... for details.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and heart-tugging read. I loved the humor and the epistolary style; I wished that the character arc felt a little less rushed and more heartfelt.

[Jarrett Schiedemeyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very quick read full of tests and journal entries

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book especially if you work with Middle Scoot youth. Life seen through their eyes.

[Britt, Book Habitue · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.5 really. Lots of fun and interestingly told.

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok, I guess. I had to read this for BATTLE OF THE BOOKS!

[Amanda Teske · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sooo BORING!! I had to read this book, but if I didn't it would have been abandon within 30 pages.

[Tiffani Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will definitely be reading more from Arthur Bean! That kid is a riot!

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really cute and funny story. Arthur is totally conceited, yet you still like him and empathize with him. It’s not super profound or anything, but it’s a quick and fun read.