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Science Fair
Grdankl the Strong, president of Kprshtskan, is plotting to take over the American government. His plan is to infiltrate the science fair at Hubble Middle School, located in a Maryland suburb just outside Washington. The rich kids at Hubble cheat by buying their projects every year, and Grdankl’s cronies should have no problem selling them his government-corrupting software. But this year, Toby Harbinger, a regular kid with Discount Warehouse shoes, is determined to win the $5,000 prize—even if he has to go up against terrorists to do it. With the help of his best friends, Tamara and Micah, Toby takes on Assistant Principal Paul Parmit, aka "The Armpit", a laser-eyed stuffed owl, and two eBay buyers named Darth and the Wookiee who seem to think that the Harrison-Ford-signed BlasTech DL-44 blaster Toby sold them is a counterfeit. What transpires is a hilarious adventure filled with mystery, suspense, and levitating frogs.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2008
88 people are currently reading
832 people want to read
About the author
Ridley Pearson
186 books2,104 followersRidley Pearson is the author of more than fifty novels, including the New York Times bestseller Killer Weekend; the Lou Boldt crime series; and many books for young readers, including the award-winning children's novels Peter and the Starcatchers, Peter and the Shadow Thieves, and Peter and the Secret of Rundoon, which he cowrote with Dave Barry. Pearson lives with his wife and two daughters, dividing their time between Missouri and Idaho.
Also writes Chris Klick mysteries as Wendell McCall.
Also writes Chris Klick mysteries as Wendell McCall.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews
July 15, 2014
Rating: 2.5* of five
The Publisher Says: Grdankl the Strong, president of Kprshtskan, is plotting to take over the American government. His plan is to infiltrate the science fair at Hubble Middle School, located in a Maryland suburb just outside Washington. The rich kids at Hubble cheat by buying their projects every year, and Grdankl's cronies should have no problem selling them his government-corrupting software. But this year, Toby Harbinger, a regular kid with Discount Warehouse shoes, is determined to win the $5,000 prize—even if he has to go up against terrorists to do it. With the help of his best friends, Tamara and Micah, Toby takes on Assistant Principal Paul Parmit, aka "The Armpit", a laser-eyed stuffed owl, and two eBay buyers named Darth and the Wookiee who seem to think that the Harrison-Ford-signed BlasTech DL-44 blaster Toby sold them is a counterfeit. What transpires is a hilarious adventure filled with mystery, suspense, and levitating frogs.
My Review: The Doubleday UK meme, a book a day for July 2014, is the goad I'm using to get through my snit-based unwritten reviews. Today's prompt for the 15th is a choose-you-own day! Wheee, right?
Naw. I hadda go an' eff it all up by making this my Drano book of the month. (You know, the one I read because I'd really rather drink Drano than read this author/genre/what's-it.)
So as expected I hated it. It's a middle-school market book. I didn't like middle-schoolers when I was one, and I like them less now. Vicious little bastards. They're hateful and spiteful and brimful of stupid. Yuck.
It doesn't help that the fake country the co-authors invent, Krpshtskan, is something straight out of Borat. (Remember that movie? Ye gawds.) It also doesn't help that the entire plot is such that Spy Kids begins to resemble Strindberg.
But you're not the audience, comes the cry. No indeed I am not. I am an adult with forty-six years of obsessive reading behind me! And yet others have tutted and tsked because there are those of us who don't want to read YA novels. So this random example, a Kindle special today, got the nod as my test subject. I have a Zilpha Keatly Snyder novel cued up to see if it's just humor that doesn't play well to an older audience. I need a respite before I wade into that one. This could easily be the most wonderful thing a kid could find, so I'm not raggin' on it as itself. It's just so extremely ridiculously grotesquely overblown and overplayed and after all, that's how kids like 'em.
But really, moms and dads, read this before giving kids access to it. Every adult is malevolent or stupid or both. Every authority is deaf, every honest person is reviled by all and sundry. Serious question here: Do you want your kid absorbing this message? That s/he's alone against an uncaring-to-hostile world, with parents that won't listen, teachers that smell bad, take bribes, and collude with enemies of the state?
This isn't good. It panders to an invidious set of stereotypes that reinforce a helpless, whadda-ya-gonna-do passivity and does so with "humor" so it slides down their gullets easier.
This bothers the hell out of me.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
The Publisher Says: Grdankl the Strong, president of Kprshtskan, is plotting to take over the American government. His plan is to infiltrate the science fair at Hubble Middle School, located in a Maryland suburb just outside Washington. The rich kids at Hubble cheat by buying their projects every year, and Grdankl's cronies should have no problem selling them his government-corrupting software. But this year, Toby Harbinger, a regular kid with Discount Warehouse shoes, is determined to win the $5,000 prize—even if he has to go up against terrorists to do it. With the help of his best friends, Tamara and Micah, Toby takes on Assistant Principal Paul Parmit, aka "The Armpit", a laser-eyed stuffed owl, and two eBay buyers named Darth and the Wookiee who seem to think that the Harrison-Ford-signed BlasTech DL-44 blaster Toby sold them is a counterfeit. What transpires is a hilarious adventure filled with mystery, suspense, and levitating frogs.
My Review: The Doubleday UK meme, a book a day for July 2014, is the goad I'm using to get through my snit-based unwritten reviews. Today's prompt for the 15th is a choose-you-own day! Wheee, right?
Naw. I hadda go an' eff it all up by making this my Drano book of the month. (You know, the one I read because I'd really rather drink Drano than read this author/genre/what's-it.)
So as expected I hated it. It's a middle-school market book. I didn't like middle-schoolers when I was one, and I like them less now. Vicious little bastards. They're hateful and spiteful and brimful of stupid. Yuck.
It doesn't help that the fake country the co-authors invent, Krpshtskan, is something straight out of Borat. (Remember that movie? Ye gawds.) It also doesn't help that the entire plot is such that Spy Kids begins to resemble Strindberg.
But you're not the audience, comes the cry. No indeed I am not. I am an adult with forty-six years of obsessive reading behind me! And yet others have tutted and tsked because there are those of us who don't want to read YA novels. So this random example, a Kindle special today, got the nod as my test subject. I have a Zilpha Keatly Snyder novel cued up to see if it's just humor that doesn't play well to an older audience. I need a respite before I wade into that one. This could easily be the most wonderful thing a kid could find, so I'm not raggin' on it as itself. It's just so extremely ridiculously grotesquely overblown and overplayed and after all, that's how kids like 'em.
But really, moms and dads, read this before giving kids access to it. Every adult is malevolent or stupid or both. Every authority is deaf, every honest person is reviled by all and sundry. Serious question here: Do you want your kid absorbing this message? That s/he's alone against an uncaring-to-hostile world, with parents that won't listen, teachers that smell bad, take bribes, and collude with enemies of the state?
This isn't good. It panders to an invidious set of stereotypes that reinforce a helpless, whadda-ya-gonna-do passivity and does so with "humor" so it slides down their gullets easier.
This bothers the hell out of me.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
December 19, 2008
Wow!! This book is HILARIOUS! Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson were rockin awesome with their Peter and the Starcatcher stuff, but this is a whole new level of fantastic. I rated this so high because I can't remember when I laughed so hard. I can't say I love it in the same way I do some of the other books I rank this high, it isn't life altering but it is really entertaining. I read the book via audio and the guy who does the voices is riotously funny but the story, the plot twists and characters are just stellar! In particular, one character the reader made sound so much like Christopher Walken that I can't see anyone else playing that part should it ever become a movie.
This is definitely aimed at the younger set, but thankfully not so young that adults can't enjoy. I would guess anyone ages 8 and up would love it, and anyone who has endured either Middle School or being 13 will just love it. It has no profanity, and it blessedly free of any more than a blush between teenagers as far as affection. If you enjoy reading for fun, this is the book for you! I highly recommend it and I cannot wait to read this aloud to my kids...they're getting it for Christmas! Yes!!
This is definitely aimed at the younger set, but thankfully not so young that adults can't enjoy. I would guess anyone ages 8 and up would love it, and anyone who has endured either Middle School or being 13 will just love it. It has no profanity, and it blessedly free of any more than a blush between teenagers as far as affection. If you enjoy reading for fun, this is the book for you! I highly recommend it and I cannot wait to read this aloud to my kids...they're getting it for Christmas! Yes!!
April 25, 2019
OMG Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry! You can't go wrong with either of these two very skilled authors. Ridiculousness abounds in a complex sci-fi adventure plot which involves a middle school science fair project, a teen who makes stupid choices, a comedy-of-errors mystery, and a surprise ending.
This is a very funny highly enjoyable read for all ages with over-the-top satire featuring social and global commentary. There is no inappropriate content in terms of sex or language, so it is suitable for most middle-schoolers and I believe even the child who is "allergic" to reading, will read this relish.
This is a very funny highly enjoyable read for all ages with over-the-top satire featuring social and global commentary. There is no inappropriate content in terms of sex or language, so it is suitable for most middle-schoolers and I believe even the child who is "allergic" to reading, will read this relish.
December 19, 2014
Love this book! I want to add that I listened to this on a family road trip. I knew my husband and I would probably enjoy it because we are fans of Dave Barry, but wasn't sure if the kids would like it as well. They loved it! Made us all laugh out loud and made the trip even more enjoyable. We couldn't wait to get back in the car to see what happened. Phil Gigante narrated and did an amazing job - loved the Darth Vadar voice, the foreign accents and the Christopher Walken-esque Mr. Sternabite. Highly recommend this book (especially the audiobook) to everyone!
November 22, 2008
Very silly - would appeal to middle school boys. It's got the adventure, the gross scenes and a bit of the "My parents don't understand me" angst.
January 11, 2013
I have always enjoyed Dave Barry's humor column and the humor books he wrote. I wondered how he would do on a novel. I could hear Barry's "voice" in this book. In fact, it sounds a bit like his humor columns. He makes outrageous statements that you are suppose to believe. In this case I suppose you have to believe them because it is a story not a humor column so at least for purposes of the story they are "true". This works well in that this is a kids book and more entertainment than literature. Sort of a Saturday morning cartoon of a novel. I noticed that Barry also uses themes from his columns that I recognize. You will read about Mentos and Diet Coke, and the sparking rollerblades worn by Rollerblade Barbie. It has been awhile since I have read Barry's column. (My newpaper did reruns for a while after the column ended but not anymore.) There may be more references to column topics that I either did not remember or did not pick up on. This is a fun read and if you are younger than the main characters, Middle School Students, you may like it even more.
October 1, 2015
This is a very silly story, and I mean that in the best way possible.
Our main protagonist, Toby, is in the 8th or 9th grade, and acts like it- including various stupid chpoices, like stealing stuff from his parents to sell to buy a fancy gaming computer. This brings a second plot into action... but the first is the way a foreign national is subverting the Science Fair in order to bring down the United States, with the aid and assistance of ambitious and unethical parents and kids.
Naturally, everyone believes the rich kids, including the Feds. So it is up to our middle-schoolers to save the day!
Unlike some of Barry's adult novels, this has no inappropriate content in terms of sex or language, so is suitable for most middle-schoolers and up- though as an adult, I found it a very entertaining read.
Characterization was good; ridiculousness abounds; the plot(s) is/are complex and a bit farce-like, and there's a real snarky shout-out to Home Shopping Network.
Recommended if you like silly farces!
Our main protagonist, Toby, is in the 8th or 9th grade, and acts like it- including various stupid chpoices, like stealing stuff from his parents to sell to buy a fancy gaming computer. This brings a second plot into action... but the first is the way a foreign national is subverting the Science Fair in order to bring down the United States, with the aid and assistance of ambitious and unethical parents and kids.
Naturally, everyone believes the rich kids, including the Feds. So it is up to our middle-schoolers to save the day!
Unlike some of Barry's adult novels, this has no inappropriate content in terms of sex or language, so is suitable for most middle-schoolers and up- though as an adult, I found it a very entertaining read.
Characterization was good; ridiculousness abounds; the plot(s) is/are complex and a bit farce-like, and there's a real snarky shout-out to Home Shopping Network.
Recommended if you like silly farces!
December 16, 2008
I read this book because my 7 year-old son loved it (who doesn't love Dave Barry's silly humor?), but I am losing interest in the last few chapters. Darth Vader and the Wookie are trapped in the basement and 3 middle schoolers are driving around in a Weiner mobile trying to save the United States! Not a wide appeal to this book, middle school boys will love it(my son has read it three times).
October 5, 2016
This story was hilarious! I listened to the audiobook and the reader (Phil Gigante) was excellent with all the different voices and sound effects.
December 22, 2024
Fascinating commentary on the state of American politics, American middle school, American advertising, American policing, and American colonialism.
Possible morals of this story:
- Don’t steal your parents’ original Star Wars blaster signed by Harrison Ford and sell it on eBay
- Rich kids and their parents are the biggest enablers of terrorism
- American reality TV is also encouraging acts of terrorism
- The FBI will only hinder your attempts to save the country by sabotaging a science fair
- Never underestimate a janitor
- Do your own science project
Possible morals of this story:
- Don’t steal your parents’ original Star Wars blaster signed by Harrison Ford and sell it on eBay
- Rich kids and their parents are the biggest enablers of terrorism
- American reality TV is also encouraging acts of terrorism
- The FBI will only hinder your attempts to save the country by sabotaging a science fair
- Never underestimate a janitor
- Do your own science project
July 26, 2014
Dave Barry is a comic genius, and this book, written together with the co-author of Peter and the Shadow Thieves, is a laugh-out-loud masterpiece. It all centers around a science fair in a middle school where the rich, spoiled-rotten kids who always get their way, normally win the prize. This time the prize is bigger than ever, and so the rich kids cheat by getting their parents to bring home top-secret, classified technology from work, and endanger civilization as we know it to use in their projects, made for them by a local genius who is willing to do anything for a price. Unfortunately, they are all being manipulated by a mysterious person from a foreign country who fully intends to send the U.S.A. back into the stone age with this science fair.
The main character and middle-school every-boy, Toby, is a character that anyone can love and identify with. No one takes him seriously. Other kids make fun of him relentlessly. He has a friend named Micah, better known by his nickname, "Mucus", who intends to levitate a frog. He has a girlfriend named Tamara who sees the holes in every plan he makes and points them out at the worst possible times. He has already committed some grievous errors that he deeply regrets, but cannot change. Like I said, just like me. (Although my friend levitated eggs at the science fair and I had no girlfriends.) You will love this book if you love to laugh... in fact, you will love it if you only like to laugh a wee little bit. Heck, you'll laugh even if it kills you to do so.
The main character and middle-school every-boy, Toby, is a character that anyone can love and identify with. No one takes him seriously. Other kids make fun of him relentlessly. He has a friend named Micah, better known by his nickname, "Mucus", who intends to levitate a frog. He has a girlfriend named Tamara who sees the holes in every plan he makes and points them out at the worst possible times. He has already committed some grievous errors that he deeply regrets, but cannot change. Like I said, just like me. (Although my friend levitated eggs at the science fair and I had no girlfriends.) You will love this book if you love to laugh... in fact, you will love it if you only like to laugh a wee little bit. Heck, you'll laugh even if it kills you to do so.
May 25, 2020
Dave Barry's crazy humor is very evident throughout this book about three friends attending Hubble Middle School in Maryland & their crazy adventures when they try to create science projects to win their school's $5000 Science Fair prize. Unfortunately, the projects this year have been hijacked by a disgruntled foreigner from an unpronounceable country who is planning to destroy the United States using stolen technology unwittingly provided by the parents of cheating rich kid students. As Toby tries to warn the principal of the strange goings on, he is set up to be the fall guy & suspended from school & the science fair. As he tries to find someone who'll believe him, he also has to deal with two crazy guys dressed as Star War characters trying to blackmail Toby into turning over his parents' valuable Star Wars memorabilia collection as well as a weird science store owner & a host of bumbling FBI, CIA, & NSA agents & two secret agents sent to help their comrade complete the mission of destruction when they're not busy buying everything on Home Shopping Network. It's a crazy romp & the tension & frustration continue to build until you just want to yell, "Will everyone just shut up & listen to the kid already?"
December 18, 2017
Toby is a modern boy who wants to win the Hubble Middle School science fair because the winner gets $5,000. His problem is that all the rich kids usually win the science fair because they pay someone to do their project for them. Additionally, he also has to deal with Darth Vader, a guy who wants to buy his parents old Star Wars stuff from him, and he gets involved with government shenanigans.
I would recommend this book to a friend because the book has an interesting story line full of comedic sci-fi. It is a fun, suspenseful read.
One of the themes of the book is overcoming the odds as Toby saves the United States of America from Grdankl the Strong, leader of the Republic of Krpshtskan.“You will leave now," said Grdankl the Strong. "Go! Do not be afraid! If you die, it is okay!” (p. 81).
I would recommend this book to a friend because the book has an interesting story line full of comedic sci-fi. It is a fun, suspenseful read.
One of the themes of the book is overcoming the odds as Toby saves the United States of America from Grdankl the Strong, leader of the Republic of Krpshtskan.“You will leave now," said Grdankl the Strong. "Go! Do not be afraid! If you die, it is okay!” (p. 81).
Read
September 28, 2018From its opening scene in the capital city of Krpsht (pronounced “Krpsht”) to the final scene where the U.S. President has to award a medal to a frog, this is a hilarious send-up of the world of school science fairs. It’s similar in tone to Gordon Korman’s humorous novels, with interweaving stories that all come together at the end and laugh-out-loud moments of hilarity and insanity. I loved the portrayal of high school social life and the strong characterization of the characters: from the high school kids trying to compete against the rich elite kids (and their parents) to the mysterious owner of a local science equipment shop to the Star Wars fan trying desperately to get hold of some prime fan merchandize with his Wookiee assistant.—Lynn H.
November 22, 2018
The books written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson are always fun adventures. Science Fair is no exception. The main characters are colorful and relatable. The villains are believable and interesting. The man who looks like Darth Vadar with his Wookie-like companion are hilarious antagonists. The fact that a simple science fair competition can turn into a race to stop a plot that threatens the country is outlandish but never fails to draw laughs or intrigue. As a kid, this book was one of my favorites and I read it multiple times, laughing to myself frequently. I would recommend this book mainly to middle school students, who may most identify with the characters and situations. This said, adults will find many instances that will draw laughter and keep their attention.
March 3, 2019
This book is laugh out loud funny. I have done it both ways, but really prefer the audio version because the narration is so good.
Most kids from 5 and up will fall in love with it and so will the adults because the characters are just done so well in the audiobook version.
Listening to this book is one of our favorite memories from my sons childhood because there were so many belly laugh moments listening to this. Its a random story about a science fair and these terrorists from a tiny, 3rd world country who love to hate the US.
My son is 15... I only wish I had a good reason to revisit this one again, if only to see if it is still just as good, even though my son is now too grown up to giggle his way through it along with me.
Enjoy this one with your kids while you can!
Most kids from 5 and up will fall in love with it and so will the adults because the characters are just done so well in the audiobook version.
Listening to this book is one of our favorite memories from my sons childhood because there were so many belly laugh moments listening to this. Its a random story about a science fair and these terrorists from a tiny, 3rd world country who love to hate the US.
My son is 15... I only wish I had a good reason to revisit this one again, if only to see if it is still just as good, even though my son is now too grown up to giggle his way through it along with me.
Enjoy this one with your kids while you can!
October 9, 2017
This is about a middle school that is having a science fair. Whoever wins the science fair gets a prize of $5,000. The "cool" kids always win somehow and the main character Toby finds out they are getting someone else to build there science fair projects. He also has to deal with these Star Wars geeks and with these foreign people from Krptshkan. I really like this book because it's funny. It's also really adventurous. I quote I like is when he is talking about his plan to find out what to do to win the science fair.I would recommend this book to my friends because it's funny and is awesome. The major theme in this book is bravery.
March 8, 2016
What do a vowel-deprived foreign group plotting to take down the US, a couple of Darth Vader and Wookie wanna-bes, and an enigmatic science genius have in common?
The highly competitive Hubble Middle School Science Fair.
Over the years, I have occasionally run into Dave's columns and interviews. It's been a series of hit-or-miss experiences.
This great collaboration between Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson is a genuinely funny story replete with a whole cast of quirky characters.
Just very silly fun!
The highly competitive Hubble Middle School Science Fair.
Over the years, I have occasionally run into Dave's columns and interviews. It's been a series of hit-or-miss experiences.
This great collaboration between Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson is a genuinely funny story replete with a whole cast of quirky characters.
Just very silly fun!
August 22, 2010
We listened to this as a family, and it was great. The adults could see the plot twists coming, but we didn't care: we were laughing the whole time. The Star Wars connections were really funny.
After slogging through Barry & Pearson's Peter Pan stories, and not being too impressed, we were not sure what to expect here. Barry gets to be funny and Pearson gets to spin a good tale- what more could you ask for a family-friendly book?
After slogging through Barry & Pearson's Peter Pan stories, and not being too impressed, we were not sure what to expect here. Barry gets to be funny and Pearson gets to spin a good tale- what more could you ask for a family-friendly book?
July 18, 2017
Wonderful, funny story. I am glad to have read it!
October 2, 2017
Amazing book! Wonderful, packed storyline, filled with humor! Star Wars fans might relate to some of the characters in this book!
May 23, 2024
Amazing fun and unpredictable plot! We have listed to the audiobook 3-4 times as a family when on a road trip and love this book. As a hardcover, a great read as well.
I can't think of a better family friendly fun book!
I can't think of a better family friendly fun book!
March 24, 2025
Basically as bad as the cover looks. Kinda funny, though.
May 12, 2019
SCIENCE FAIR, co-written by Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry and NYT bestselling author Ridley Scott, was just the palate cleanser I needed after reading two dark fantasies.
This middle-grade action adventure is all about Toby, who needs to win his school’s science fair’s $5,000 prize. See, he has to pay back the money to a man who bought one of Toby’s parents’ Star Wars collectibles that Toby surreptitiously sold on eBay to pay for a gaming system. The man is now claiming the signature on the item is a forgery. Whew! That’s just the beginning!
Every year the rich students at Hubble Middle Scool buy their science projects and have someone else put them together. That’s all the effort they put into it. And one of them usually wins. Toby and his two friends are set on exposing the cheating.
In the middle of the story there is the inevitable “something terrible is going to happen and none of the grownups will believe us!” part of the adventure.
I love that it plays out just like a kids movie, with all the snarkiness, bumbling bad guys, pratfalls, etc. There’s even a police chase after an Oscar Meyer Weinermobile.
Several moments of “how do we get out of THIS!” happen to ratchet up the tension.
One thing that was disappointing was that the frog (Fester) didn’t have a larger part in the story. After all, he’s on the cover of the book!
Overall, it was a fun read. You do need to suspend your disbelief for it though. It’s just a really fun time. Enjoy the ride!
This middle-grade action adventure is all about Toby, who needs to win his school’s science fair’s $5,000 prize. See, he has to pay back the money to a man who bought one of Toby’s parents’ Star Wars collectibles that Toby surreptitiously sold on eBay to pay for a gaming system. The man is now claiming the signature on the item is a forgery. Whew! That’s just the beginning!
Every year the rich students at Hubble Middle Scool buy their science projects and have someone else put them together. That’s all the effort they put into it. And one of them usually wins. Toby and his two friends are set on exposing the cheating.
In the middle of the story there is the inevitable “something terrible is going to happen and none of the grownups will believe us!” part of the adventure.
I love that it plays out just like a kids movie, with all the snarkiness, bumbling bad guys, pratfalls, etc. There’s even a police chase after an Oscar Meyer Weinermobile.
Several moments of “how do we get out of THIS!” happen to ratchet up the tension.
Toby had spent several minutes talking very fast, trying to explain to his parents how he and his fellow prisoners had managed to (a) escape from federal custody, and (b) show up in the middle of a robbery with the Weinermobile and, by the way, an invisibility device. Toby then tried to explain why they needed to get to the science fair right away, because of Sternabite’s warning that something very bad was going to happen.
One thing that was disappointing was that the frog (Fester) didn’t have a larger part in the story. After all, he’s on the cover of the book!
Overall, it was a fun read. You do need to suspend your disbelief for it though. It’s just a really fun time. Enjoy the ride!
June 27, 2009
Reading this book is like sitting through the noise of fingernails trailing down a blackboard. What's worse is that you're left with a residual ringing in the ears that diminishes but doesn't quite disappear. The pop culture allusions were so dated that you could tell the author are middle-age writers. I'm really not sure who the intended audience is because the humor seemed to involve adult sensibilities--with the jabs at various stereotypes of hippy-dippy parents, government incompentence, etc, while incorporating slapstick humor (think stinky cheese and cardboard cutouts of evil characters). I can't see the appeal for a middle school kid. It's like movie/tv producers got together to write a humorous book for kids and believed that the same humor that appeals to adults should appeal to kids. But just to make sure that the "target" audience is reached, they'll through in a few gross scences. (for a more graphic example, see the movie Shrek)
May 22, 2022
This is a silly book, a really silly book. It's got a silly start and every page has something silly.
The cover art makes it look a little serious, but possibly silly, but nope, soon as you walk in, it's non-serious goofball adventures.
The book doesn't however, read in a way most teenagers or young kids would enjoy. It's aging already, with references to Brad Pitt in it among other lines. There are moments the kids talk like adults, the adults talk like kids. There's no consistency to it within the first chapter or two, and that ruins the immersion.
Is it a bad book? No, but it's trying to be Dean Koontz for kids when most kids don't want Dean Koontz. A very niche book for a very niche crowd. Would make a good audiobook though!
The cover art makes it look a little serious, but possibly silly, but nope, soon as you walk in, it's non-serious goofball adventures.
The book doesn't however, read in a way most teenagers or young kids would enjoy. It's aging already, with references to Brad Pitt in it among other lines. There are moments the kids talk like adults, the adults talk like kids. There's no consistency to it within the first chapter or two, and that ruins the immersion.
Is it a bad book? No, but it's trying to be Dean Koontz for kids when most kids don't want Dean Koontz. A very niche book for a very niche crowd. Would make a good audiobook though!
March 8, 2009
This mildly humorous book is filled with stereotypes and contemporary cultural issues and images that will date it quickly. I found it particularly difficult to respond to the jarring portrayal of the Krpshtskan villains. Much of the humor depends on spoofing myriad stereotypes - teachers, aging hippy parents, government efficacy, wealthy greed, to name a few. I wonder how many of these cultural jokes are beyond the young readers' understanding. Dave Barry's signature humor comes through occasionally to relieve the slapstick, over-the-top tone but not enough to redeem the book. I did love the giant diet Coke and Mentos project.
February 2, 2017
Star Wars, spies, terrorists, spoiled rich kids who lose, a hermit scientist... It's great! Except for all the sneaking out and going behind the parents' backs.
October 26, 2017
It's a simple read with fun humor and a mix of different genres, leaving readers laughing at the stupid remarks made in the book. A great easy ready.
May 29, 2018
Laugh out loud funny. A great audio book for kids and adults alike.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews