Funny Kid For President

Funny Kid #1

by Matt Stanton

Big Nate meets Timmy Failure in Funny Kid for President, the first book in an uproarious new middle grade series by Matt Stanton, Australia’s bestselling children’s book author.

When Max gets blamed for pooping in the storeroom (which he did NOT do), tensions hit an all-time high between him and his terrifyingly large teacher, Mr. Armstrong. But then, the most unexpected thing happens—the school principal, Mrs. Sniggles, suggests Max run for class president.

Max isn’t the only kid on the ballot, however. His archenemy, Abby Purcell, is also up for election—and she’s out to defeat him at all costs. To win, Max is going to need the 24/7 help of his best friend, Hugo, and he’s going to have to run the campaign of a lifetime.

Max may not be the smartest or fastest kid, or the handsomest, but he just might be the funniest kid you’ll ever meet—and it’s this talent that could turn him from underdog to top dog. Max for President!

Matt Stanton brings his veteran children’s book chops to this hilarious new series, perfect for early middle grade readers looking for side-splitting laughs!

Genres: Humor, School, Childrens, Middle Grade, 2nd Grade

240 pages, Hardcover

First published June 19, 2017

About the author

Matt Stanton is a bestselling children's author and illustrator, with over a quarter of a million books in print. He is the co-creator of seven bestselling picture books, including the mega-hits, There is a Monster Under My Bed Who Farts and This is a Ball. He is launching his much-anticipated middle-grade series, Funny Kid around the world in July 2017.

Email: matt.stanton@gmail.com

Reviews

[Kelly Veatch · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know my kids would love this book, but I do not! I have similar books like this one with similar type of humor, but I just don't like this type of book. Here are the things that I do not like about it: The entire story centers around some poop that was found in the floor of a storeroom at the school. The topic of poop is introduced in the very first chapter and continues throughout. Phrases/words like the following are used in the book: suck, stupid, idiot, butt, snot, fart, vomit, etc. There is a scene in the book where a kid vomits in the library, and the author describes it like a school shooting with phrases such as "there were bodies everywhere". I do not think that is appropriate in light of the current situation with school shootings in our country. Mr. Armstrong is a terrible character. He's a teacher who bullies kids, is disrespectful, and his character does not teach readers proper values. I just really did not like this book.

[Katy Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious school-set story that primary readers will love

First chapter- there's a poo in the classroom. Right. Yes, this is how it starts. Readers will be hooked. Max is blamed for the sneaky cupboard Number Two, which he rigorously denies, and ends up running for Class President to try and prove his innocence and stop the class teacher putting anyone else in the role.

This reminded me of Timmy Failure, which I've always preferred to Wimpy Kid as a smarter diary-style narrative. Big cartoon illustrations, short episodic chapters, very funny style, and including a crazy animal (here an obsessed rabbit).

An evil teacher, some stereotypical rivals for the President role, an unequal friendship and a smart-alec lead character will amuse children from start to finish.

Would be a good one to recommend to reluctant primary readers, and to anyone who likes a breezy fun read, aged 9-13.

[Pooja Banga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely worth reading

You will find all elements of children's book in it ..

I had a good time reading it ..

Moreover you will be able to finish it in really very short span of time

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny kid for president by Matt Stanton is worthy of a big 5 star rating. Funny kid begins with Mr Armstrong (Max’s teacher) discovering a poop in the store room cupboard and blaming it on Max. Max finds himself in impossible situations however with a bit of support from those around him he learns that he can finger things out.
I love how Matt Stanton shows that when a bit of play and humour is added to a situation, things can work out far better than what you imagined.
And I thought Max’s little duck was a star 🦆 💫

[AaronMinecraftPro · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book in my book shelf, and revisited it after a few years of it collecting dust. This book is a fun, easy read, and is good if you just want something to read to pass the time. The book, though, isn't that interesting, and feels a little short-lived. I don't recommend this book to anyone who wants a long read, but to just pass the time if you're grounded, for example. An example of this is how there isn't that much development of the character. This book is a very short 239 pages.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that starts with poop doesn’t promise the world. I get it, I’m not the target audience, so don’t find poo humour all that funny. It’s a cheap way for laughs.
But hey, if it gets kids reading I’ll happily support it. I read it to my daughter and she listened attentively, especially for a four-year-old (her choice), but she didn’t seem to find it funny at all.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really is as funny as it sounds. Here's my review for the CBCA. http://readingtime.com.au/funny-kid-p...

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het allereerste boek in de Max Modderman serie, eindelijk kon ik hem dan lezen nu de bibliotheek weer open is. Hopelijk kan ik ook snel de andere delen lezen. Ik vond het erg leuk geschreven, al was Max wel irritant... Maar gelukkig zie je ook andere eigenschappen die dan weer wel leuk zijn. En ik ben blij dat de leraar terug kreeg wat hij hoorde te krijgen en niet zoals andere boeken dat dat soort leraren met alles weg komen. Het was echt een irritante vent en het soort type dat nooit maar dan ook nooit met kinderen in aanraking zou moeten komen.
In dit boek heeft Max te bewijzen dat hij geen poepie heeft gelaten, er is een eend die hem heel graag wilt, en er is een verkiezing voor klassenvertegenwoordiger (daarom snap ik niet heel goed waarom de Nederlandse titel zo is veranderd). Ik heb heerlijk gelachen en gegiecheld. Echt leuk om te lezen en ik ben blij met wie de klassenvertegenwoordiger is geworden.

[Julie Garner · Rating 4 out of 5]

It begins with a poo in the cupboard...the kids are going to love it!!! There is an attack duck, a loveable but dorky best friend, an arch enemy and a drill sergant for a teacher.
Stanton is one of the co-creators of There's a Monster Under My Bed who Farts so kids will already by familiar with his work.
Max decides to run for Class President and is at a loss for what his platform should be...right up until the attack duck makes an appearance and his response has his classmates in fits of laughter. From that moment on, he becomes the funny kid and runs on that platform.
Not only is this a fun book for kids, but it shows them that they need to put in some effort in order to achieve. That you can stand up for your rights and that is okay. On the flip side, it also shows you that poo can be funny and it doesn't always have to be completely disgusting.

[Mindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

While there were parts of this book that I thought were clever, too much of the book felt familiar to me. Max's unappreciative relationship with his best friend Hugo is too similar to Greg and Rowley in Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Timmy and Rollo in the Timmy Failure books. Additionally, Max having an evil enemy classmate seemed very similar to Timmy Failure as well.

Besides those similarities, I did enjoy the plot. I enjoyed that Max struggled to figure out how to sell himself to his classmates, then ended up embracing his best quality (humor) to try and get the win.

Spoiler: I actually didn't get that Hugo was the pooper until it was revealed. I kept vacillating between Mr. Armstrong, Abby, or Layla. Enjoyed that surprise!

I would still recommend this book to my third graders, as they would enjoy the familiar plot and characters.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matt Stanton is the co-creator of seven bestselling picture books, including Did You Take the B from my Book?, There is a Monster Under my Bed Who Farts, This is a Ball and The Pirate Who Had to Pee. His distinctive form of humour, beware there is lots of poop, vomit and wee humour, is found in his first junior novel. Children will laugh out loud at some of Max’s misadventures as he copes with his sports-loving teacher Mr Armstrong, “a hairless gorilla who eats puppies for breakfast”, and his evil enemy Abby Purcell. A mix of graphic style illustrations and text makes this a perfect read for reluctant readers, or simply for those who love crazy antics of children trying to beat the system.

Suitable for 8+

[Lisa Cobb Sabatini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy of Funny Kid for President by Matt Stanton from Goodreads.

Young readers will cheer on Max Walburt as he takes on his mean teacher and navigates classroom politics in Matt Stanton's funny middle school book, Funny Kid for President.
What's the worst thing that can happen to Max when his teacher discovers poop in the storage closet? Will Max get revenge on his teacher? How will Max's classmates react?
Readers will find plenty to laugh about and may even learn a few things along the way. With young characters who readers will recognize from among their own peers and a plotline that just won't quit with the humor, this series is sure to become a favorite. Funny Kid for President will keep young readers laughing and reading.

[Rhonda Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this kids book with my son, at first -- how can a book starting out about poop not be funny? -- but then I needed to do some other stuff, and he finished it first. Then he was too excited to not blurt out that there was a plot twist...but I made him stop there and not share what it was, so I could read it. (Love the chapter title with Star Wars and Harry Potter reference to another student.) Unfortunately, it looks like this book just was published and the next book won't be out for awhile! I'm sure my son would've given this book a higher rating than I did... :)

[Luci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in the giveaway and passed it on to my nine year old. He read the entire book in one night, which is highly unusual for my kid who would rather do anything but read. That night, I heard what I thought were sobs coming from his room after lights out. I went down the hallway to see what was wrong, and he was laughing hysterically beneath the covers. I'll let him update with a review in his own words later to point out his favorite parts of the book.

[Gene Macy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was pretty good. What was good, was the plot twists. Their are several in the book where you think one thing would happen to a character, but it doesn’t, or at least for the most part. The funny thing, is even though the results might seem disappointing, they somehow are able to keep the book a good book. If you like school stories, like diary of a wimpy kid, you might like this one as well.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max isn't the fastest, tallest, best looking, or smartest kid in the class. He has a duck that follows him around and his teacher is out to get him. How can he run for class president? This book is FUNNY. The age range listed is 8-12, I would recommend it for the younger kids. Poop jokes included.
I received a copy through GoodReads FirstReads.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being unjustly accused of pooping in storeroom by his despotic teacher, class-clown Max Walburt decides to run for class president. A surprising principal, a cast of typical classmates (the jock, the nerd, the teacher’s pet etc , a psychotic duck and a simple but silly plot add up to a heavily illustrated chapter book that is perfect for fans of the Wimpy Kid series.

[Christie Stoneback · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duck 🦆 goes crazy Hugo poops in store room.
Lucky duckey Luke 9 years old

[Alistair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max is in middle school, and generally gets by okay. That is, except for his two nemesis: his class teacher, Mr Armstrong, who tends to blame Max for anything and everything that goes wrong; and Abby Purcell, a girl in Max’s class who ruins EVERYTHING, mainly because she’s a smart cookie. Abby is introduced to The Reader “If Darth Vader and Voldemort had a daughter...”
When the principal questions Mr Armstrong as to why Max’s class has no class president, Max sees a way of triumphing over both teacher and Abby with the dubious help of best friend Hugo (and a strange duck who has adopted Max). Of course the route to power is never smooth, as Max discovers in this genuinely funny book.

[Tobi Weepers · Rating 5 out of 5]

my kids loved this series, tho the first one is not our favourite. Each book has them laughing out loud and when one book finishes they are always begging for the next. I have 4 kids ages 6- 14 1 girl (youngest) and 3 boys and I enjoy the stories too tho slapstick where mr Armstrong's character returns is probably my favorites. If you don't like toilet humour you probably need to pass on this novel.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received and ARC in a Goodreads giveaway.

I didn't actually read this, but I gave it to my 8 year old nephew who absolutely loved it. He couldn't wait to tell me how funny it was and how much he enjoyed it. He is a big fan of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and this was right up his alley. I had to promise him I would get him the next one in the series when it comes out.

[Arline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik had een kinderboek verwacht wat echt gericht is op kinderen. Is het ook maar dan met zoveel humor dat het voor volwassenen ook een leuk boek is. De humor zit zowel in het verhaal als in het visuele. Soms wat flauw maar ik heb ook een aantal keer echt moeten grinniken.
Serieus benieuwd naar het volgende deel :)

[Kiara Selena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one quite a bit. The edition I read had a dyslexia-friendly font which even as someone without dyslexia, I appreciated. I felt my eyes were able to flow easily through the words. It was an enjoyable read, easy to follow, funny (and I'm sure the designated demographic, middle schoolers, would find it even more hilarious). My favourite part was the feisty little duck!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best opening for a "boy book" -- "Someone pooped in the storeroom. Actually pooped. In the middle of the floor. It's lying there in the dark, like a lonely, sleeping baby mole." Who couldn't sell that to a third-grade boy?

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a winner for kids who like potty humor and unfair teacher humor. I personally don’t love those things, but kids will eat it up. Pretty solid plot hidden behind all the laughs too. For fans of Weird School, Captain Underpants, and Wimpy Kid.

[Christine Turner]

Publisher Weekly recommends this book for children ages 8–12.

Subject: Elections -- Juvenile fiction.
Middle schools -- Juvenile fiction.
Schools -- Juvenile fiction.
Illustrated children's books.
Humorous stories -- Juvenile literature.

[Kinzlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was kind of weird thats why its a four star and not five I have school thing at my house where I teach my dad and my brother and where learning about presidents and I was going to read this book for fun and i think love it.

[Sharlene Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for a toilet humour, middle school laugh ... share with any Jeff Kinney fans ;)

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of potty humor, which I don't normally enjoy, but it is quite humorous!
It has excellent descriptive details about the middle school characters.

[Jennifer Knechtmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny book. Has some wit, I just wish it could stay away from potty humor. To me that gets really old.