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Neil Armstrong is My Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me
"Muscle Man McGinty is a squirrelly runt, a lying snake, and a pitiful excuse for a ten-year old......the problem is that no one knows it but me. In the entire town of Massapequa Park, only I can see him for what he really is. A phony.
It's the summer of 1969, and things are not only changing in Tamara's little Long Island town, but in the world. Perhaps Tamara could stand to take one small step toward a bit of compassion and understanding? A terrific debut novel with truly vivid characters and a wonderful voice.
It's the summer of 1969, and things are not only changing in Tamara's little Long Island town, but in the world. Perhaps Tamara could stand to take one small step toward a bit of compassion and understanding? A terrific debut novel with truly vivid characters and a wonderful voice.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
July 1, 2009
It's the summer of '69, but we're not talking Woodstock--we're talking kickball, Neil Armstrong, and the ice cream man. Our narrator, Tamara, has just finished the fifth grade. She's unhappy because her best friend has suddenly moved away and in her place a runty, mendacious boy nicknamed Muscle Man has moved in. Sadly, she takes her frustration out on poor Muscle Man, who smiles through all her bullying like a love-hungry puppy who doesn't know any better.
I think we're used to hearing stories like this from the perspective of the victim (Muscle Man) or the hero (which could be any of the other kids in the neighborhood--they're all very nice). That we hear it from Tamara, who is basically the villain, makes it interesting. The reader gets an inside look at why she's cruel and how she doesn't really see herself as cruel at all. I can't say I really enjoyed reading about a clueless mean kid, but it was a good idea and fairly well-executed.
There are a lot of what we call "issues" in this book: loss, death, bad parents, class differences. I think, though, that the issue that stood out to me is when and why it's sometimes better to lie than tell the truth. The book doesn't spell it out too overtly, which I liked.
I think we're used to hearing stories like this from the perspective of the victim (Muscle Man) or the hero (which could be any of the other kids in the neighborhood--they're all very nice). That we hear it from Tamara, who is basically the villain, makes it interesting. The reader gets an inside look at why she's cruel and how she doesn't really see herself as cruel at all. I can't say I really enjoyed reading about a clueless mean kid, but it was a good idea and fairly well-executed.
There are a lot of what we call "issues" in this book: loss, death, bad parents, class differences. I think, though, that the issue that stood out to me is when and why it's sometimes better to lie than tell the truth. The book doesn't spell it out too overtly, which I liked.
June 25, 2011
Great child-accessible portrayal of the era: from Vietnam to gender roles, the hippy movement and moon landing. Add to that a great story of friendship and keeping an open mind and you've got a book that has it all!.....One harsh moment: realizing my childhood is now "historical" fiction. >sigh<
September 26, 2018
This book brought along with it an onslaught of memories for me. It's a great little story for just about any age. Plenty here for thought and discussion. Loved the book.
April 27, 2011
For once you can see why a main character is so annoying. Tammy hates her new next-door neighbor because he has taken the place in foster care of what had been her best friend. Everything revolves around her hurts and needs (so what if her friend and her friend's mom have to go into hiding because of the father?), which is fairly typical for an adolescent. But her parents seem to be the same. Her mother is only involved in her soap operas and her father uses his job, which he seems to hate, as a club to beat them with. They don't do anything with her other than offer the basics plus chores. In desperation, she actually watches soap operas with her mom in order to learn how people say one thing but mean something else. I can't imagine, grounded or not, preventing a child from seeing the moon landing, but perhaps her parents weren't even planning to watch it themselves. While not exactly child abuse, it does show a lack of perspective. Watching Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon is not "television," it's science and it's history. Dang, it's almost schoolwork!
Muscle Man is an irrepressible fabulist who charms the socks off of everyone else in the neighborhood or wears them down until they give up. He counters all rejection from Tammy with a big smile. I can see where that could be annoying. That he is that cheerful although in foster care because both of his parents were killed in an accident seems unlikely.
Tammy's neighbors with the perfect yard and the 13 Barbie dolls were a bit over the top. I'm sure there is some deep, dark secret in that family that will fester until one day it erupts into macabre. But maybe this is just through the filter of Tammy's envy.
Oh, and as well as the backdrop of the moon mission, there is some Vietnam thrown in and her older brother berates the father for working for the military-industrial complex - "the man." [I'm sure this went on in some homes, but, honestly, it wasn't happening in ours at that time.] Perhaps more could have been done with that. Just about everyone in the nation had Vietnam for dinner with casualty lists and gory footage.
Muscle Man is an irrepressible fabulist who charms the socks off of everyone else in the neighborhood or wears them down until they give up. He counters all rejection from Tammy with a big smile. I can see where that could be annoying. That he is that cheerful although in foster care because both of his parents were killed in an accident seems unlikely.
Tammy's neighbors with the perfect yard and the 13 Barbie dolls were a bit over the top. I'm sure there is some deep, dark secret in that family that will fester until one day it erupts into macabre. But maybe this is just through the filter of Tammy's envy.
Oh, and as well as the backdrop of the moon mission, there is some Vietnam thrown in and her older brother berates the father for working for the military-industrial complex - "the man." [I'm sure this went on in some homes, but, honestly, it wasn't happening in ours at that time.] Perhaps more could have been done with that. Just about everyone in the nation had Vietnam for dinner with casualty lists and gory footage.
September 6, 2009
What did you like most about this book? The time period was a favorite element in this book. I love the late 60's and the innocence that seemed to still exist. During the summer all of the neighborhood kids would get all worked when the heard the ice-cream truck coming. They would play endless games of kickball, and have special meetings to decide quarrels. I also really liked Douglas, AKA Muscle Man McGinty. He's a sweet soul who is a foster kid, but all Tamara knows is that her best friend Kebsie doesn't live at the foster home any longer, and now Muscle Man is sleeping in her friend's old room. She doesn't realize why he feels the need to tell whoppers. She's mad at him for all of the wrong reasons and is bound and determined to turn all of the other kids against him. Does she succeed in doing this or does she ultimately come to understand and to accept Douglas as a friend?
Have you read any other books by this author? This is actually Nan Marino's first book. I felt she did a wonderful job of re-creating the excitement of the first moon walk and how everyone in America was sitting around their televisions to watch this historic event. The Vietnam War comes into play during the novel and is dealt with beautifully. She also takes on death and loneliness in a language that kids can understand.
I would highly recommend this book to any parent who is looking for a worthwhile read for their child. As a middle school library lady, I know for sure that this is one book I will adding to our school's collection in the fall. I look forward to what Nan Marino writes next!!
Have you read any other books by this author? This is actually Nan Marino's first book. I felt she did a wonderful job of re-creating the excitement of the first moon walk and how everyone in America was sitting around their televisions to watch this historic event. The Vietnam War comes into play during the novel and is dealt with beautifully. She also takes on death and loneliness in a language that kids can understand.
I would highly recommend this book to any parent who is looking for a worthwhile read for their child. As a middle school library lady, I know for sure that this is one book I will adding to our school's collection in the fall. I look forward to what Nan Marino writes next!!
September 1, 2009
Best first line I've read in a long while: Muscle Man McGinty is a squirrelly runt, a lying snake, and a pitiful excuse for a ten-year-old.
Lots here to like. This is the first kids' novel I can remember reading where we see everything from the point of view of an antagonistic character. Tamara is kind of a bully. Okay, she's a pretty big bully to Muscle Man. Don't know if she treats anyone else that way, but from her references to being grounded all the time and kids rolling their eyes at her make me think she does.
Usually, when I read books with an antagonistic kid, I just don't like the kid enough to make me like the book. But Marino paints Tamara so well that I liked her anyway. I just wanted her to learn to like Muscle Man, too.
And speaking of Muscle Man, what a fantastic little character: brilliant attitude, sense of humor, and a huge heart. I love how the opening paragraphs make you think Muscle Man is the "bad guy", then Marino flips it around on you and suddenly he is the hero. And he really is the hero. I really love that kid.
Marino has really created something noteworthy here. I'm reading along, just enjoying the story, when suddenly, BAM--she makes me cry. One line from Muscle Man, one sweet, heart-rending line, blew me out of the water. Loved it.
My favorite quote: I will not keep the truth locked inside me. I will set my Slinky free." >> page 12
Lots here to like. This is the first kids' novel I can remember reading where we see everything from the point of view of an antagonistic character. Tamara is kind of a bully. Okay, she's a pretty big bully to Muscle Man. Don't know if she treats anyone else that way, but from her references to being grounded all the time and kids rolling their eyes at her make me think she does.
Usually, when I read books with an antagonistic kid, I just don't like the kid enough to make me like the book. But Marino paints Tamara so well that I liked her anyway. I just wanted her to learn to like Muscle Man, too.
And speaking of Muscle Man, what a fantastic little character: brilliant attitude, sense of humor, and a huge heart. I love how the opening paragraphs make you think Muscle Man is the "bad guy", then Marino flips it around on you and suddenly he is the hero. And he really is the hero. I really love that kid.
Marino has really created something noteworthy here. I'm reading along, just enjoying the story, when suddenly, BAM--she makes me cry. One line from Muscle Man, one sweet, heart-rending line, blew me out of the water. Loved it.
My favorite quote: I will not keep the truth locked inside me. I will set my Slinky free." >> page 12
September 18, 2009
So you know how everyone's buzzing about When You Reach Me? I'm going to go out on a limb here and brace myself on the inevitable tar-and-feather treatment that I'm expecting as a response to this statement.
I liked this book better.
Both books have a lot of similar features. Both books have amazingly beautiful yet efficient writing, where words are not wasted. Both are works of historical fiction (this one takes place in 1969). In both stories, the main characters learn some lessons about friendship and its complexities.
On paper, both of these books are very similar. In fact, I would readily give a child who enjoyed either of these books the other. But there's just something about this book that I liked more. Maybe it's because this is one of those stories where the central character is the "bad guy" and her enemy is the "good guy." It could be the fact that Tamara's character is so brilliantly honest and true to how so many kids of her age are in their quest for personal justice. It also might have something to do with the book's treatment of the moon landing and Vietnam from a child's perspective as an observer. Heck, it might even be the fact that the nieghborhood kickball games reminded me of the movie The Sandlot in its nostalgic treatment of the 1960s in the context of one kid's summer. For me, I'm going to say it was probably a little bit of all of these reasons and chalk it up to personal preference.
Major kudos to the author for putting together such a good debut novel. To the rest of you - go read it. Even if you loved When You Reach Me. Perhaps even because you loved it. You'll appreciate this one for their similarities, but love it for it's uniqueness.
I liked this book better.
Both books have a lot of similar features. Both books have amazingly beautiful yet efficient writing, where words are not wasted. Both are works of historical fiction (this one takes place in 1969). In both stories, the main characters learn some lessons about friendship and its complexities.
On paper, both of these books are very similar. In fact, I would readily give a child who enjoyed either of these books the other. But there's just something about this book that I liked more. Maybe it's because this is one of those stories where the central character is the "bad guy" and her enemy is the "good guy." It could be the fact that Tamara's character is so brilliantly honest and true to how so many kids of her age are in their quest for personal justice. It also might have something to do with the book's treatment of the moon landing and Vietnam from a child's perspective as an observer. Heck, it might even be the fact that the nieghborhood kickball games reminded me of the movie The Sandlot in its nostalgic treatment of the 1960s in the context of one kid's summer. For me, I'm going to say it was probably a little bit of all of these reasons and chalk it up to personal preference.
Major kudos to the author for putting together such a good debut novel. To the rest of you - go read it. Even if you loved When You Reach Me. Perhaps even because you loved it. You'll appreciate this one for their similarities, but love it for it's uniqueness.
May 30, 2009
I was fortunate to receive a copy of Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle And Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me by Nan Marino from Roaring Brook Press. This is a sweet, funny story set in upstate New York just before the moon landing, focusing on a group of neighborhood children who have their own hierarchy and rules. Tammy, the narrator, can't stand the newcomer to the neighborhood, a scrawny boy she mockingly dubs "Muscle Man." He tells outrageous lies, the most recent of which is that Neil Armstrong is his uncle. The other children let his lies slide, which infuriates Tammy, who continues to pick on Muscle Man. It gradually dawned on me that Tammy is a bully, and the reason I didn't notice immediately is that Marino draws her so sympathetically. She's grieving for her best friend who moved without a forwarding address, and she resents Muscle Man as the newcomer. Muscle Man responds to Tammy's mean comments with kindness that only angers Tammy further. The impending moon landing, Woodstock, and the Vietnam War hover mostly in the background (with the exception of a touching subplot involving a neighbor whose son is serving). I found myself utterly swept up in the naive world of these children in the summer of 1969, and hoping that Tammy and Muscle Man would find solace in friendship with each other. This is the perfect book for teaching children how to understand another person's point of view and that everyone has his own problems, and I recommend it to adults and children alike.
December 9, 2014
What a delightful book! While the world watches Neil Armstrong take his first step on the moon in 1969, the town of Massapequa Park grieves the loss of a young 18 year old man who will never return. When Tamara's brother's best friend Vinnie dies in the battlefield of Viet Nam, she learns to look at life differently.
A few months earlier, Douglas McGinty moved to town, residing in a home of a lovely woman who takes in foster children. Tamara's best friend was a foster child in this home, and she despises Douglas knowing he can never take the place of her beloved friend.
Tough, insecure and ready to doubt everyone, she makes fun of this scrawny boy, whom she calls Muscle Man McGinty. Similar to the character of Dill in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Muscle man tends to brag and exaggerate, leaving Tamara hopping mad.
A foster child, Muscle Man always tries to smile and be happy. As the story unfolds, Tamara learns that he recently lost both parents. Her recent loss of a friend who moved away and never told her, allows her to gradually relate to Muscle Man and his loss.
This is a wonderful story of small-town Americana in the late 1960's. It was a time when children safely played kick ball and waited for the Mr. Softee truck to deliver ice cream. While in the nation larger events unfold.
Highly recommended!
A few months earlier, Douglas McGinty moved to town, residing in a home of a lovely woman who takes in foster children. Tamara's best friend was a foster child in this home, and she despises Douglas knowing he can never take the place of her beloved friend.
Tough, insecure and ready to doubt everyone, she makes fun of this scrawny boy, whom she calls Muscle Man McGinty. Similar to the character of Dill in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Muscle man tends to brag and exaggerate, leaving Tamara hopping mad.
A foster child, Muscle Man always tries to smile and be happy. As the story unfolds, Tamara learns that he recently lost both parents. Her recent loss of a friend who moved away and never told her, allows her to gradually relate to Muscle Man and his loss.
This is a wonderful story of small-town Americana in the late 1960's. It was a time when children safely played kick ball and waited for the Mr. Softee truck to deliver ice cream. While in the nation larger events unfold.
Highly recommended!
June 17, 2009
Excellent historical fiction for middle-grade readers. Set in the summer of 1969, the story follows Tamara, whose best friend has unexpectedly moved away, only to be replaced by a boy who manages to get away with telling outrageous lies and winning everyone else's friendship. The emotional story of their unlikely friendship is a surprise. Just who is the bad guy here? Well, nobody. A fast-moving, thoughtful, and often humorous look into the friendship and family dynamics of a small-town neighborhood street, and the children who are coping with loss and loneliness.
I'd like to use this book for a book club or literature circle with 4th or 5th graders next year. There are lots of topics for discussion. Plus, I think they would enjoy doing some internet research on the historical elements in the book--Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, watching videos of the first moonwalk (I remember staying up late with my cousins to watch it and having lots of vanilla ice cream), the Vietnam War, hippies, and Woodstock. Arrooo!
I'd like to use this book for a book club or literature circle with 4th or 5th graders next year. There are lots of topics for discussion. Plus, I think they would enjoy doing some internet research on the historical elements in the book--Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, watching videos of the first moonwalk (I remember staying up late with my cousins to watch it and having lots of vanilla ice cream), the Vietnam War, hippies, and Woodstock. Arrooo!
November 19, 2011
From the title I expected a story about an older person: Muscle Man McGinty - I expected a grown up not a scrawny, scrapping 10 year old. The story is told from the point of view of Tamara who lives on Ramble street in a small town in New York. Tamara's friends from the neighborhood have formed a kickball club complete with their own governing committee. Tamara's family is eccentric to say the least and they always seem to be on the outside looking in at neighbors parties and other events. Tamara acts like it does not bother her at all but secretly she would love to be included. Enter Muscle Man McGinty so named by Tamara because he is not muscular at all and it is hate at first sight. It does not help his case that he is living in the house where Kebsie, Tamara's best friend, used to live. Muscle Man goes around telling huge whoppers that seem to impress everyone excetp Tamara who is out to prove he is a liar. This continually blows up in her face. Tamara is disgusted with everyone for not being as outraged at the lies as she is. Great look at life in small town America in 1969.
January 5, 2010
Someone I was discussing this book with remarked that it perfectly captured the voice of a 10-year-old girl, and I think that's its best and most noticeable quality. This novel captures the summer in 1969 when 10-year-old Tamara is devastated by the loss of her best friend and decides to take some of her grief out on the new foster kid who's taken moved into the old friend's home, who she's nicknamed Muscle Man McGinty. With the sense of justice of a 10-year-old, Tammy is always hoping others in the neighborhood will catch on to Muscle Man's whoppers, such as his uncle being Neil Armstrong and his training for the 1972 Olympics. Tammy is so caught up in her own world that she doesn't notice everyone else is humoring Muscle Man because he's experienced a recent tragic loss. The premise of this book sounds like it could be extremely sappy, but some graceful and self-aware writing really brought it all together for me...I especially loved the moon landing sequence.
December 9, 2014
Besides having a fabulous cover, this book is truly amazing. Hidden in these 154 pages is the story of Tamara, a girl from a world where playing outside is the pinnacle of summer fun, the ice cream truck marks the start and finish of your freedom, and Neil Armstrong is about to land on the moon for the first time. In the summer of 1969, Muscle Man McGinty has just moved in. Kebsie, Tammy's best friend, used to live with McGinty's foster mother, but now he does.
Muscle Man is a liar, and this drives Tamara nuts. But when tragedy strikes in the form of Vinny Pizza's untimely death in Vietnam, the neighborhood bands together to take care of Mr. Pizzarelli in his time of grief. It is soon revealed that Muscle Man's parents have also passed away and that's why he's in foster care.
I literally cried when I read this book. So good. A definite recommendation for middle graders.
Muscle Man is a liar, and this drives Tamara nuts. But when tragedy strikes in the form of Vinny Pizza's untimely death in Vietnam, the neighborhood bands together to take care of Mr. Pizzarelli in his time of grief. It is soon revealed that Muscle Man's parents have also passed away and that's why he's in foster care.
I literally cried when I read this book. So good. A definite recommendation for middle graders.
May 14, 2009
What an excellent offering for young adults! This slim book should be an easy read for the 8-12 crowd, and offers some important life lessons about loss and dreams and rushing to judgment. In this first person account, Tamara speaks with a clear and wonderful voice that really captures the petulant anger and confusion of a young girl whose best friend moved away without advance notice or a forwarding address. I enjoyed this novel and recommend teachers consider it for possible inclusion in a school curriculum. Highly recommended!
April 2, 2010
This book is an absolute gem. I ran out to my car at 11:30 at night because I had left my copy in there and NEEDED to find out what happened next to Tamara and Muscle Man.
The author does a fabulous job of capturing some of the major moments of the summer of 69, without hitting you over the head with it. And in this age of vampires and other super-ghoulies, she reminds us there is enormous tension in a very real childhood: the loss of a best friend, neighborhood kickball games and imperfect families.
The author does a fabulous job of capturing some of the major moments of the summer of 69, without hitting you over the head with it. And in this age of vampires and other super-ghoulies, she reminds us there is enormous tension in a very real childhood: the loss of a best friend, neighborhood kickball games and imperfect families.
September 16, 2016
I enjoyed this yarn well enough - interesting unreliable narrator with no insight into her bullying ways, rich neighborhood setting in a time where kids were kicked out of the house in the mornings and roamed the neighborhoods until dinnertime, where the Mr. Softee truck was welcomed. The narrator sounded appropriately young but the breathiness of the performance distracted me.
September 17, 2017
An older book off my library shelves that literally took an afternoon to read. The nicknames, games, and events in this book set in 1969 make for good reading in 3rd 4th grade and up. I loved the relationship between Muscle Man and Tamara. A worthy read.
March 5, 2017
This one really grew on me as I read it to a bunch of middle school boys. Tamara and Muscle Man both have issues, which makes them absolutely endearing.
July 25, 2009
Whisper "historical fiction" in a kid's ear and you may see them blanch and cringe at the thought. Ugh. History. And history in fiction? For many a kid it conjures up thoughts of dry, required reading. Titles that are supposed to teach and inform even as they "entertain" (read: bore). Kids with a penchant for historical fiction know that there's a wide swath of titles out there to enjoy, but too often it's the dull ones that end up on the Summer Reading lists. Books of historical fiction that are set during recent decades past also tend to be "meaningful" tales. They usually involve personal growth, acceptance of change, and maybe a dead dog or two. The out-and-out fabulous and funny recent historical fiction is the genre I want to see more of. And with a title like Neil Armstrong is My Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me this little ole book is exactly what the doctor ordered. It takes a single moment in history (the moon landing) and wraps around it a story of a boy who can't stop fibbing, and the girl who loathes him so.
To Tamara's mind there's no lying snake in the grass any lower than that strutting, self-assured, blowhard Muscle Man McGinty. That's not his real name, of course. That's just the moniker Tamara gave him to make fun of his skinny, weak little self, but the kid was so pleased with the title that he adopted it on the spot. Tamara has a lot of reasons to hate this kid too. For one thing he's the foster kid that replaced her best friend Kebsie. Kebsie and her mom moved away recently and Tamara hasn't heard a thing from her. Her parents hardly talk to her, her brother's constantly fighting with her dad, and now here on top of everything is Muscle Man trying to weasel his way into everyone's affections. Can't they see what a two-faced numbskull he is? It isn't until the night of the first moon landing that Tamara and Muscle Man find themselves in an odd situation, and she begins to see that sometimes there's a world beyond the end of your nose. A world where other people have problems too.
Deluded protagonists can take many forms, but there's nothing quite so pitiful as the protagonist who is entirely blinded by her own bitterness. Tamara's hurting. She's lonely and unhappy, trapped in a family that views affection the same way as it would a fly buzzing about the head. Is it any wonder that in Muscle Man McGinty's lies she finds an outlet for her pent up rage? It's perfect! Here's a kid who tells tall tales on a regular basis. Stories so incredibly ridiculous that most of the world views them as adorable. Tamara's problem is that she mistakes this kindness for ignorance, which just ratchets up her annoyance further and further.
My husband often likes to say of believable stories like this one, "People only care about what they care about." That certainly is the case here. Tamara cares about her own pain and own problems first and foremost, and the problems of someone like Muscle Man McGinty second. And while her point of view can be sympathetic it is also noticeably flawed. Particularly when it comes to her best friend Kebsie, for whom she carries a torch the entire book, Tamara never asked about her personal life or even considered it after she left.
I like the slow reveals of the plot in this title. For a while we know that Tamara was friends with a foster kid and that Muscle Man's a foster kid as well. When we see Tamara's home life there's definitely some friction with her parents, and she calls them by their first names. Is she a foster child as well? A visit by her brother clears up the fact that Tamara is simply trying to be cool by giving them these names, but it also gives her a kind of emotional distance from them. That's fine since whenever she attempts to get close to them they push her away quickly.
Having believable characters and a smart plot are great and all, but I think it's the little things that really pull a children's novel together. Things like well-written lines. I liked the moment when Tamara describes two neighbor twins who are fighting by saying, "After eleven years, Matthew and Michael Donovan haven't figured out that both of them can't occupy the same space at the same time." And I also loved the sense of community amongst the kids. There are suburban neighborhoods out there where the kids of various ages all hang out. Then, eventually, some of the kids start to hit adolescence and distance themselves from their old playmates. Marino describes this process beautifully, including showing the kid that still wavers between youth and age, going back and forth.
If there's any problem with the book it might be Muscle Man McGinty himself. Now he's a great character. There's nothing better than a scrawny kid talking and walking like he's the king of the world. But aside from his tall tales Muscle Man is pretty much a saint. Tamara just beats that kid down and beats that kid down and he always ends up smiling. Actually, he's a pretty good poster boy for the Christian faith, considering how often he turns the other cheek. He's almost too good, in fact. You'd expect him to get testy at least once in this story, particularly when you consider what he's been through personally. Instead he keeps on taking it like a skinny ten-year-old martyr.
Unsympathetic, or at least seriously flawed, heroes aren't new to children's literature. And there was something about Neil Armstrong that made me want to pair it alongside The Great Gilly Hopkins. I'm not quite sure why, since Gilly makes Tamara look like she could teach the Dalai Lama a think or two about restraint. But both books feature tough girls who need to break through the walls they've put up around themselves. They're blowhards, to a certain extent, who have a hard time identifying with others. In many ways, Neil Armstrong is My Uncle is a tale of redemption. Tamara's story isn't finished by any means, but at least she's made some important steps, crossed some hurdles, and gotten over herself a little. Few adults would be able to say so much. An amazing debut and a remarkable novel.
Ages 9-12.
To Tamara's mind there's no lying snake in the grass any lower than that strutting, self-assured, blowhard Muscle Man McGinty. That's not his real name, of course. That's just the moniker Tamara gave him to make fun of his skinny, weak little self, but the kid was so pleased with the title that he adopted it on the spot. Tamara has a lot of reasons to hate this kid too. For one thing he's the foster kid that replaced her best friend Kebsie. Kebsie and her mom moved away recently and Tamara hasn't heard a thing from her. Her parents hardly talk to her, her brother's constantly fighting with her dad, and now here on top of everything is Muscle Man trying to weasel his way into everyone's affections. Can't they see what a two-faced numbskull he is? It isn't until the night of the first moon landing that Tamara and Muscle Man find themselves in an odd situation, and she begins to see that sometimes there's a world beyond the end of your nose. A world where other people have problems too.
Deluded protagonists can take many forms, but there's nothing quite so pitiful as the protagonist who is entirely blinded by her own bitterness. Tamara's hurting. She's lonely and unhappy, trapped in a family that views affection the same way as it would a fly buzzing about the head. Is it any wonder that in Muscle Man McGinty's lies she finds an outlet for her pent up rage? It's perfect! Here's a kid who tells tall tales on a regular basis. Stories so incredibly ridiculous that most of the world views them as adorable. Tamara's problem is that she mistakes this kindness for ignorance, which just ratchets up her annoyance further and further.
My husband often likes to say of believable stories like this one, "People only care about what they care about." That certainly is the case here. Tamara cares about her own pain and own problems first and foremost, and the problems of someone like Muscle Man McGinty second. And while her point of view can be sympathetic it is also noticeably flawed. Particularly when it comes to her best friend Kebsie, for whom she carries a torch the entire book, Tamara never asked about her personal life or even considered it after she left.
I like the slow reveals of the plot in this title. For a while we know that Tamara was friends with a foster kid and that Muscle Man's a foster kid as well. When we see Tamara's home life there's definitely some friction with her parents, and she calls them by their first names. Is she a foster child as well? A visit by her brother clears up the fact that Tamara is simply trying to be cool by giving them these names, but it also gives her a kind of emotional distance from them. That's fine since whenever she attempts to get close to them they push her away quickly.
Having believable characters and a smart plot are great and all, but I think it's the little things that really pull a children's novel together. Things like well-written lines. I liked the moment when Tamara describes two neighbor twins who are fighting by saying, "After eleven years, Matthew and Michael Donovan haven't figured out that both of them can't occupy the same space at the same time." And I also loved the sense of community amongst the kids. There are suburban neighborhoods out there where the kids of various ages all hang out. Then, eventually, some of the kids start to hit adolescence and distance themselves from their old playmates. Marino describes this process beautifully, including showing the kid that still wavers between youth and age, going back and forth.
If there's any problem with the book it might be Muscle Man McGinty himself. Now he's a great character. There's nothing better than a scrawny kid talking and walking like he's the king of the world. But aside from his tall tales Muscle Man is pretty much a saint. Tamara just beats that kid down and beats that kid down and he always ends up smiling. Actually, he's a pretty good poster boy for the Christian faith, considering how often he turns the other cheek. He's almost too good, in fact. You'd expect him to get testy at least once in this story, particularly when you consider what he's been through personally. Instead he keeps on taking it like a skinny ten-year-old martyr.
Unsympathetic, or at least seriously flawed, heroes aren't new to children's literature. And there was something about Neil Armstrong that made me want to pair it alongside The Great Gilly Hopkins. I'm not quite sure why, since Gilly makes Tamara look like she could teach the Dalai Lama a think or two about restraint. But both books feature tough girls who need to break through the walls they've put up around themselves. They're blowhards, to a certain extent, who have a hard time identifying with others. In many ways, Neil Armstrong is My Uncle is a tale of redemption. Tamara's story isn't finished by any means, but at least she's made some important steps, crossed some hurdles, and gotten over herself a little. Few adults would be able to say so much. An amazing debut and a remarkable novel.
Ages 9-12.
April 17, 2019
Clever use of the era (Vietnam, moon walk) and smaller cultural touch points (Barbie, Tang, kickball) to convey small people dealing with big themes including complicated family dynamics, loss, friendship, grief, shared community, and the value of solid communication. Protagonist Tamara is rather unappealing throughout (certainly not the expected when a story is told in first person) and I'm not sure the author intended this. Tamara is actually well-written, but she manages to remain one of the most self-centered people on the street. This is explained by her parents' ineptitude at pretty much everything that requires interacting with people. Yet, despite some appropriate/uplifting breakthroughs at the end, I'm left wondering if Tamara ever truly does overcome her internal focus amid her unhelpful upbringing.
July 15, 2019
I read this book a while ago and, while it is one of those books that is great in many ways, one aspect that has stayed with me is the purposefully non-descriptive main character. Maybe this is because it is something I have worked to perfect with my own writing. In "Neil Armstrong is My Uncle", Nan Marino managed not identify the main character with any specific racial attributes, allowing readers from any diverse background to identify with her as though she were just like them. This is something I've been looking for in literature, and am encouraged to see other authors doing: writing that makes readers feel included not by giving voice to their differences, but by avoiding unnecessary classifications and focusing on the human element beyond superficial identity.
If only J.K. Rowlins had gotten the memo...
If only J.K. Rowlins had gotten the memo...
April 28, 2021
In the summer of 1969, ten-year-old Tamara has reached the breaking point. She is without her best friend Kebsie, stuck with an uncaring family, and Douglas, a.k.a. Muscle Man, McGinty has told one too many lies. At least she will finally be given an opportunity to solve one problem. After she beats Muscle Man at kickball the other kids on Ramble Street will HAVE to see him for the lying snake that he is. Although there are many books with bullies, Marino twists her plot by giving her protagonist a softer side filled with heartbreak, loneliness, and confusion leading readers to respond with an emotion akin to sympathy.
January 5, 2021
This story has a bit of a sandlot feel to it. It takes place in 1969 during the Vietnam War and when the first man walked on the moon. It’s a very smooth read. I am impressed at how well the author could tell the story in not so many words. It is not a wordy book. In her choice of words, she tells a beautiful story of what it is for different characters to experience loss. And how sometimes it takes a miracle, like walking on the moon, to move past the pain and on with life.
April 2, 2022
It shocked me, reading the words on the back that called Tamara a bully. Accurate, but so inaccurate. She was mean yes, but... She was in the dark on so many things. Interesting juvenile fiction! Enjoyed it.
October 10, 2022
Super quick middle school read. The main character isn’t entirely likable, though she is accurate for a clueless and fairly self-absorbed tween. It touches on loss, trying to identify oneself, friendship, and human relationship foibles and social constructs. It was okay.
February 27, 2018
I sorta like this book, and I can definitely feel the same feelings Tamara is feeling good book, but not really my favorite. Probably good for a short story for Accelerated Reading or something.
May 10, 2018
realistic fiction
September 26, 2018
This book brought along with it an onslaught of memories for me. It's a great little story for just about any age. Plenty here for thought and discussion. Loved the book.
June 9, 2021
The character development of this book made me give a rating of 5, aside from the story. This book is good for middle school aged children who are going through a loss of a friend.
January 25, 2022
This one has been n my shelf for awhile. It’s a short, fast read, geared towards middle schoolers. I was entertained and really liked the character of Muscle Man.
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