Kevin's Point of View

Sep 27, 2012 Vicki rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I first read the blurb for the book, I thought it would be a fun read. Then I saw that it was 400 pages and thought, oh crap. Anyone who knows me or reads my blog, knows that I like shorter books, between 200-250 pages, but lately all the books I’ve been reading have been 300 or more. But 400… I rarely read a book that long unless it’s author is my all time favorite, S.K., but I decided to give it a try since I loved the synopsis. I opened the cover and started reading, hoping I didn’t get...more

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Feb 23, 2011 Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, received-to-review, youth-under-12-chapter

Hang on to your hat, fasten your seat belt and enjoy the ride. Because this book takes you on adventure.

Kevin is the main character who is really a character. He escapes inside his mind to filter out reality when things are tough. One minute he is Kevin, the next he is Captain Disaster, the hero who finds a way out of a difficult descision. He started escaping into imagination when his father died the year before.

Now that the stage is set, a suprise package comes. It has been misaddressed and Ke...more

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Feb 06, 2011 Emi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: magical-realism

For the full review, please visit my blog! http://oktopusink.blogspot.com/2011/0...

Kevin's Point of View was a strange book. Yes, a strange--but humorous--book that grabbed my attention right from page one. Shannon did a wonderful job capturing the personality and imagination of a twelve-year-old, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Kevin's mind switch from reality to role-playing mode as he battled the bad guys throughout this story. Watching him escape his troubles by retreating into his imagina...more For the full review, please visit my blog! http://oktopusink.blogspot.com/2011/0...

Kevin's Point of View was a strange book. Yes, a strange--but humorous--book that grabbed my attention right from page one. Shannon did a wonderful job capturing the personality and imagination of a twelve-year-old, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Kevin's mind switch from reality to role-playing mode as he battled the bad guys throughout this story. Watching him escape his troubles by retreating into his imagination took me back to my own days as a twelve-year-old, playing Pretend on the playground with my friends...except that when we did it, our lives weren't in danger. (We liked to pretend that we were Pokémon trainers training to defeat the Elite Four.) It was cool to see that whenever Kevin started to play pretend, he managed to find the courage to face whatever danger lay before him. Eccentric characters are always fun to read about, but they're even better when they use their unusual quirks to accomplish great feats. It's the kind of thing you hope to admire in a person, fictional or not. And boy, it's a good thing that Kevin had a way to handle all of the crazy that was buzzing about him, because Kevin's Point of View was one of those stories that just continued to get more and more outrageous as the plot went on--like each chapter was trying to outdo itself. It was just a roller coaster of crazy event after crazy event, and it was hard to stop myself from yelling things like, "WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!" at the book when the bad guys managed to show up yet again after falling off of a train or getting crushed by an avalanche. It was actually, really, really funny. The only beef I had with Kevin's Point of View was that even though the book begins with Kevin as the main character, towards the end it splits and becomes more about the group of characters that Kevin hooks up with. This wasn't a big deal since each character contributed to the ending in his or her own way, but since I grew so attached to Kevin's imagination in the first half of the book I wanted to see him use more of it to be the hero in the end.

In a way, the style of this story reminded me of The 39 Clues series, both in tone and structure. The sci-fi element in this book is light and fairly easy to understand, even though some sequences of events were confusing. However, Shannon manages to pull it all together at the end with a well-constructed plot twist. The fast-paced, cliffhanger like chapters will encourage even the most reluctant readers to keep reading, and the bizarre events will have everyone laughing about something. All-in-all, Kevin's Point of View was just plain old, good clean fun with something new on every page. A goofy read for all ages!
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Jul 11, 2012 Alysia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

First, this is my first ever book from an author for review! Ok, now for the review.
I can't remember the last time I read an adventure book. This book reminds me of the Classic movie "The Goonies". I was a little reluctant to read it and I have no real reason why, but when I did I jumped into the 12-year old mind of a boy named Kevin and his BFF Tony.
At first, I was a little confused as what was going on. Kevin takes the reader (me) on his personal adventure and lived them out in the presence o...more First, this is my first ever book from an author for review! Ok, now for the review.
I can't remember the last time I read an adventure book. This book reminds me of the Classic movie "The Goonies". I was a little reluctant to read it and I have no real reason why, but when I did I jumped into the 12-year old mind of a boy named Kevin and his BFF Tony.
At first, I was a little confused as what was going on. Kevin takes the reader (me) on his personal adventure and lived them out in the presence of his big sister and mom. Like most mom's now a days she has tried everything to help him through losing his father and is worn down. She is letting him live them all out as long as he doesn't hurt himself (or anyone else).
Kevin and his sidekick Tony have been in and out of trouble (needless to say) so when a mysterious package shows up on Kevin's doorstep...here comes more trouble. Real Trouble!
As I was reading this book I felt for a 12 years old Kevin was very in touch with his reasoning, feelings, and honest with Tony about the lost of his Dad. The characters whether big or small all helped move the story along at a break neck pace that keeps you flipping the page. Del Shannon (author) wrote Kevin, Toby, Betsy (Kevin's Sister) and her boyfriend, Scratch so clearly that you can picture them and you feel like you know them personally. I would have loved to see more of Kevin's mom and had her input on the craziness going on.
At first I was on the fence about giving this top honors or the next one down and here is why. I have a hard time with kids and violence. Violence in all forms. The bad guys are trying to kill Kevin and Tony. Not Bully! Not Scare! But kill. And the boys are on the run for their lives in a real way. But then I thought about it. Hunger Games, Sunday morning cartoons, and most Children shows have violence in them now. And kids hear and see it more and more. The movie Goonies and Home Alone had a bad guy trying to kill them too. So after much thought on this I am saying to you all...I Loved This Book! From Chapter to Chapter, page to page this book is great! (less)

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Jan 26, 2012 April Morgan (Book Geek Central) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, received-review-titles, signed-books, abc-reading-challenge

This book is defiantly an adventure! It went so many different ways and took me on one amusing ride that was for sure. Kevin’s Point of View is defiantly a book for all ages to enjoy. It taps into our imagination in some wacky ways (while your following Kevin’s imagination and the story as well).

There were so many different characters that were captured perfectly with so many different personalities (if that makes sense). I loved Kevin and his many imaginations he was just so fun to read and kep...more

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Mar 18, 2012 guiltlessreader rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-books, requested-review, reads-2012, middle-years, action-adventure

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Such a fun read! Great twist at the end ... highly recommended for middle school kids and everyone alike :) Full review coming soon!
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Originally posted on my blog guiltlessreading:

Imagination can move mountains ... and the things that matter.

An adventure-science fiction book that will definitely appeal to middle school children! While I think it's perfectly written for its intended readers, I have to say right off that this would definitely appeal to a wider age group.

The premise of this...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Nic rated it 5 of 5 stars

What an ingenious book! Kevin's not a normal 12-year old boy. He lost his dad in an accident a year ago, and since then, he's developed a super imagination to get out of less-than-ideal situations. So we kind of think he's a bit of a nutball, but as we see throughout the book, he's actually a very resourceful and reliable nutball.

Kevin receives an Influxitron (you'll find out what that is soon enough, when you get the book) and all hell breaks loose. Evil Devin wants it back and he'll do anythin...more

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Mar 15, 2012 Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I got the request to review this book, I wasn’t sure at all about accepting it. It’s geared towards middle grade, and that’s not the age range I usually review for. But the fact remained: the premise was interesting, and I decided to take the plunge.

Well, I’m so glad that I did.

I’m not going to lie: it is middle-grader level. Those of you who enjoy the darker aspects of fantasy, or need to have everything making perfect sense through plausible explanations, you need to move towards books fo...more When I got the request to review this book, I wasn’t sure at all about accepting it. It’s geared towards middle grade, and that’s not the age range I usually review for. But the fact remained: the premise was interesting, and I decided to take the plunge.

Well, I’m so glad that I did.

I’m not going to lie: it is middle-grader level. Those of you who enjoy the darker aspects of fantasy, or need to have everything making perfect sense through plausible explanations, you need to move towards books for older audiences.

That said, though, Kevin’s Point of View was deeper than you’d expect. Kevin imagination is not just daydreaming – it’s part of how he lives, and at times it clashes horribly with reality, but some other times it’ll save his life. I loved reading this tale of a boy so closed off to the world, and in spite of his episodes, or because of them, he was very likeable.

The cast doesn’t fall flat at all, either: bad guys and good guys are clearly defined, of course, but they do have layers: Kevin’s friend, for example, is more than reluctant to help and get in trouble. The Bad Guy’s sidekick is not exactly good, but we can catch glimpses and insight about why he acts as he does – and at times, I did feel sorry for him! Not that I condone his actions, but... Yeah.

Action was fluid and pretty much non-stop. There were over-the-top bits, the kind that made me think of good old cartoons and made me smile(there’s, for example, this scene of the villainous sidekick falling down the shaft of a mine to test the Bad Guy’s anti-intruder traps). There were thrilling scenes, where I was scared for the boys and glad to see them escape by the skin of their teeth (or the power of Kevin’s imagination, anyway). And there were scenes that were plain fun.

All in all, I think this book is amazing for its appropriate age range, and if you do have a kid and buy it, you might want to read it because you’ll probably enjoy the tale. You’ll probably appreciate more things about Kevin and his method to dealing with trauma if you do, but that’s not the core of the story – just a nice touch for us older readers, and a bit of a lesson for the younger ones.

And, you know that reluctant kid who refuses to read? Well, I think, perhaps, Kevin’s Point of View might change that. I’d definitely recommend giving it a shot! (less)

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Oct 11, 2011 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Hi! I'm Kevin Tobin and well, this is my Point of View. See, the lady that runs this review page- she's been really busy lately with some personal stuff, you know, grown up things, so she asked me to tell you about my book, my Point of View. Sooo, here I am! This book is about a time in my life- a very eventful time in my life- when everything was going wrong- including me. But I learned that sometimes, wrong is the only way to make it right-ya know what I mean?

Anyway, one way my life was wrong...more "Hi! I'm Kevin Tobin and well, this is my Point of View. See, the lady that runs this review page- she's been really busy lately with some personal stuff, you know, grown up things, so she asked me to tell you about my book, my Point of View. Sooo, here I am! This book is about a time in my life- a very eventful time in my life- when everything was going wrong- including me. But I learned that sometimes, wrong is the only way to make it right-ya know what I mean?

Anyway, one way my life was wrong was that my dad was killed in a bicycle accident-the only thing left was a mangled tangle of metal that didn't even look like a bike. And the way I dealt was to retreat into my imagination. I pretended to be someone else like Captain Disaster fighting the evil Floogs. One day I was in my F117A Stealth Fighter at the time about to knock out a missile site when I was called back to Red Team Base by the Pentagon (my mother) for a package pick up. Turned out to be mine. I raced to my room opened it up and found this weird remote control and started playing around with it, me being a curious boy of 12 and then Holy Fruitloops (I didn't say that) it blew a hole...."

Uh thanks Kevin! Thank you so much for starting without me. I appreciate what you've done, but I'll take it from here. We don't want to give the story away. We want people to want to get the novel and read if for themselves. "But I was only going to tell them about the Influxitron and Scratch and Tony and ..." Really, Goodbye Kevin! Back in the book or I'm calling Del. He may not give you a part in the sequel. "Okay, bye."

So, to take over my review again, though Kevin was doing a good job and you can see he has a very active imagination and he uses it to get him out of many sticky situations. The package he got by mistake was supposed to be sent to the villain in this novel, Devin. The rest of the novel is full of Kevin's clever use of his imagination in escaping Devin and his armed men. Kevin is flanked by his best friend, Tony and later on by his sister, Betsy and the pizza delivery guy/boyfriend, Scratch and a surprising helping hand. Devin again, is flanked by armed professionals and a helicopter. But Kevin's imagination, friends, loving family and the Rocky Mountains prove to be a challenge for Devin.

This novel is fast paced with plenty of action, but enough dialogue to allow you to get to know the characters. Each of them fulfill a role in the world of Kevin including the evil Devin. Here is Del Shannon's explanation of each character's place in the novel "Kevin finds courage in the depths of his despair over the loss of his father. Tony is almost like the voice of Kevin's fear, constantly seeing the real dangers around him, even in the middle of Kevin's fantasies. Kevin's mother is a minor character now who will grow in other books (if they're written), but she represents unfailing, familial love. Kevin's father, also rarely seen now but who will become more important as the story progresses, is a magnetic north that their family steers by - even in death. Scratch represents the release of anxiety and carefree fun that we all are seeking in our lives. Betsy is both a sibling and a peer who may complain bitterly, but never leaves your side. She's a counterweight to the huge mass that is sometimes Kevin. Right now Devin is just the face of something sinister and evil, but we all know that there is something deeper and hidden from our sight and we should keep a cautious eye in it's direction. This evil will obviously grow and become something we don't expect. It's just wrapped around a - I hope - fun and entertaining story."

I truly loved this novel! But I couldn't just say that and you would believe me. So here are some things I find unique to this novel. It's written and appeals to MG boys. It has helicopters and guns and dangerous situations and a really cool gadget that boys love and some girls love, too. It hooks you right from the start. Two pages in and you're moving along. Kevin never breaks. Remember being a kid and thinking nothing would ever happen to you? You'd live forever? Well something has happened already to Kevin, his dad was killed. But he goes on using the skills he has to cope with it. At first glance you think he's ADHD, but you get a good look into his reasoning for his escape into his imagination. The author has one line that my son actually was reading to me and opened up a conversation between us that was so deep and sensitive, for both of us. For those of you who still read with your kids, you'll find that one sentence and when you do, I hope it helps you open up. Kevin always looks out for his family and friends. Kevin and his friends could be your own kids, there isn't anything extraordinary about him, and yet there is. He puts on a brave face about his dad's death. But they had plans. Plans he'll never get to do now and at twelve, he has to swallow a lot of dreams he'll never get to have. Devin is a scary man making no idle threats. He plans to kill Kevin and tells him, but Kevin never gives up. He's always looking for a way out. I cheered for him and his compatriots the whole way through and at the end I was astounded. Some things were revealed that I couldn't believe.

The novel is written in third person point of view, mainly from Kevin's perspective. Though the novel is almost four hundred pages long,(a little longer than this review) it does not read like that at all. Each chapter has a title page and a blank page before it. It is a self published novel, beautifully bound and not one spelling error or grammatical error that I could find. These usually glare out at me so if there were any they weren't obvious. There is no objectionable language, behavior or content. This novel is appropriate for anyone that can read and understand the content. I think boys who have a hard time finding reading material that they like will especially like this one. As I mentioned before, it's action packed, fast paced and easy to read. You can read as much or as little as you want into it. So far, it's my favorite book this year. And I named Kevin as one of my favorite male characters. He's not a kid you'd coddle, more like you'd want to hang out with.

Heather in Sandwich
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Dec 25, 2010 Sandra Stiles rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grades, mystery, science-fiction

Kevin's Point of View was one of those strange books that grabbed me at the beginning and then confused me a little. I decided to hang in with the reading thinking it was my inability to focus due to intermittent reading while I tried to prepare for company. I'm glad I stuck with it. The books starts out with Kevin having a delusional moment. He's lost his father in the past year and is having an extremely hard time dealing with it. Counseling doesn't seem to help. Then we switch to a device cal...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Masquerade Crew rated it 4 of 5 stars

BEC'S REVIEW

For a book called Kevin’s Point of View this book spent less than half the time telling the story from Kevin’s point of view. The rest of the story was split between Kevin’s best friend Tony and the villains, Pudge and Devin. However once you get past the misleading name it was clear that this is a ‘boy’s book’ in that boys aged 10 and upwards would enjoy it (or girls who are into car chases and the like, I’m not saying girls can’t like it). The book is filled with action and chase s...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Jeanbooknerd rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Del Shannon’s Kevin’s Point of View is a fun-filled adventure through the eyes of an imaginative twelve-year-old-boy. Kevin Tobin’s creative mind allows him to cope with the passing of his father. Along with his best friend Tony Diviette, the outgoing boys are always getting in some kind of trouble. Tony is always getting hurt and now Mrs. Diviette has restricted him from hanging out with Kevin. It does not end their adventures together as the danger in their last escapade is real.

A package that...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Kristi Bernard rated it 5 of 5 stars

If it's been a longtime since you've sat down to read a really fun adventure “Kevin's Point of View” will give you the rush you've been looking for. Not only will you flip through the pages eagerly, you will enjoy the experience through the eyes of a twelve-year-old boy. With an imagination the size of a skyscraper, Kevin will bring you into his world of superheroes and avengers.

Kevin Tobin and his best friend Tony DiViette are not strangers to trouble. Kevin's mother is completely exhausted fro...more If it's been a longtime since you've sat down to read a really fun adventure “Kevin's Point of View” will give you the rush you've been looking for. Not only will you flip through the pages eagerly, you will enjoy the experience through the eyes of a twelve-year-old boy. With an imagination the size of a skyscraper, Kevin will bring you into his world of superheroes and avengers.

Kevin Tobin and his best friend Tony DiViette are not strangers to trouble. Kevin's mother is completely exhausted from Kevin's vivid imagination and shenanigans. Kevin's daydreams have helped him escape since the death of his father, he has had a hard time coping. As a result of the trouble Kevin gets Tony into, Mrs. DiViette has restricted Tony from hanging out with Kevin because he always seems to get hurt. In this latest adventure the two boys meet with danger yet again.

This time the danger is real for Kevin and Tony. It all started on a rainy day involving a package that William “Pudge” Lovejoy was supposed to mail to Devin Talon. You see, Devin and Pudge had spent many months working on a device that would allow a person to travel through time. The device, no bigger than a television remote control, had a few bugs that needed to be worked out. It was Pudge who decided to mail it back to Devin, after he took it away because of the danger. Unfortunately, the rain soaked package soon caused the address to bleed away resulting in the delivery ending up at the doorstep of Kevin.

The adventure begins with the boys discovery of the devices dangerous qualities and the hunt that Devin brings on attempting to get his precious device, the Influxitron, back. Devin's men, dressed in black, hunt the kids through the mountains and into a mine. Kevin and Tony use their wits and superhero stunts to out run them for the time being. Will Kevin and Tony survive the stormy weather, mountains and mines? Will the boys get help with their own rescue? You'll have to read this wonderful tale to find out.

This exciting adventure is an excellent choice for reluctant middle grade readers and adults. Shannon has done an excellent job of providing vivid imagery, expressive emotion and a point-of-view that will have you holding your breath and cheering for Kevin and Tony.
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Mar 12, 2012 Van rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kevin’s point of view is the first full length novel from author Del Shannon. Kevin is a 12-year-old boy who escapes into his imagination after the death of his father. Kevin’s role-playing is his coping mechanism but his family and his friend don’t understand it and find it to be a constant annoyance. One morning Kevin receives a mysterious package by mistake, within the package lays the influxitron. The original owner of the influxitron, Devin, will stop at nothing to get it back. Kevin will n...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Kristina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-egalley-for-review

I accepted this book for review from the author because I thought it would be a very fun read, and I was not wrong about that! There is so much adventure that I think it would keep any young child interested.

Kevin is dealing with a lot of pain and I felt for him. Prior to the beginning of the book, Kevin's father died in an accident, and to deal with his loss and emotions, Kevin's imagination flourished. You can even say it developed into something that can come across as a little dangerous. He...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Greta is Erikasbuddy rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: eleven and unders

Shelves: indie-author-love, mickey-reads

*this book was read and reviewed by Greta’s son, Mickey

The Plot
In the book, Kevin’s Point of View, Kevin is being chased around Colorado and through time itself by a man named Devin. It began when Kevin got a package and inside was the device called the influxitron that allows people to go through time. Kevin doesn’t know how to work the influxitron so Kevin can’t make his own mission any easier to get away from Devin. Devin’s mission is to kill Kevin and anything that stands in his way to get t...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Valentina rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you are looking for a fun romp through all kinds of wacky, laugh-out-loud adventures, then this book should be on your list.
Kevin has an imagination that never stops. It goes into overdrive when he is under stress, and it gets him in and out of all kinds of strange situations. Kevin is definitely the star of the book, with a personality that overflows from the pages. His side-kick, Tony, is the more sedate of the two, and is as funny as you’d expect a boy to be when he has Kevin as a best fr...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Kristan (Lost Amongst the Shelves) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: signed

http://lostamongsttheshelves.blogspot...

Kevin's Point of View is a hilariously fun and adventurous ride into the wild imagination of a 12 year old boy. After the death of his father, Kevin begins to unleash his imagination, taking over the life of Captain Disaster or Marine Boy, covering the pain and allowing all sorts of comical madness to ensue. When one day he accidentally receives an unknown package in the mail carrying the Influxitron (a time machine) Kevin becomes the prey of an evil madma...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Lyrical rated it 4 of 5 stars

For a woman in her twenties, I have to confess I'm a real sucker for a middle grade male-oriented action adventure. But I need to be more specific: I like middle grade male-oriented action adventure that has depth and doesn't patronise the reader and it is without doubt that Kevin's Point of View fits very comfortably into that category.

I found the lead character, Kevin, immediately both intriguing and engaging. He is a boy who lives in his imagination, blocking out reality by immersing himself...more For a woman in her twenties, I have to confess I'm a real sucker for a middle grade male-oriented action adventure. But I need to be more specific: I like middle grade male-oriented action adventure that has depth and doesn't patronise the reader and it is without doubt that Kevin's Point of View fits very comfortably into that category.

I found the lead character, Kevin, immediately both intriguing and engaging. He is a boy who lives in his imagination, blocking out reality by immersing himself into scenes from superhero cartoons to the point where he no longer engages with reality. Del Shannon is expert at losing his character in his mind and nurtures the reader into empathising with his hero - he's troubled but he's courageous and determined to fix both himself and his family, whatever it takes. As for the baddy - whom I judge very harshly as they are always important to me! - Del's has to be one of the better written ones, a real ruthless, looming threat that gets your skin crawling and your jaw clenching through narrow escapes.

The story itself is cleverly wrought. You begin the book as if someone has just scattered all the pieces of the puzzle in front of you and with each turn of the page you can fit another piece back into place. Mystery is key to this plot and Del Shannon is skilful at creating it, knitting it in comfortably with substantial action sequences. In fact, once the action gets going, there are not many places to pause and take a breath. In some cases this can be a bad thing: maintaining a high level of action and adrenaline leads to blocking out the natural curvy line of highs and lows in a plot that bring dynamics to the story, moments of external threat mixed in with moments of internal reflection. I think what Del Shannon has done, however, is wrap all these moments up, creating strong dynamics within a high adrenaline environment. This is what gets me excited about well written books for boys - how the author goes about sustaining interest in the reader while also putting them through a spectrum of emotions and begging them to form an opinion. Kevin's Point of View is full of those little lightbulb moments when amidst the action realisation dawns and you figure out what's going on - and then it doesn't happen quite how you expected and when it does you're on the edge of your seat. Gasp, gasp, gasp.

This is definitely one of the better MG boys books I've read, it's thoroughly engaging, has plenty of high adrenaline action but yet contains a clever, well-constructed story with characters of great emotional depth. Boys will love it and as a twenty something year old woman, I have to say I love it too.(less)

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Dec 13, 2011 Krystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

The summary is completely correct when it says that this book will appeal to all ages. This book is especially perfect for those hard-to-get-to-read middle grade boys. Kevin is easy to connect to and like. He has a sweet, inquisitive temperament that makes the reader like him instantly. He has recently suffered through his father's death and took it hard. In an attempt to create order in his life, he withdraws into himself and lets his imagination take over. When a strange package appears, Kevin...more

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Feb 17, 2011 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Kevin's Point of View was a very different book from what a usually read. It was a little strange but absolutely wonderful at the same time! It was full of adventure, twists and turns and even humor.

Kevin's world changes when he loses his father. He deals by escaping into his own world and finding the courage to face danger. Then Kevin gets a gift from an unknown source called The Influxitron. The gift ends up bringing danger to Kevin, his sister and her boyfriend and Kevin's best friend. The e...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Tammy Dahle rated it 3 of 5 stars

My Thoughts:
Kevin's imagination has a life of it's own and has been his coping mechanism for the past year. He is a twelve year trying to deal with the sudden death of his dad. His mom is worried as she sees him jump from reality to fantasy-never knowing which one she will be dealing with or cleaning up after.
One day Kevin receives a package in the mail meant for someone else. This package contains a machine that can change the course of history by making time travel possible. Unknowingly, Kevi...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: elementary-middle-grade

A wonderful and fast paced book. Aimed for a middle grader target audience. This book was a rollercoaster ride full of twists and turns. The end (which I will not reveal) was unexpected. I think most 10-14 year old boys will relate to Kevin. I just love his imagination!
I recommend this book for all kids that like sci-fi, humor and wild crazy adventures.
I want to thank Del Shannon for allowing me to read and review this book. Please, let there be more adventures for Kevin!!!

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Aug 04, 2012 Karielle Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog

Kevin's Point of View by Del Shannon
Release Date: May 19th, 2011
Publisher: Flatiron View (self-published)
Page Count: 395
Source: Complimentary copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review

Kevin Tobin is a relatively ordinary 12-year-old dealing with the aftermath of his father's death in a mountain biking accident near their home in Boulder, Colorado. To escape from his emotional turmoil, Kevin has developed his imagination into a dangerous foil and a powerful ally. While he antagonize...more

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Mar 13, 2011 Reading Vacation's Mom rated it 3 of 5 stars

After his father’s death, Kevin allows his very active imagination to take over. He can take the most ordinary situation and turn it into something extraordinary. Kevin imagines that he is a superhero, a hockey player, a character called Marine Boy, and even an alien. It’s exactly the sort of thing I picture my little brother doing – pretending he is Super Mario or Pikachu from Pokemon. Kevin's craziness got on my nerves a bit sometimes because it was like he just couldn't be himself.

Kevin’s ad...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Tiffany (Book Cover Justice) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

Kevin Tobin is your average 12-year-old. He goes to school, harasses his sister and is always causing trouble with his best friend, Tony. Unfortunately, Kevin's father passed away a year earlier in a terrible accident. Since then, Kevin has been getting into far more trouble, especially when he escapes to his imagination and dreams that he is someone else. Almost a year after his father died, Kevin receives a strange package in the mail. When he and Tony start messing around with it, they realiz...more Kevin Tobin is your average 12-year-old. He goes to school, harasses his sister and is always causing trouble with his best friend, Tony. Unfortunately, Kevin's father passed away a year earlier in a terrible accident. Since then, Kevin has been getting into far more trouble, especially when he escapes to his imagination and dreams that he is someone else. Almost a year after his father died, Kevin receives a strange package in the mail. When he and Tony start messing around with it, they realize it must be something very dangerous and important. So important, in fact, that it's owner will stop at nothing to get it back. Once they have been discovered to have the object, they are running for their lives.

This book was nothing that I thought it was going to be. I thought it was going to be a quick story about a young boy who uses daydreams to escape his father's death. While that was part of it, there was so much more! Between the covers you find an incredible journey for Kevin, both physical and emotional. Not to mention the non-stop action!

I read the first chapter of Kevin's Point of View while hanging out with my kids at the park. Good thing I stopped when I did because when I sat back down to read more at home I couldn't put it down! I ended up finishing it in one sitting. Kevin was such a likable character. A little crazy, but still hilarious and endearing. I loved his imagination, it reminded me of my own kids and the weird things they come up with. When things start to get tough, Kevin retreats into his imagination and a different character will emerge, each one having it's own take charge personality.

Besides Kevin, the rest of the characters are equally entertaining. I especially enjoyed Scratch the pizza dude. I couldn't stop imagining him to sound like Keanu Reeves in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Each character brings a certain quality to the story, even the bad guys!

Most of the story takes place in the mountains and Shannon really gives you a great description of them. Not incredibly descriptive and drawn out, but all you need to imagine the surroundings for yourself. I could picture each scene in my mind clearly.

This book really blew me away. It was funny, yet intense, and incredibly well written with some surprising twists and turns that you don't expect. Not to mention the fun cover! Go get yourself a copy of Kevin's Point of View and start reading. You won't be disappointed!!!(less)

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Jun 06, 2012 Brenna rated it 3 of 5 stars

While reading this book, I had to ask myself these questions: WHY is there an entire conversation devoted to styles of puking? WHAT is up with the (sometimes inconsistent) text layout? And HOW COME a boy who clearly has dissociative identity disorder has been diagnosed as merely "harmless" and "imaginative" and "going through a phase" when he clearly needs psychiatric help, even if his multiple personalities are at the moment saving him from a sadistic yet inept and rage-prone villain?
Quite fran...more While reading this book, I had to ask myself these questions: WHY is there an entire conversation devoted to styles of puking? WHAT is up with the (sometimes inconsistent) text layout? And HOW COME a boy who clearly has dissociative identity disorder has been diagnosed as merely "harmless" and "imaginative" and "going through a phase" when he clearly needs psychiatric help, even if his multiple personalities are at the moment saving him from a sadistic yet inept and rage-prone villain?
Quite frankly, this book IS a lot better than I expected it to be. The writing is pretty good (except when the author drops commas), the font isn't too annoying (except for the weird spaces between paragraphs and the fact that the author occasionally forgets he's italicizing Kevin's multiple personalities--a move I don't agree with in the first place), and he doesn't fill up the pages with too many cliches (except for the aforementioned villain and the--wait for it--spineless minion who for some reason I could care less about, the author keeps trying to characterize).
Also, he could really use better cover design. Are we going for Wimpy Kid here? Because it doesn't even come close. That, and the first paragraph of the synopsis made me think the book would be a relatively tame coming-of-age/dealing-with-grief story, but surprise! Evil mastermind. (Who isn't actually a mastermind, just a thief and a murderer.)
Once I actually started reading, I was really looking forward to it--I mean, the very first paragraph demonstrates some killer writing skills. But there are so many moments throughout the entire thing that make me go "What--huh?" that about 100 pages in I just started skimming.
Here are some impressions:
Ah, 230 pages in, I see the reason for the minion characterization--he switches sides. Although the manner of the characterization still baffles me, since it was mostly whingeing about his dead wife.
Omigod, the dialogue! The dialogue! The cliches--they hurt--I can't breathe...
Another question I just remembered: why is the pizza man so important? Why is Kevin's sister dating him with she's 15 and the impression is given that Pizza Man is IN COLLEGE? And the tickle fest while driving? Are they insane?
Yeesh, the villain does entirely too much sneering and raging. He's more laughable than scary.
Random avalanche?!?
Okay, can't even finish skimming. Too much WTF.(less)

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Jan 14, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenge

Kevin's Point of View is the debut novel from author Del Shannon. It is an action-packed tale of 12 year old Kevin and his best friend Tony.

One day, almost a year after his father's death, Kevin receives an unexpected package in the mail. The package contains a device called the Influxitron. Unbeknownst to Kevin it is a time traveling device. When the owner of the device shows up to collect it the fun begins.

This book was a lot of fun to read. It was very fast-paced with nonstop action. Kevin ha...more

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Oct 12, 2011 Aeicha rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars

When author Del Shannon approached me to review his book, I was immediately drawn to the book’s synopsis. Kevin’s imagination filled world and aching grief pulled at my heart and I just knew this would be a story worth reading. And I was right. Kevin’s Point of View is a fun, fast paced, exciting story with a lot of imagination and a lot of heart.

Kevin Tobin lost his father a year ago, and deals with his pain, anger, and loss by escaping to a fantasy world where he becomes a myriad of h...more

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May 15, 2012 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars

Title: Kevin’s Point of View
Author: Del Shannon

Book Summary:

“Kevin Tobin is a relatively ordinary 12-year-old dealing with the aftermath of his father's death in a mountain biking accident near their home in Boulder, Colorado. To escape from his emotional turmoil, Kevin has developed his imagination into a dangerous foil and a powerful ally. While he antagonizes his sister through his superhero antics on an average Wednesday morning, his ability to escape inside a character's head become critica...more Title: Kevin’s Point of View
Author: Del Shannon

Book Summary:

“Kevin Tobin is a relatively ordinary 12-year-old dealing with the aftermath of his father's death in a mountain biking accident near their home in Boulder, Colorado. To escape from his emotional turmoil, Kevin has developed his imagination into a dangerous foil and a powerful ally. While he antagonizes his sister through his superhero antics on an average Wednesday morning, his ability to escape inside a character's head become critical to his survival after his life is once-again turned upside down a year after his father's death. A mysterious package arrives in the mail, Kevin and his best friend are hunted down by a ruthless villain set upon world domination, and after enlisting Kevin's teenage sister and her pizza-delivery boyfriend in a battle for control over time itself, the secret of Kevin's whole existence is revealed to him by a source we never expected. Del Shannon's imaginative story, appreciation for the powers of family and the desire of young boys to both escape reality and prove themselves within it, and fast-paced, adventure-filled storytelling style make this a book with wide appeal for readers of all ages.”

I like to think of myself as a creative person… but even I have nothing on Kevin Tobin and his seemingly infinite store of creativity. Kevin is a young boy who deals with the death of his father in a very unique way… he pretends to be someone else. These little pretend sessions of Kevin’s are not typically dangerous, and everyone assumes he will grow out of them. His many personas provide Kevin a hiatus from his life for a brief time and, more than once, these “alter egos” help him and his friends out of sticky situations. Don’t be fooled however; the “alter egos” also get Kevin into many difficult situations, especially with his mother!

When I first read the premise for Kevin’s Point of View I’m not really sure what to expect. It looks like an interesting plot, but I worry it will be too childish of a writing style for my taste. Luckily, my fears turn out to be unnecessary. The one thing that really grabs me when I see Kevin’s Point of View is the cover… it is HYSTERICAL. I love it. The cover is made even better when a naked Kevin mimics the picture in the first couple of chapters!

When I first start to read, I am instantly pulled into the story. The description Shannon puts into it is amazing, and I can fully envision everything that is happening. I instantly feel like part of Kevin’s family, and I understand Kevin’s mischievous nature and his pride in annoying his sister. At the same time, I can connect with both his sister, Betsy, and his mother in both their roles. Kevin annoys Betsy with his antics and, like all good big sisters, she is very vocal with her frustrations. Kevin’s mother is obviously trying to be patient with Kevin and his unique way of dealing with grief. I really feel like I know all of them, as if we’ve been friends for ages!

Tony is Kevin’s best friend and fellow (reluctant) adventurer. I can really see the push and pull of Tony and Kevin’s relationship… it’s easy to see how these two young boys are so close. I do admire Tony’s high tolerance of Kevin. It makes me happy that Kevin has someone who cares enough to stick by him through everything. Kevin himself is so unique; I really don’t think I can capture his character accurately enough to do him justice.

The Cover:

Well, as I said before, I find this cover HYSTERICAL. Seriously, anyone not finding this artwork funny must be crazy! But, even if the cover isn’t for everyone (for whatever reason) I would definitely recommend reading the book anyway!

I give Kevin’s Point of View 5 out of 5 hearts: I LOVED it!(less)

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