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27th out of 92 books
—
6 voters
My Life as a Stuntboy
by
Janet Tashjian (Goodreads Author),
Jake Tashjian
Derek Fallon gets the opportunity of a lifetime—to be a stunt boy in a major movie featuring a pretty teen starlet.After accepting the job he learns that he is thestar's stunt double and must wear a wig!His friends are never going to let him live this down.If that weren’t his only problem, his parents are threatening to give away his pet monkey, and his best friend just po...more
Hardcover, 272 pages
Published
October 11th 2011
by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
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Young fans of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books may be attracted to this book by the stick figure cartoons on the cover. Hopefully, they will not be disappointed to discover that the book's illustrations are intended to clarify some of the vocabulary words in the story rather than to depict the action of the story. The story itself is enjoyable. Derek is a well-intentioned 12-year-old, whose strengths are in his physical agility and generally empathetic nature. He is not so good at reading and scho...more
Who knew that the "playing" Derek uses to avoid schoolwork would lead him to the dream job as a movie stuntboy? Middle-school student Derek and his longtime best friend Matt enjoy climbing objects on the campus of UCLA. One day Derek's ability to climb walls and stair rails is noticed by Hollywood stuntman Tony. He tells the boys what they are doing has a name: parkour. And he is so impressed with Derek's agility that he thinks he may have a job for him.
When Tony speaks to Derek's parents about...more
When Tony speaks to Derek's parents about...more
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Derek has some issues with responsibility as well as school work. But when a stunt coordinator sees him at UCLA climbing, he gets offered stunt work in a movie, and suddenly responsibility becomes his focus. To add complications to his life, his best friend, Matt, becomes jealous of Derek and starts hanging out with the bullies and making fun of Derek. That's when Derek sees how the other people in his life help him through his problems. The theme of "getting around obstacles by planning a route...more
The comparisions that reviews and the cover art/concept make to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series are completely erroneous. This has none of the humor of the DOAWK series and the artwork is distracting--illustrating a word or two on the page and not conveying a whole concept or episode visually. The story itself, despite having some very promising elements (parkour stunts and a pet monkey!) was really sort of boring. Also, for a reluctant reader, Derek the main character had a fairly high vocabula...more
Derek's story, begun in My Life as a Book, continues to be quite funny. I love his voice and his viewpoint, which often reminded me of the character and situations in Katy Kelly's Melonhead, while the friend situations made me think of Donna Gephart's How to Survive Middle School. The book is full of humor and unpredictable and ridiculous moments. At the same time, though, Derek's story also tackles some more serious issues: reading difficulties, responsibility, friendship, and bullying. A very...more
Nov 19, 2012
Brenda
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Those who enjoyed My Life as a Book
Recommended to Brenda by:
Continuation of series of books
Shelves:
realistic-fiction
My Life as a Stuntboy continues the story of Dereck from the first book My Life as a Book by author Janet Tashijan and son Jake Tashjian (Illustrator). Each of these books would be considered stand alone, you don't really need to have read one before the other to get the plot, but they are equally as humorous. While the first took place over the summer, this new book takes place during the school year. Dereck is still the ever reluctant reader who would even consider changing his monkeys diaper...more
If you are looking for something similar to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, this is your book. It is not written in diary form, but it is illustrated, as the main character, Derek, illustrates his vocabuarly words to help with his reading. Fun story of a boy who gets noticed for his skateboarding stunts, gets to be a stuntboy in a movie, deals with a hurtful situation with his best friend, and tracks down his family's kidnapped monkey. Derek learns a lot about friendship, responsiblity, and life in this s...more
Derek is back and shows us that he enjoys skating with his best friend Matt. Derek is discovered by Tony Marshall, who is a stunt coordinator for a movie being shot at Culver City in California. With his parents permission, Derek becomes a stunt boy for the leading character in a movie. It is very enjoyable book with believable events of jealousy by Matt and people being just plain mean.
Derek learns a lot about being responsible and planning to avoid obstacles.
Derek learns a lot about being responsible and planning to avoid obstacles.
its about a boy called Derek that with his friend Matt, they go to do stunts to a place. One day a an actor called Tony says he says Derek does amazing stunts and that if (with his parents permission) to be the stunt girl for Tanya Billings (the most famous girl in the movies thats Derek´s age)and everybody is talking about that i school. But Matt gets kind of jealous about that. And starts doing things you would never imagine your best riend doing.
This was a completely enjoyable book. It has some stick figure illustrations which bear a vague resemblance to "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" but it's an entirely different story with lots of action. At the same time this story about a boy who has a knack for parkour and gets asked to be a stunman on a film also has trouble reading so we get a glimpse into his mind and how he really needs to get his confidence up so he can improve his reading skills.
Continues the story set up in My life as a book, and is just as wonderful. The doodles aer educational and fun, the characters develop further from the first book, and the plot lines are absorbing. Any kid interested in parkour, art, movies, animals or even avoiding home work (!) will love this. Faster and more intelligent than the Wimpy books, and without the potty humor of Dav Pilkey, this is a great one to hand 3 - 5th graders!
My Life as a Stuntboy
By: Janet Tashjian
Realistic Fiction
274 pages
Derek Fallon is a every day normal kid. He has a pet dog named Bodi and a pet monkey named Frank. His dad is a story board creator for movies and his mom is a veterinarian. But one day when he is with is friend Matt at UCLA, Derek gets noticed by someone you could ever imagine. This guy's name is Tony. He is a stuntman for movies and he is interested in Derek. Matt gets jealous of Derek and finds new friends. One of them steals F...more
By: Janet Tashjian
Realistic Fiction
274 pages
Derek Fallon is a every day normal kid. He has a pet dog named Bodi and a pet monkey named Frank. His dad is a story board creator for movies and his mom is a veterinarian. But one day when he is with is friend Matt at UCLA, Derek gets noticed by someone you could ever imagine. This guy's name is Tony. He is a stuntman for movies and he is interested in Derek. Matt gets jealous of Derek and finds new friends. One of them steals F...more
My life as a stuntboy is about a boy who gets called to work on a movie. The movie is about a girl who gets invaded by aliens. derek the main character is acting as the girl because the girl is too afraid to do the crazy stunts derek is going to do. but when his friends find out hes acting for a girl they get into a fight. will he keep his friends? read the book to find out.
Really enjoyed her first book, My Life as a Book, so no surprise that I enjoyed this one just as much. After sitting by her during a recent MacMillan dinner at NCTE, I loved getting the inside story about why her son is the illustrator of these books. Great stick figures that help with the understanding of vocabulary - a technique he used many times himself.
A young boy becomes a stunt double for a movie star. In the meantime he deals with friendship and academic troubles as well as his responsibilities for taking care of the capuchin his family is fostering. Kids might find parts of this veering toward the preachy, but it is at heart a good story and the lessons are worthwhile.
Fun variation on the Wimpy Kid series. Written for boys, monkey, dog, friendship troubles, meeting movie stars your own age, completing dangerous stunts, vocabulary, hating homework, difficulty with reading, and stick figures all in the same book, who wouldn't love this book?
I just started this a couple of days ago. If you liked her first book (My life as a book) you will love this one. I am going to recommend it to my reluctant boy readers for my Title I program.
2.20.12: On page 99 still love the book!!!!
2.22.12: Making progress on page 145. Love just love this book.
2.25.12: Finally finished book. Great!!!!
2.20.12: On page 99 still love the book!!!!
2.22.12: Making progress on page 145. Love just love this book.
2.25.12: Finally finished book. Great!!!!
I like this series. I like Derek and his friends and parents. I like that Mom and Dad are parents and expect Derek to take his responsibilities seriously. I like that they hold him accountable when he goofs up. This time he's a stuntboy and learns a lot about responsibility and friendship. Fun read. He's still drawing his vocabulary words to help him learn to read.
My ten-year-old son Bill recommended this book to me so I read it for father's day. It was an enjoyable read with good pacing and some really funny parts. I liked the story a lot and I'm glad I read it.
A follow up to My Life as a Book, this Wimpy Kid like novel uses a relate-able ,ale narrator in intermediate grades to describe a year in school that involves being hired as a stunt boy on a movie being shot locally (the novel is set in Southern California). He is also involved with "training" an assistive pet monkey and trying to get along with all his friends. Kids will enjoy it. Derek the narrator also struggles a bit with reading and draws little stick figures to illustrate tough vocabulary...more
Charming reluctant reader. Great illustrations of vocab words, great--real--versions of friendships and struggles of growing up without being too mushy/intense.
I just like these. junior fiction, stick figure illustrations in all the margins. It's been called a kinder, gentler Wimpy Kid. I agree. Just cute and fun fluff.
This first person narrative has more text than graphics, but the pleasing font, copious white space and humorous storyline will please Wimpy kid fans.
When outgrowing Hank Zipser and Wimpy Kid, remember this book. The illustrations "help" get "life messages" across, including "you CAN read a book."
Love the book, think boys will love it( girls too). I love the way some of the vocabulary is drawn with stick figures on the side to help with comprehension. I think kids will make lots of connections with characters.
Sequel to My Life as a Book, which I loved. This was a bit of a let-down in plot and humor.
The story slides in lessons on personal responsibility and friendship without being preachy.
Apr 22, 2013
Ryan Wazook
added it
I really want to read this book. I read the first book so far. It was nice.
The books obsession with monkey poop pretty much had me feeling nauseous throughout the entire book...
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I write almost every day. If I don't, the words start backing up inside me and it gets ugly fast. My mind pretty much never stops -- I have more ideas than time to write them in. Nothing makes me happier than coming up with characters and story lines for a new project. My family and friends very graciously put up with my barrage of new ideas.
I grew up in East Providence, Rhode Island. My father wa...more
More about Janet Tashjian...
I grew up in East Providence, Rhode Island. My father wa...more
Jun 22, 2011 07:27am