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Nov 19, 2011

Teresa rated it:

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. Tamar More...

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Apr 27, 2011

Marfita rated it:

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, a More...

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Dec 20, 2010

Jackie rated it:

It's the summer of 1969, and Tamara Simpson is missing her BF and confidant, Kebsie who up and moved away. She was living in foster care with Mrs. Kutchner, Tamara's neighbor, until a few days ago. Who moved in, but Muscle Man McGinty, who stretches the truth and tells whoppers every chance he gets...like Neil Armstrong is his uncle, like he sang on broadway, like he can beat the whole kickball team single-handedly. Yet, he is a schmoozer and usually gets his way and has the whole neighborhood l More...

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May 30, 2009

Allison rated it:

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 Nei More...

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Jan 27, 2010

Josiah rated it:

Every once in a while—how far apart is impossible to predict—a character in a novel will come who is unique, and special, and somehow digs deep into a person's heart and mind to make a permanent home there. This is the case with Muscle Man McGinty. I can't really even put my finger on why I found him to be so endearing; it's one of those visceral things that just is, that one doesn't question, because its reality is so certain.

In my view, this entire book flows from the character o More...

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Jun 17, 2009

Regina rated it:

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 neighbor More...

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Jan 04, 2010

Sharon rated it:

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 More...

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Dec 01, 2010

Judi rated it:

Tammy, the narrator of this book, is exactly the same age as me--we were both 10 years old in 1969 when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. This kept me interested as the author gets lots of details about this time in the U.S. exactly right. However, Tammy is a really unpleasant kid and it is hard to feel sympathy for her as you read the book. She is angry that her best friend has moved from a foster-care home in her neighborhood and is determined to dislike the boy who moved in to replace her More...

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Sep 17, 2009

Sandy rated it:

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 lear More...

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Jul 01, 2009

Destinee rated it:

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 hea More...

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Nov 20, 2009

Andy rated it:

The voice of Tamara Simpson, the first-person narrator, is distinct and original. Tamara is a feisty character troubled by the loss of her best friend Kebsie. Kebsie has suddenly moved away with her birth mother, and Douglas McGinty appears to have taken Kebsie's spot as Mrs. Kutchner's new foster child. "Muscle Man McGinty" tells lie after lie, and Tamara can not believe that these lies go unnoticed by everyone around. Her earnest disbelief is part of what makes her so childlike an More...

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Sep 05, 2009

Staci rated it:

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 Keb More...

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Jun 19, 2011

Kelly rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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Jun 18, 2009

Nicole rated it:

It’s summer, so all the kids are out of school and running around the neighborhood. Their days are filled with kickball and ice cream. Unfortunately Tammy just isn’t happy. Her best friend moved away and a boy has moved into her old house. Tammy nicknames him “Muscle Man” and hates hearing all his lies; even worse, no one else, even the adults, calls Muscle Man out on the lies. As summer stretches on and the realities of Vietnam hit home, things change even more for Tammy and the neighborho More...

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Mar 09, 2010

Eva rated it:

The title is long but the book is short. This is a slice of life from 1969 New Jersey, told from the point of view of a literal-minded girl named Tammy who just can't stand that her best friend is gone and and in her place (fostered by the same woman) is a little runt who tells huge whoppers. That this boy (Douglas, but known by Tammy's sarcastic nickname Muscle Man) must have a sad story to be in foster care, and that he is pretty darn nice guy despite his lies, doesn't occur to Tammy; she is u More...

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Oct 06, 2009

Abby rated it:

It's the summer of 1969 and the whole world is waiting to watch Neil Armstrong take the first steps on the moon. Tamara is gritting her teeth and dealing with Douglas "Muscle Man" McGinty, the wimpy new foster kid who's replaced Tamara's best friend Kebsie down the street. He thinks he's so great, but Tamara can see straight through his lies. He's not training for the Olympics. And Neil Armstrong is not his uncle, no matter what the wormy kid says. Why can't Muscle Man go away and send More...

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Jun 13, 2009

Susan rated it:

This one took me back to the summers of my childhood. Tamara feels abandoned when her best friend Kebsie abruptly moves away. The odd kid out in the neighborhood gang, Tamara takes out her hurt on the kid who now occupies Kebsie's house, a skinny, brash, sunny kid who Tamara calls "Muscle Man". MM has a habit of telling whoppers that drives Tamara crazy. Worse, she seems to be the only one cheezed off by this kid--for some reason, the rest of the neighborhood gang lets his "st More...

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Dec 10, 2010

Melinda rated it:

This is a great story about first impressions, rash judgments, second chances and unusual friendships. Tamara Simpson is a truly believable character - she misses her best friend who moved away without telling her, has a strained relationship with her parents and chooses to call them by their first names, wants to spend more time with her older brother who is away at college, and yearns to blow the cover off of Muscle Man McGinty's (the new kid on the block) constant lies/fabrications.
Th More...

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Jun 11, 2009

Kathy (Bermudaonion) rated it:

Tamara Simpson is having a rough summer. Her best friend, Kebsie, was a foster child living with the woman across the street and she’s moved back in with her mother. A new boy, Douglas, has moved in – Tamara calls him Muscle Man because he’s so scrawny. Tamara resents Muscle Man because he’s taken Kebsie’s place and he tells lies that no one else seems to notice. Among other things, he claims to be training for the Olympic swimming team and says that Neil Armstrong is his uncle. When he cha More...

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Oct 23, 2009

Beth rated it:

Tammy has just finished the fifth grade, and a long summer of kickball games and ice cream stretches out before her. In her suburban community, the war in Vietnam seems very far away, even though her college-age brother's best friend is off fighting. Tammy's biggest problem is that her best friend has moved away, and Muscle Man McGinty, the biggest liar she's ever met, has moved in. She's determined to expose him, no matter what anyone says.

The events of the summer of 1969 form the b More...

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Jul 24, 2010

Janet rated it:

Nice story that took me home to my childhood neighborhood. It struck close to home in lots of ways, particularly my family life, and sometimes I don't like going back there, even as an adult, so I would prefer a children's book that is more fun and upbeat and provides a bit of an escape. I think as a child this book would have been very sad to read. Is it too much to expect elementary school kids to be able to see the life from a grown up perspective. I think it is another way to ask them to be More...

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Dec 13, 2010

Ellen rated it:

December's Teachers as Readers selection. Like 2 of the 3 others that we have read this year, this one takes place during the era of my childhood. (60s/70s). I wonder if it will resonate with today's child. (historical fiction, I suppose). Tamara, the 10 year old narrator, is angry that her neighbor and best friend (a foster child, we later find out) moves away without a forwarding address and a boastful boy (another foster child) moves in. Tamara is determined to make life difficult for the More...

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Feb 04, 2011

Emmet O'Neal Library- Children's Department rated it:

This is a great book for kids who want to read about other “regular” kids. I related to Tamara’s slightly grumpy portrayal of the everyday events of an average 10-year old. She’s quite ordinary, nothing exceptional or tragic unless you count the tragedy of a best friend moving away and the greater tragedy of that perfect friend being replaced by a far from perfect BOY! Tamara can’t stand listening to “Muscle Man McGinty’s” ridiculous lies, why do the other kids in the neighborhood like him so More...

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Dec 17, 2009

Missmath144 rated it:

No tags are being allowed for some reason this week. This should be jFIC and Friendship.

Tamara calls the new boy Muscle Man McGinty because he claims he can do just about anything. His uncle is Neil Armstrong, about to walk on the moon. Muscle Man once trained for the Olympics. He can lick the entire block of kids at kick ball. Tamara can't understand why others don't see that he is lying, and if they do, they don't seem to care. She never asks herself why he's living in a foster hom More...

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Feb 04, 2010

Nancy rated it:

I really liked this book. It takes place in 1969, which is when I grew up, so maybe that's why I enjoyed it. Tamara is the main character who is living in New York. Her best friend (who was in a foster home), suddenly moves out of her foster home with no explanation. Douglas moves in and everyone loves him and his stories. Tammy can see right through all his stories (lies) and wonders why everyone likes him if he lies so much. We go on to learn why Douglas is in the foster home and learn a bit a More...

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Dec 11, 2009

Robin rated it:

A quick, enjoyable read. Protagonist is sometimes likable, sometimes exasperating! Definitely feel empathy for her though. And for Muscle Man too for that matter. I remember how intensely I felt about friendship when I was that age (11) and so I can identify with her feelings of loss since her friend moved away. And hence her automatic resentment toward the new inhabitant of that house. Vivid portrait of a neighborhood in 1969, where kickball rules, the ice cream truck still comes by, the shadow More...

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Jul 31, 2009

Michelle BF rated it:

My son clapped when we finished this book. What a surprisly charming and thoughtful novel about a young girl who's struggling with her friend's disappearance. This was all overlayed with her relationship with her neighborhood, family along with the Vietnam war and the first moon walk. We really enjoyed it. We want more!

Neil Armstrong is my uncle and other lies muscle man mcginty told me More...

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Jul 22, 2009

Joan rated it:

Great quick read to get into nostalgic mood for the 40th anniversary of moon landing. This story brought me back. I just finished fifth grade in the summer of 1969 and lived in a neighborhood not unlike Tammy's. It set the stage well for childhood of the 1960s. It seemed carefree, but always had the reality of those times in the background. TV brought all those historic events into our homes. Some we remember with pride, others with sadness. I think the kids of today will be able to identify More...

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Jul 27, 2010

Kate rated it:

If you're looking for a great book to give your 4th-7th grader, look no further. If you're looking to take a journey back to 1969 and the summer of the first moon landing, look no further. If you want to meet a 10 year old girl who hurts so much that she becomes the block bully, look no further. This story is funny, compelling, and in the end, very hopeful. Nan Marino draws well rounded characters who will stay with you 40 years after Neil Armstrong took his one small step. (After your chil More...

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May 13, 2009

Colleen rated it:

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 sch More...

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