Tyler Reynolds's Blog, page 5
June 18, 2021
Long Distance Daughter
This week I read My Family Divided: One Girl's Journey of Home, Loss, and Hope by Diane Guerrero with Erica Moroz. Sort of like the Dudes, it's the author telling about what happened in her life when she was a kid. The problem is, a lot of bad stuff happened that wasn't her fault. Her parents came to the U.S. as visitors and decided to stay, which is sort of illegal. So Diane has to keep their secrets and worry. And then, one day, the worst happens: her parents are taken by officers of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and sent away to Columbia. That leaves her, a middle schooler, alone and taking care of herself.
This book is kind of scary, even for kids like me whose parents have all the papers they need to stay in the country. I mean, the idea that officers wouldn't help you, that the government wouldn't care, that there could be no way to legally solve your troubles. It sounds like the Nazis rounding people up.
It's also really interesting on another level: It turns out Diane is famous now. She's an actress on a TV show. So you can see how she starts as a kid, training and working and hoping in order to become a real actress for her job.
The truth is, if she didn't become a famous actress, her story probably wouldn't have been published.
This book was a fast read and really exciting. I finished it in about three days. I highly recommend it.
On the Dude-A-Rrific Summer Reading Bingo Card, it fits these squares: BEEN THERE, HAVEN'T DONE THAT (if you've been to Boston or Columbia), ITEOTWAWKI, NOT MY CULTURE, RACE OR RELIGION (Diane is Latina and Catholic), and, of course, CURRENT EVENTS.
You can download and print the bingo card for this year at the Dudes website: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
This book is kind of scary, even for kids like me whose parents have all the papers they need to stay in the country. I mean, the idea that officers wouldn't help you, that the government wouldn't care, that there could be no way to legally solve your troubles. It sounds like the Nazis rounding people up.
It's also really interesting on another level: It turns out Diane is famous now. She's an actress on a TV show. So you can see how she starts as a kid, training and working and hoping in order to become a real actress for her job.
The truth is, if she didn't become a famous actress, her story probably wouldn't have been published.
This book was a fast read and really exciting. I finished it in about three days. I highly recommend it.
On the Dude-A-Rrific Summer Reading Bingo Card, it fits these squares: BEEN THERE, HAVEN'T DONE THAT (if you've been to Boston or Columbia), ITEOTWAWKI, NOT MY CULTURE, RACE OR RELIGION (Diane is Latina and Catholic), and, of course, CURRENT EVENTS.
You can download and print the bingo card for this year at the Dudes website: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
June 11, 2021
What is a Crossover?
If you don't know, google it. Watch a couple video examples, and you're set for this basketball-related book: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. I'm not much of a sports, guy, but I LOVED it!
Josh and Jordan Bell are star players on their b-ball team. But the book is not really about the big tournament. I've noticed that the best books are like that--they are not about the big game or the big fight or the big competition. They are about what's going on inside the hero.
Josh has got some stuff to deal with: his brother has a girlfriend, his dad is sick, and Josh has just screwed up big-time in front of everybody.
Here's the weird thing. We know what Josh is thinking because he thinks it all in poetry (not the rhyming kind). That means every page tells something he feels in a very small space. The book is a super-fast read, and you don't have to deal with paragraphs of description. It's like that crossover video plays in your head while you read the lines and you feel it along with Josh. I like a poetry book...who would've thought?
This book has tons of awards, so you might want to save it to read for some required reading for school (you can read the whole thing in an afternoon). But, if you're using it for the Dude-A-Rrific Summer Reading Bingo, it fits these squares: CAN YOU SEE IT? (it's all in your head, bro), THEY TALK WEIRD (all in poetry), JUST DO IT (may inspire free-throw practice), CURRENT EVENTS (there's a driving-while-black police stop).
You can download and print the bingo card for this year at the Dudes website: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
Josh and Jordan Bell are star players on their b-ball team. But the book is not really about the big tournament. I've noticed that the best books are like that--they are not about the big game or the big fight or the big competition. They are about what's going on inside the hero.
Josh has got some stuff to deal with: his brother has a girlfriend, his dad is sick, and Josh has just screwed up big-time in front of everybody.
Here's the weird thing. We know what Josh is thinking because he thinks it all in poetry (not the rhyming kind). That means every page tells something he feels in a very small space. The book is a super-fast read, and you don't have to deal with paragraphs of description. It's like that crossover video plays in your head while you read the lines and you feel it along with Josh. I like a poetry book...who would've thought?
This book has tons of awards, so you might want to save it to read for some required reading for school (you can read the whole thing in an afternoon). But, if you're using it for the Dude-A-Rrific Summer Reading Bingo, it fits these squares: CAN YOU SEE IT? (it's all in your head, bro), THEY TALK WEIRD (all in poetry), JUST DO IT (may inspire free-throw practice), CURRENT EVENTS (there's a driving-while-black police stop).
You can download and print the bingo card for this year at the Dudes website: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
June 4, 2021
Magic That's Not and a Crazy Girl!
I have two more weeks of school, so, in my free time, I escaped it by jumping into the year 1491 and a spooky old castle in Midnight Magic by Avi. The main character is a magician's apprentice, Fabrizio. Everybody believes his master's tricks are real sorcery, so he's in trouble (because sorcery is illegal back then). The only way out is to get rid of a ghost so the king's daughter can marry.
Of course, the king's daughter is one of those girls, like Teresa, who is both smart and crazy and has her own scheme going. And Fabrizio is caught in the middle. There are hidden passages, secret identities, and wailing spirits.
The people in this book were great. I loved the sly humor whenever Fabrizio and his master teased each other. And the way Fabrizio balanced sucking up to powerful people and unnerving them with his sleight of hand.
Even Fabrizio couldn't decide whether this ghost was real or, as his master says, there must be a rational explanation. So it was a good mystery right down to the last page.
I would love to spend more time with these characters, and, if you're interested, there's a prequel to Midnight Magic called Murder at Midnight.
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies: CAN YOU SEE IT? (can't beat the spooky castle/hidden passageways setting), THE OLD COUNTRY, THEY TALK WEIRD (in ye olde medieval way), CONTRAPTIONS (read it and you'll see), ONE WORD TITLE OR AUTHOR (Avi), GODS AND GHOSTS (obviously), ITS ABOUT TIME ('cause it takes you back to the old days).
You can download and print the bingo card for this year at the Dudes website: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
See you next week! Happy Reading!
Of course, the king's daughter is one of those girls, like Teresa, who is both smart and crazy and has her own scheme going. And Fabrizio is caught in the middle. There are hidden passages, secret identities, and wailing spirits.
The people in this book were great. I loved the sly humor whenever Fabrizio and his master teased each other. And the way Fabrizio balanced sucking up to powerful people and unnerving them with his sleight of hand.
Even Fabrizio couldn't decide whether this ghost was real or, as his master says, there must be a rational explanation. So it was a good mystery right down to the last page.
I would love to spend more time with these characters, and, if you're interested, there's a prequel to Midnight Magic called Murder at Midnight.
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies: CAN YOU SEE IT? (can't beat the spooky castle/hidden passageways setting), THE OLD COUNTRY, THEY TALK WEIRD (in ye olde medieval way), CONTRAPTIONS (read it and you'll see), ONE WORD TITLE OR AUTHOR (Avi), GODS AND GHOSTS (obviously), ITS ABOUT TIME ('cause it takes you back to the old days).
You can download and print the bingo card for this year at the Dudes website: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
See you next week! Happy Reading!
May 28, 2021
Summer Reading Bingo 2021
Dude! It's finally here!
The end of this pandemic-wacky school year is finally here. I can't wait to leave behind app-based education and teacher-approved books and sit back with some awesome summer reading!
Of course, I'll be hosting Dude-a Rrific Summer Reading Bingo again. You can download and print the bingo card for this year at the Dudes website: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
If you read a Dudes book for the first time, you can mark a spot on your bingo card, but there are so many other books too. And you need 5 to win. That's why I offer reviews of what I've been reading. (You can also find previous reviews on the website or in earlier posts of this blog.) Don't worry, I'll give you a Dude's point of view.
Actually, my school isn't quite over yet, but I got my first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine last week and had to wait the required 15 minutes after, so I couldn't really help getting started on a good book:
The Secrets of Alaburg, by Greg Walters.
This book is translated from German. In fact, it's billed as the "German Harry Potter", and I would say it is not that. But it is long (488 pages - which is not a problem for me), and there is a magic school, and there is a crew of classmates who live together and struggle to pass their classes and develop their magic skills. Oh, and there is a magic tournament!
On the other hand, outside of this hidden school in the mountains, there is not a modern muggle world like ours. Instead, there is a medieval world of hamlets and dark forests where a new evil menace is growing.
The main character, Bryn, and his friends are in training to take on this menace, so, awesome.
I really liked the diverse group of misfits that become Bryn's friends--a human (Bryn), a dwarf, an orc, and a half-fairy. (Like the Dudes, they don't really have girls who are friends -- at least in this first book). But there is a girl Bryn "like-likes" who needs to be rescued.
The kids have to learn to work their different skills together to be effective in battles. And I liked the idea that the school is meant to combat racism (like between the magical races and humans) but, like all schools, it sometimes makes things worse.
The second book in the series is coming on September 1, and I'm looking forward to it!
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies: THE OLD COUNTRY, NOT A HUMAN STORY (except for Bryn), NOT WHAT I EXPECTED (because, even though it is Hogwarts-like, it is pretty different).
I'll be sending out another review every Friday of the summer. But I might be busy this weekend what with the Welcome Summer Block Party and all. (The Dudes and I are building a tank!) Hope you all have a Memorial Day blast too!
The end of this pandemic-wacky school year is finally here. I can't wait to leave behind app-based education and teacher-approved books and sit back with some awesome summer reading!
Of course, I'll be hosting Dude-a Rrific Summer Reading Bingo again. You can download and print the bingo card for this year at the Dudes website: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
If you read a Dudes book for the first time, you can mark a spot on your bingo card, but there are so many other books too. And you need 5 to win. That's why I offer reviews of what I've been reading. (You can also find previous reviews on the website or in earlier posts of this blog.) Don't worry, I'll give you a Dude's point of view.
Actually, my school isn't quite over yet, but I got my first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine last week and had to wait the required 15 minutes after, so I couldn't really help getting started on a good book:
The Secrets of Alaburg, by Greg Walters.
This book is translated from German. In fact, it's billed as the "German Harry Potter", and I would say it is not that. But it is long (488 pages - which is not a problem for me), and there is a magic school, and there is a crew of classmates who live together and struggle to pass their classes and develop their magic skills. Oh, and there is a magic tournament!
On the other hand, outside of this hidden school in the mountains, there is not a modern muggle world like ours. Instead, there is a medieval world of hamlets and dark forests where a new evil menace is growing.
The main character, Bryn, and his friends are in training to take on this menace, so, awesome.
I really liked the diverse group of misfits that become Bryn's friends--a human (Bryn), a dwarf, an orc, and a half-fairy. (Like the Dudes, they don't really have girls who are friends -- at least in this first book). But there is a girl Bryn "like-likes" who needs to be rescued.
The kids have to learn to work their different skills together to be effective in battles. And I liked the idea that the school is meant to combat racism (like between the magical races and humans) but, like all schools, it sometimes makes things worse.
The second book in the series is coming on September 1, and I'm looking forward to it!
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies: THE OLD COUNTRY, NOT A HUMAN STORY (except for Bryn), NOT WHAT I EXPECTED (because, even though it is Hogwarts-like, it is pretty different).
I'll be sending out another review every Friday of the summer. But I might be busy this weekend what with the Welcome Summer Block Party and all. (The Dudes and I are building a tank!) Hope you all have a Memorial Day blast too!
April 20, 2021
Dudes in the Middle paperback is now available at more online sellers!
Find it at: Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Walmart.com, Book Depository, Alibris, Indigo in Canada, Waterstones in the UK, and Booktopia and Fishpond in Australia.
Shop Here: https://epicspielpress.emilykayjohnso...
Shop Here: https://epicspielpress.emilykayjohnso...
August 28, 2020
A Minecraft Story
This week I'm reviewing Baby Zeke: The diary of a chicken jockey (an unofficial Minecraft autobiography). I got into this book because of Mark Sanderlin (the guy who reads the Dudes audiobooks). He is also the voice actor for the Baby Zeke series of Minecraft stories, so I checked them out. Let me tell you, first, that it's much cheaper to buy this series in two ebook volumes The Complete Baby Zeke: The Diary of a Chicken Jockey: Books 1 to 9: An Unofficial Minecraft Book and The Complete Baby Zeke: The Diary of a Chicken Jockey: Books 10 to 12: An Unofficial Minecraft Book.
The first book by itself is really short--under a hundred pages in paperback, and you'll feel like you want more. To me it didn't feel like a whole story but only the beginning of the story. The book collections give you a whole lot more story for way cheaper than buying the individual books. You can get them as ebook or audiobook sets or printed and merged into one fat paperback. Of course, I recommend you get the multi-volume set in audiobook because Mark Sanderlin is awesome!
The story is about a baby zombie who doesn't know why he's different from other zombies or even how he came to be. Luckily, he soon makes friends with other Minecraft characters, like an adult zombie and a chicken who help him discover his abilities and take part in adventures.
These books are really aimed at reluctant readers like Connor or younger readers, like my little brother, Jayden. But the adventures are exciting, and I was anxious to learn more after the first book. Despite Zeke being a baby, there is plenty of Minecraft violence especially from marauding players (who, remember, are kids like you and me). It's a whole new perspective.
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies: BECAUSE YOU'RE LAZY, MEME RELATED, VIDEO GAME, WHAT TO READ TO YOUR PET (if your pet is a chicken).
Find the Bingo card and see how I'm filling out my card here: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
The first book by itself is really short--under a hundred pages in paperback, and you'll feel like you want more. To me it didn't feel like a whole story but only the beginning of the story. The book collections give you a whole lot more story for way cheaper than buying the individual books. You can get them as ebook or audiobook sets or printed and merged into one fat paperback. Of course, I recommend you get the multi-volume set in audiobook because Mark Sanderlin is awesome!
The story is about a baby zombie who doesn't know why he's different from other zombies or even how he came to be. Luckily, he soon makes friends with other Minecraft characters, like an adult zombie and a chicken who help him discover his abilities and take part in adventures.
These books are really aimed at reluctant readers like Connor or younger readers, like my little brother, Jayden. But the adventures are exciting, and I was anxious to learn more after the first book. Despite Zeke being a baby, there is plenty of Minecraft violence especially from marauding players (who, remember, are kids like you and me). It's a whole new perspective.
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies: BECAUSE YOU'RE LAZY, MEME RELATED, VIDEO GAME, WHAT TO READ TO YOUR PET (if your pet is a chicken).
Find the Bingo card and see how I'm filling out my card here: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
August 21, 2020
Obsessed Little Brother? I Can Relate.
This week I read Sophie Washington: The Gamer by Tonya Duncan Ellis. This book is a little young for me, but it was a fast read, if you're looking for something to quick finish up your summer reading.
Your parents will love it because it's about giving up screen time for Lent. (That's a thing some churches do. Ryan and Connor tried giving up fighting once, but it didn't work out.)
Anyway, Sophie's little brother, Cole, gives up video games, and Sophie gives up tattling. You can imagine about how well that works out. Like a lot of siblings, Sophie and Cole are at odds until a dog comes into the picture, and suddenly they have to work together. Sophie even tries to help Cole when he screws up.
There is also some girl stuff--relationships at school. Not my cup of tea, just saying. But Teresa would be all over it. I thought Sophie was gonna be one of those goody-good, kiss-up-to-the-parents kind of girls. But she actually had a lot going on. And I could totally relate to her problems with her little brother (and her new dog). Cole is even into art, like Jayden! It doesn't pay to be the oldest.
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies:
SIBLINGS TEAM-UP, BECAUSE YOU'RE LAZY, AWESOME GIRL, VIDEO GAME, and WHAT TO READ TO YOUR PET.
Find the Bingo card and see how I'm filling out my card here: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
Your parents will love it because it's about giving up screen time for Lent. (That's a thing some churches do. Ryan and Connor tried giving up fighting once, but it didn't work out.)
Anyway, Sophie's little brother, Cole, gives up video games, and Sophie gives up tattling. You can imagine about how well that works out. Like a lot of siblings, Sophie and Cole are at odds until a dog comes into the picture, and suddenly they have to work together. Sophie even tries to help Cole when he screws up.
There is also some girl stuff--relationships at school. Not my cup of tea, just saying. But Teresa would be all over it. I thought Sophie was gonna be one of those goody-good, kiss-up-to-the-parents kind of girls. But she actually had a lot going on. And I could totally relate to her problems with her little brother (and her new dog). Cole is even into art, like Jayden! It doesn't pay to be the oldest.
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies:
SIBLINGS TEAM-UP, BECAUSE YOU'RE LAZY, AWESOME GIRL, VIDEO GAME, and WHAT TO READ TO YOUR PET.
Find the Bingo card and see how I'm filling out my card here: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
August 14, 2020
PIrates!
This week I'm reviewing a true classic by Robert Louis Stevenson: Treasure Island!
I don't want to give anything away, but just the name tells you there is a treasure hidden on an island. And Jim Hawkins is a kid who's caught up in the middle of it.
Long John Silver befriends him and takes him on board a voyage to find the treasure. But can you really be friends with a pirate? Jim has both friends and enemies on the ship. And, when they get to the island, everybody starts double-crossing each other--well, not everybody. You'll have to read for yourself to find out who the good guys are.
Basically, if you've ever seen a pirate movie, this is what it was based on. And, to me, this is still the best story. Also, they talk like in "ye olde dayes", which adds to the atmosphere and didn't really slow me down. Get ready for blood-curdling chills and swashbuckling action!
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies:
HISTORICAL, BACK IN THE DAY, MEME-RELATED (there are a lot of pirate memes).
Find the Bingo card and see how I'm filling out my card here: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
I don't want to give anything away, but just the name tells you there is a treasure hidden on an island. And Jim Hawkins is a kid who's caught up in the middle of it.
Long John Silver befriends him and takes him on board a voyage to find the treasure. But can you really be friends with a pirate? Jim has both friends and enemies on the ship. And, when they get to the island, everybody starts double-crossing each other--well, not everybody. You'll have to read for yourself to find out who the good guys are.
Basically, if you've ever seen a pirate movie, this is what it was based on. And, to me, this is still the best story. Also, they talk like in "ye olde dayes", which adds to the atmosphere and didn't really slow me down. Get ready for blood-curdling chills and swashbuckling action!
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies:
HISTORICAL, BACK IN THE DAY, MEME-RELATED (there are a lot of pirate memes).
Find the Bingo card and see how I'm filling out my card here: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
August 7, 2020
What Would You Do?
Today I'm reviewing The Player King by Avi. I read it because Mom bought it at a book fair and said I would find it fascinating. I'm not in favor of parents forcing kids to read certain books. But it worked out okay this time.
What would you do if you were an orphan, a servant in a tavern, and some priest came and told you you were royalty. It's 1486 in Oxford, England, and Lambert Simnel looks a little like the young Earl of Warwick. Two powerful men tell Lambert that he IS the missing Earl who should be king. They teach him manners and give him a crown. They even raise an army to fight King Henry VII.
What will a peasant boy do with so much power? Who are his real friends and enemies? And what life does he really want? No one ever tells Lambert the truth. But I love how he figures out each powerful grown-up's secret fears and needs. They think he is nothing so they can just use him.
But, by making him king, they are giving him power. Who will he choose to raise up or destroy? No one asked if he wanted this power. If he had a choice, what would he do?
This book is a great ride and a quick read, and it left me thinking what I would do with grown-ups kneeling at my feet. Awesome story--plus, it's true and part of history.
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies:
HISTORICAL, EVIL TWIN, MOM MADE ME READ IT, BACK IN THE DAY, I LEARNED SOMETHING.
Find the Bingo card and see how I'm filling out my card here: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
What would you do if you were an orphan, a servant in a tavern, and some priest came and told you you were royalty. It's 1486 in Oxford, England, and Lambert Simnel looks a little like the young Earl of Warwick. Two powerful men tell Lambert that he IS the missing Earl who should be king. They teach him manners and give him a crown. They even raise an army to fight King Henry VII.
What will a peasant boy do with so much power? Who are his real friends and enemies? And what life does he really want? No one ever tells Lambert the truth. But I love how he figures out each powerful grown-up's secret fears and needs. They think he is nothing so they can just use him.
But, by making him king, they are giving him power. Who will he choose to raise up or destroy? No one asked if he wanted this power. If he had a choice, what would he do?
This book is a great ride and a quick read, and it left me thinking what I would do with grown-ups kneeling at my feet. Awesome story--plus, it's true and part of history.
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies:
HISTORICAL, EVIL TWIN, MOM MADE ME READ IT, BACK IN THE DAY, I LEARNED SOMETHING.
Find the Bingo card and see how I'm filling out my card here: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
July 31, 2020
Battle of the Evil Twins!
In The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett, Miles Murphy is all set to be the celebrated prankster of his new school. The only problem is the school already has a master prankster--and he's better than Miles (or is he?)!
Get ready for an all out prank war.
I loved this book for two reasons:
1) We Dudes love a good prank, and these pranks are original and funny.
2) The villain. The principal is the butt of some of the pranks. He also has it in for Miles, which makes him a true enemy. He's clueless and funny, but still dangerous, so none of the pranks seem like they are just mean.
Also, there are cows. The setting is this weird town that's known for its cows. And there are tidbits of funny cow info throughout the book. To me this is a mark of good writing--not cows, I mean--but the fact that each scene is funny or important. You never feel like you're waiting around for the good stuff to happen, 'cause it's all good! So, kudos to Mac Barnett. Also, the pictures by Kevin Cornell really add to the story.
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies:
EVIL TWIN (who is the other prankster and how does he keep defeating Miles?), RANDOM HUMOR (cows!), HOW WE ROCK (Dudes love a prank), I LEARNED SOMETHING (about cows).
Find the Bingo card and see how I'm filling out my card here: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
Get ready for an all out prank war.
I loved this book for two reasons:
1) We Dudes love a good prank, and these pranks are original and funny.
2) The villain. The principal is the butt of some of the pranks. He also has it in for Miles, which makes him a true enemy. He's clueless and funny, but still dangerous, so none of the pranks seem like they are just mean.
Also, there are cows. The setting is this weird town that's known for its cows. And there are tidbits of funny cow info throughout the book. To me this is a mark of good writing--not cows, I mean--but the fact that each scene is funny or important. You never feel like you're waiting around for the good stuff to happen, 'cause it's all good! So, kudos to Mac Barnett. Also, the pictures by Kevin Cornell really add to the story.
On the Dudes Summer Book Bingo card, here's how this book qualifies:
EVIL TWIN (who is the other prankster and how does he keep defeating Miles?), RANDOM HUMOR (cows!), HOW WE ROCK (Dudes love a prank), I LEARNED SOMETHING (about cows).
Find the Bingo card and see how I'm filling out my card here: https://emilykayjohnson.com/TheDudesC...
