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Max Quigley, Technically Not a Bully: Hilarious Humor and Unlikely Friendship for Kids
For readers just past Captain Underpants, for those who relish the sort of humor of Louis Sachar and Jack Gantos, here is a hilarious novel by an author who truly gets boys. His main character Max Quigley is no angel; in fact one might call him a bully. But even as he taunts "wimpy Nerdstrom," he also begins to understand him. A most unlikely friendship grows. In the end, Max wins readers over, keeps them laughing, shows he is capable of change, and ultimately, brings us to a better understanding of boy dynamics.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 16, 2010
Max doesn't think he is really a bully, but it's pretty clear to us as readers that he is one -- big time. Through a series of parentally-forced meetings between him and the victim of his pranks ("Nerdstrom") Max does eventually change his world view for the better. Even though Max is far from likeable as a character, I found myself rooting for him to change and was pleased when he was able to. There's lots of humor in Max's narrative voice too. It's certainly enlightening to see a bully's world from the bully's perspective. A few unrealistic plot elements, but I can overlook those to enjoy the book as a whole.
March 7, 2009
Saw this author at my Children's Librarians conference. Absolute hoot. He was highly entertaining as a speaker and gave us lots to think about with regards to reaching boys and getting them to read. I picked this book up at the conference and read it in a couple of hours.
Very good book for 10-12 yr old boys. It gives a humourous slant to schoolyard tactics and the powerplays that go on, but also has a very subtle message which most boys will get. Well written and very entertaining even for a 44 yr old married lady!!!
Very good book for 10-12 yr old boys. It gives a humourous slant to schoolyard tactics and the powerplays that go on, but also has a very subtle message which most boys will get. Well written and very entertaining even for a 44 yr old married lady!!!
July 3, 2009
They say not to judge a book by its cover. But then, they say a lot of things, you know. And nine times out of ten I ten to ignore “them”. Particularly in the case of Max Quigley, Technically Not a Bully because one glance at the cover and I knew what I would find. Yet another Diary of a Wimpy Kid knock-off, ho hum de hum. Sorry, dudes. Not interested. Go ply your wares elsewhere. But then this fellow children’s librarian I know says to me, “Actually, it’s really good. You should try it.” Uh-huh. Pull the other one. Then again... the title is kind of entrancing. Okay, fine, I’ll bite. What’s it about? “It’s about this kid who’s a huge bully, but doesn’t think of himself that way.” An unreliable narrator middle grade novel? With funny pictures inside? Look I’m a thirty-one year old woman, but I have this finely honed radar for boy-tastic fare, and this sounded amazing. That is, once I got past the cover. Good thing I did too. The story is fast-paced, the writing stellar, and the plot hilarious. A book for the bullies, the bullied, and everyone in-between.
Look, Max Quigley is not a bully, okay? I mean, granted he kind of rules the school with his best mate Jared in tow. And he makes the life of Triffin Nordstrom (a.k.a. Nerdstrom) a living misery. But when his parents decide to put an end to his bullying behavior their solution is ridiculous. Max now has to be tutored in math by Nerdstrom (embarrassing for both of them, really) AND they have to hang out at one another’s homes every other weekend. Worst. Punishment. Ever. Even Nerdstrom can understand how stupid this all is, but they have no choice. Max Quigley may not think of himself as a bully, but when this crazy plan is all said and done, he may not know how to think of himself at all.
When a kid starts reading this book . . . how shall I put this? Basically imagine a pair of hands reaching out of the pages, fastening themselves around the reader’s throat, and refusing to let go. Mr. James Roy sort of has the art of the first chapter down to a science. Because essentially he has a couple difficult jobs on his hands. He needs to (A) make his main character noticeably unreliable, not to say a downright jerk. BUT (B) he can’t be such a jerk that you don’t want to hear what he has to say. And then (C) he sets up the central conceit (which is to say, his belief that Nerdstrom is a human skin tag) within three pages, without strain or seeming effort. On top of that it’s a really fun chapter to read. If you ever know a kid who needs to recite a monologue for some reason, many of the passages in this book would be brilliant choices. Just sayin’.
I need to stop for a moment here. You know, when a main character makes fun of another character’s name for an entire book, it really kind of puts a reviewer like myself in a weird space. I mean, I don’t want to call Triffin by that name. I want to call him Nerdstrom. But if I call him Nerdstrom then I’m just as bad as Max is, right? But if I DON’T call him Nerdstrom then are you even going to know whom it is that I am talking about? I mean, it really is the name he goes by the most in this story. Though that's only because the bully is the narrator and ... curse you, James Roy, for these infernal paradoxes! Okay. Got it out of my system. Just figured it had to be said.
Unreliable narrators in children’s literature exist but they’re difficult. Harriet from Harriet the Spy is kind of one. Greg from Diary of a Wimpy Kid could fit. Basically, any book where a kid is talking in the first person but isn’t being completely honest with the reader (which is noticeable) would count. And while I’m not exactly gonna call this the Pale Fire of children’s books, Max’s seeming ignorance about himself is mesmerizing. You can read one passage where he flicks bits of cheesecake on some girls and makes them cry and then another where he assures us that he’s not a bully because bullies makes people cry and he doesn’t do that. And the crazy thing is, you really believe that HE believes what he’s saying. He’s completely ignorant of his own problems. He says that bullies steal kids’ lunches. Max, on the other hand, is more inclined to merely take their lunch money when his own is stolen (which I’m sure he’d say was just fair).
For such a fun book, there are some pretty serious themes being addressed here. The nice thing is that Mr. Roy doesn’t spell it all out for you. Why is Max such a jerk? One look at his older brother should explain it (and his parents are little help). And then there’s Nerdstrom to consider. Roy is giving this all from Max’s perspective, but you can still see Triffin’s point of view on a lot of matters. What’s more, you can even see the moment when he has hoped that maybe he and Max can become friends, and then reality hits. It’s crushing. Along the way there are questions silently raised. Why do bullies do what they do? How does it go on? Do they ever feel remorse? Roy’s answer is that bullies are like all of us in one special way: They want what they want. Their self-interest is far and away above everything else. So to see something from another person’s point of view is huge for them. And it turns out to be huge for Max.
Should you face a skeptic that, like me, rejects the book based on the jacket, please point out to that person that the book was actually originally published in Australia. So Mr. James Roy is definitely not trying to tap into any of that sweet sweet Wimpy Kid gold. And in an interesting move, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has eschewed the idea of Americanizing the language, which I tend to appreciate. Earlier this year I had the pleasure of reviewing another Aussie import Hannah’s Winter that took very much the same route. So I figured I was pretty up on my Aussie slang (since yet ANOTHER 2009 import How to Scratch a Wombat came with a glossary of terms). I know what “pong” means now. But even with that secret weapon I was still left high and dry when Max started saying, “peed off” instead of “pissed off” and I saw how they prefer to do their long division. It was pretty cool getting to read a kid being all high and mighty about “the bush” though. Gave it a nice regional feel.
Oh, I should probably mention the art while I’m at it. Because while this isn’t up to Wimpy Kid’s internal illustrative standards, there are a couple pictures here and there. The thing is, they appear to be systematically doled out. Each one is something Max supposedly created in a small notebook. Such a notebook is never mentioned in the text, and the only time we hear about Max drawing is when he compares his illustration to Nerdstrom’s of a trebuchet (Nerdstrom’s, suffice it to say, is better). So for a second there I wondered if the American publisher had not only given the book a Wimpy Kid cover but similar art as well. Not the case, I finally decided, since Roy has done all these pictures himself. And a lot of them really are funny. For example, there’s a moment when the book mention Mrs. Lalor, “who’s the grouchy old library assistant who always makes the photocopier stop working.” Turn the page and there’s a picture of Mrs. Lalor, sledgehammer in hand, standing over the copier, the plug clearly pulled out of the wall. Even if what Max does is bad, his pictures are pretty funny.
It got me to thinking. Sometimes Max’s quips and insults and pranks are amusing. And while we’re intended to see that, we’re also supposed to approve when he gets his comeuppance. So I suppose that you could argue that there’s a danger that Max is too sympathetic in this book and that he doesn’t change sufficiently by the story’s end. I would disagree. Had the book ended with a slap bang everybody-loves-everybody finish I wouldn’t have believed it. The way Max is going, some of the changes he makes may seem small, but for him they’re huge. I don’t think he’s going to stop being a bully tomorrow, but at least he’s on the right track. And yes, there will be some bullies who read this book and root for the bullying all the way. But I’d like to give kids enough credit to see Max for what he really is. In a word: delusional. Mostly.
You’ll probably laugh, even if you’re a grown-up, at least once while reading this book. If you’re a kid, you’ll laugh over and over again, even while you cringe. This is a perfect reluctant reader pick or transitional title for any kid more comfortable with graphic novels than prose Don’t let it pass you by. It’s a smart little import and well worth a gander. Booktalk it immediately.
Ages 9-14.
Look, Max Quigley is not a bully, okay? I mean, granted he kind of rules the school with his best mate Jared in tow. And he makes the life of Triffin Nordstrom (a.k.a. Nerdstrom) a living misery. But when his parents decide to put an end to his bullying behavior their solution is ridiculous. Max now has to be tutored in math by Nerdstrom (embarrassing for both of them, really) AND they have to hang out at one another’s homes every other weekend. Worst. Punishment. Ever. Even Nerdstrom can understand how stupid this all is, but they have no choice. Max Quigley may not think of himself as a bully, but when this crazy plan is all said and done, he may not know how to think of himself at all.
When a kid starts reading this book . . . how shall I put this? Basically imagine a pair of hands reaching out of the pages, fastening themselves around the reader’s throat, and refusing to let go. Mr. James Roy sort of has the art of the first chapter down to a science. Because essentially he has a couple difficult jobs on his hands. He needs to (A) make his main character noticeably unreliable, not to say a downright jerk. BUT (B) he can’t be such a jerk that you don’t want to hear what he has to say. And then (C) he sets up the central conceit (which is to say, his belief that Nerdstrom is a human skin tag) within three pages, without strain or seeming effort. On top of that it’s a really fun chapter to read. If you ever know a kid who needs to recite a monologue for some reason, many of the passages in this book would be brilliant choices. Just sayin’.
I need to stop for a moment here. You know, when a main character makes fun of another character’s name for an entire book, it really kind of puts a reviewer like myself in a weird space. I mean, I don’t want to call Triffin by that name. I want to call him Nerdstrom. But if I call him Nerdstrom then I’m just as bad as Max is, right? But if I DON’T call him Nerdstrom then are you even going to know whom it is that I am talking about? I mean, it really is the name he goes by the most in this story. Though that's only because the bully is the narrator and ... curse you, James Roy, for these infernal paradoxes! Okay. Got it out of my system. Just figured it had to be said.
Unreliable narrators in children’s literature exist but they’re difficult. Harriet from Harriet the Spy is kind of one. Greg from Diary of a Wimpy Kid could fit. Basically, any book where a kid is talking in the first person but isn’t being completely honest with the reader (which is noticeable) would count. And while I’m not exactly gonna call this the Pale Fire of children’s books, Max’s seeming ignorance about himself is mesmerizing. You can read one passage where he flicks bits of cheesecake on some girls and makes them cry and then another where he assures us that he’s not a bully because bullies makes people cry and he doesn’t do that. And the crazy thing is, you really believe that HE believes what he’s saying. He’s completely ignorant of his own problems. He says that bullies steal kids’ lunches. Max, on the other hand, is more inclined to merely take their lunch money when his own is stolen (which I’m sure he’d say was just fair).
For such a fun book, there are some pretty serious themes being addressed here. The nice thing is that Mr. Roy doesn’t spell it all out for you. Why is Max such a jerk? One look at his older brother should explain it (and his parents are little help). And then there’s Nerdstrom to consider. Roy is giving this all from Max’s perspective, but you can still see Triffin’s point of view on a lot of matters. What’s more, you can even see the moment when he has hoped that maybe he and Max can become friends, and then reality hits. It’s crushing. Along the way there are questions silently raised. Why do bullies do what they do? How does it go on? Do they ever feel remorse? Roy’s answer is that bullies are like all of us in one special way: They want what they want. Their self-interest is far and away above everything else. So to see something from another person’s point of view is huge for them. And it turns out to be huge for Max.
Should you face a skeptic that, like me, rejects the book based on the jacket, please point out to that person that the book was actually originally published in Australia. So Mr. James Roy is definitely not trying to tap into any of that sweet sweet Wimpy Kid gold. And in an interesting move, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has eschewed the idea of Americanizing the language, which I tend to appreciate. Earlier this year I had the pleasure of reviewing another Aussie import Hannah’s Winter that took very much the same route. So I figured I was pretty up on my Aussie slang (since yet ANOTHER 2009 import How to Scratch a Wombat came with a glossary of terms). I know what “pong” means now. But even with that secret weapon I was still left high and dry when Max started saying, “peed off” instead of “pissed off” and I saw how they prefer to do their long division. It was pretty cool getting to read a kid being all high and mighty about “the bush” though. Gave it a nice regional feel.
Oh, I should probably mention the art while I’m at it. Because while this isn’t up to Wimpy Kid’s internal illustrative standards, there are a couple pictures here and there. The thing is, they appear to be systematically doled out. Each one is something Max supposedly created in a small notebook. Such a notebook is never mentioned in the text, and the only time we hear about Max drawing is when he compares his illustration to Nerdstrom’s of a trebuchet (Nerdstrom’s, suffice it to say, is better). So for a second there I wondered if the American publisher had not only given the book a Wimpy Kid cover but similar art as well. Not the case, I finally decided, since Roy has done all these pictures himself. And a lot of them really are funny. For example, there’s a moment when the book mention Mrs. Lalor, “who’s the grouchy old library assistant who always makes the photocopier stop working.” Turn the page and there’s a picture of Mrs. Lalor, sledgehammer in hand, standing over the copier, the plug clearly pulled out of the wall. Even if what Max does is bad, his pictures are pretty funny.
It got me to thinking. Sometimes Max’s quips and insults and pranks are amusing. And while we’re intended to see that, we’re also supposed to approve when he gets his comeuppance. So I suppose that you could argue that there’s a danger that Max is too sympathetic in this book and that he doesn’t change sufficiently by the story’s end. I would disagree. Had the book ended with a slap bang everybody-loves-everybody finish I wouldn’t have believed it. The way Max is going, some of the changes he makes may seem small, but for him they’re huge. I don’t think he’s going to stop being a bully tomorrow, but at least he’s on the right track. And yes, there will be some bullies who read this book and root for the bullying all the way. But I’d like to give kids enough credit to see Max for what he really is. In a word: delusional. Mostly.
You’ll probably laugh, even if you’re a grown-up, at least once while reading this book. If you’re a kid, you’ll laugh over and over again, even while you cringe. This is a perfect reluctant reader pick or transitional title for any kid more comfortable with graphic novels than prose Don’t let it pass you by. It’s a smart little import and well worth a gander. Booktalk it immediately.
Ages 9-14.
January 7, 2014
I read story called technically not a bully By James Roy it was written in 2007 story tells about a boy name Max Quigley and his friend,nerdstrom
Max, nerdstrom and a bully are all in 1st grade. One day max throws his food at lunch on the wall and gets in lots of trouble. When max gets in truble at lunch he’s punishment was that Nerdstrom had to teach max math. As max and nerdstrom hang out after school they got to be good friends. In the book max learned that you can be friends with anybody. The theme of the book is the importance of friendship.
At the end of the book max works together with nerdstrom to recite a poem.“ ‘Together,’ he said under his breath, and we did the last verse totally together, totally,as if we’d actually practiced it together.”This is a example of friendship and how it was important. Max and nerdstrom they helped each other with their own problems. Max was mean to people so nerdstrom helped him get nice. Nerdstrom was a nerd and max helped him come less of a cry baby.
I did not really like the book. The book did not explain how max and nerdstrom became good friends. The characters did not seem real. In real life they would have been fighting and swearing. He tuned up his nose. “Finn? that’s no good at all.” A real first grader would have had a fit and would start throwing stuff around. They would have said “stupid” or “dumb”. If you are going to read this book get ready to get confused.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2009
After Max plays a prank on one of his "geeky" classmates
the sixth grader now must face the punishment of being tutored by him in Math.
Max does not think of himself as a bully yet he does seem to have some of the qualifications by some of the tricks he plays on poor Triffin Nordstrom, or who he calls "Nerdstrom". One being locking him out of the building of where they are on a class field trip. When the teachers are counting kids and realize they are missing one Max tells them that Triffin's Mom picked him up. However, when they get back to school and Triffin's Mom is there to pick him up...well it is soon realized poor "Nerdstrom" was left behind all alone because of Max and his other friend's actions.
Max thinks of his parents punishments as lame until they meet with Triffin's Mom and come up with a plan to help foster the boys realtionship. What were they thinking of making Triffin tutor him. Both boys are appauled with such an idea.
At the end though a great life lesson has been taught, more than Max or Triffin and their other classmates could possibly imagine through a school project they were all required to do.
This book was originally published in Australia so some of the terminology is a little different to what we are use to hearing.
I really enjoyed this book.
the sixth grader now must face the punishment of being tutored by him in Math.
Max does not think of himself as a bully yet he does seem to have some of the qualifications by some of the tricks he plays on poor Triffin Nordstrom, or who he calls "Nerdstrom". One being locking him out of the building of where they are on a class field trip. When the teachers are counting kids and realize they are missing one Max tells them that Triffin's Mom picked him up. However, when they get back to school and Triffin's Mom is there to pick him up...well it is soon realized poor "Nerdstrom" was left behind all alone because of Max and his other friend's actions.
Max thinks of his parents punishments as lame until they meet with Triffin's Mom and come up with a plan to help foster the boys realtionship. What were they thinking of making Triffin tutor him. Both boys are appauled with such an idea.
At the end though a great life lesson has been taught, more than Max or Triffin and their other classmates could possibly imagine through a school project they were all required to do.
This book was originally published in Australia so some of the terminology is a little different to what we are use to hearing.
I really enjoyed this book.
January 28, 2010
Recomended for kids who liked Diary of a Wimpy Kid, though this title is a step up in terms of writing complexity. The story is full of the crazy boy schenanagins that made DWK funny, and both books feature kids who don't think much of their meanness. This one also contains illustrations (presumably sketches ripped from Max's notepad) to compliment the story. Not as good or clever as DWK's illustrations, but they made me smile. Particularly entertaining were the chapters set in the lunch room, which usually start off something like, "On Thursday I had a meat pie, and it was great" before launching into the anecdote for the chapter (which may or may not involve meat pie).
The ending was a little abrupt, but overall the story was enjoyable enough, though nothing earth-shattering. Set in Australia, with some language to compliment.
The ending was a little abrupt, but overall the story was enjoyable enough, though nothing earth-shattering. Set in Australia, with some language to compliment.
March 27, 2009
Give this to the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" fans! Max is convinced he "technically" isn't a bully because he doesn't actually steal from kids or beat them up. Still, he's a bully all right and after a mean trick on "Nerdstrom", one of his classmates, parents and teachers gang up to punish him by making the kid he bullied his math tutor. Lessons are learned by all. Max is not a nice kid so the ending does feel a little abrupt. Max and his equally mean older brother also play a really mean trick on their mom (which ends with someone being taking away in an ambulance) and we never see any real remorse or understanding (or punishment!) for this. The book is an easy read, with small black and white drawings throughout; the Australian setting adds a little interest but is not distracting. Hopefully there will be a sequel to clear up some of the questions left unanswered in this book.
July 18, 2012
7/18/12 ** Found this ARC (even though it's been out forever!) in my stash of donated books. Think True Story of the Three Little Pigs, but a realistic fiction middle grade novel. Max is the narrator - he's misunderstood: It's not really his fault that Triffin Nordstrom (read Nerdstrom) got pushed out the emergency exit and left behind on a school field trip to the Cake Factory. It's not his fault that he threw another kid's basketball over the fence.
Max is a bully. Through some creative parenting, he begins spending time with one of his victims, leading to growth on the part of both boys. This will lead to interesting conversations about how a bully might perceive his practical jokes and how the victims feel. It might be a good next step after Wimpy Kid or provide a bridge to the Joey Pigza books.
Max is a bully. Through some creative parenting, he begins spending time with one of his victims, leading to growth on the part of both boys. This will lead to interesting conversations about how a bully might perceive his practical jokes and how the victims feel. It might be a good next step after Wimpy Kid or provide a bridge to the Joey Pigza books.
April 22, 2009
Max doesn’t believe he’s a bully. The people he makes fun of are too sensitive and the pranks he successfully pulls are because his victims are too stupid. One day when Max pulls a prank on shy Triffin Nordstrom he’s not only grounded, he also has to hang out with Triffin each weekend in order to teach Triffin self confidence. As the two boys reluctantly get to know one another Max learns that he’s not such a bully after all.
This book is humorous, but not because of the terrible things that Max does to others; it offers a surprisingly honest look inside a bully’s mentality and I couldn’t help but be amused by Max’s foolish rational. There are quite a few boys at my branch who I’m going to bully into reading this book.
This book is humorous, but not because of the terrible things that Max does to others; it offers a surprisingly honest look inside a bully’s mentality and I couldn’t help but be amused by Max’s foolish rational. There are quite a few boys at my branch who I’m going to bully into reading this book.
January 17, 2010
I was prepared to dismiss Max Quigley as a Diary of a Wimpy Kid knock-off. The two books are similarly packaged and structured, and the story’s hero and narrator, Max, is also a woefully misunderstood middle school boy. But, happily, Max stands on its own. Max is both mischievous and a bully, and he devotes much of his life, when not causing trouble, to denying his actions, justifying them, or blaming them on others. When Max is forced to spend time with one of his victims, he slowly and convincingly begins to see things from the other boy’s point of view. While the ending stretches plausibility, Max ends up a likeable, dimensional character whose story will appeal to and amuse many readers, especially boys.
January 26, 2012
The main character is a bully, but there is no depth to him. He doesn't really seem to have a reason, except that his brother is a jerk and he thinks picking on a particularly shy and geeky kid is fun. I really disliked how his parents and the other boys' mother forced him to be tutored and hang out with him either. It's not the solution to stopping bullying, and the friendship that starts to form towards the end of the novel seems unrealistic. This book seemed promising to start, but I don't think that Max is truly reformed or actually learns anything. There are far stronger books out there for kids that will get the message across. That being said, there are some similarities to "Diary of a Wimpy Kid", and boys looking for a quick read will probably enjoy this.
October 20, 2021
Meh. Remembered enjoying this book enough at 12, so I figured I’d read it again to see if I could recommend it to my 12yo students and if it still held up. I wouldn’t and it didn’t, fyi. This kid is so obnoxious, which I get is the point, but it just reeks of what boomers *think* kids are like as opposed to an authentic 12 year old perspective. The language in particular stood out- insults included “lamo”, “nerd”; insults I haven’t heard outside of happy days today, much less in an Australian classroom.
It’s a pity because I did actually like the author- Roy taught a writing class I was in and I think it helped me find my voice and humour in writing. “Problem Child” just didn’t do it for me, unfortunately. It’s not even 20 years old and yet it feel so, so dated.
It’s a pity because I did actually like the author- Roy taught a writing class I was in and I think it helped me find my voice and humour in writing. “Problem Child” just didn’t do it for me, unfortunately. It’s not even 20 years old and yet it feel so, so dated.
July 22, 2009
I had a hard time getting in to this book. It's not too often that you read from the bully's point of view.
Max Quigley is a 6th grader who can't stand Triffin Nordstrom, or Nerdstom, as he's called. Max and Nerdstrom's parents decide that enough is enough, and they're going to force them to spend time together. Nerdstrom will tutor Max in math, and Max will teach Nerdstrom some social skills. They boys hate each other, but after a few months together, realize that neither boy is really all that bad.
A great funny book for boys and reminds me of Diary of a Wimpy Kid with funny illustrations in the book.
Max Quigley is a 6th grader who can't stand Triffin Nordstrom, or Nerdstom, as he's called. Max and Nerdstrom's parents decide that enough is enough, and they're going to force them to spend time together. Nerdstrom will tutor Max in math, and Max will teach Nerdstrom some social skills. They boys hate each other, but after a few months together, realize that neither boy is really all that bad.
A great funny book for boys and reminds me of Diary of a Wimpy Kid with funny illustrations in the book.
August 3, 2009
Although he redeems himself at the end, Max is most definitely a bully. Kids will definitely find this funnier than I did, as a mom who has to deal with the occasional stupid boy shenanigan...although nothing as bad as Max can come up with, thank goodness.
I disagree with reviews that say this book is perfect for the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books. I think the main similarity is the cover, which bears a slight resemblance to the Wimpy Kid books. Other than that, (and an occasional kid-style drawing with in the text) this book is definitely it's own thing.
I disagree with reviews that say this book is perfect for the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books. I think the main similarity is the cover, which bears a slight resemblance to the Wimpy Kid books. Other than that, (and an occasional kid-style drawing with in the text) this book is definitely it's own thing.
Want to read
July 14, 2009My first impression is that it's similar to, and yet kind of the opposite of, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Also, it looks like it was originally published in Australia, so it's got that mum-and-mate thing going on.
April 1, 2010
Actually a 3.5. (I wish Goodreads had gradations of scale.) I liked the ending a lot--and really enjoyed the chapter "April Fool's day." A nitpick: complete overuse of the word "heaps" by Max. I found it grating me out of the story.
Would seek out other books by James Roy.
Would seek out other books by James Roy.
May 26, 2009
Max may not be a "true" bully but he sure is the next thing to it, that is until he is forced to spend time with "Nerdstrom". I think 4th grade boys would probably get a kick out of this one.
July 19, 2011
It was an okay book. I think the author should have continued where he left off, unless there is a second boook
December 24, 2015
Fun times! And some good fodder for talking about the fact that actions have consequences.
Want to read
February 16, 2014RL 940
August 26, 2013
nice but predictable
Read
June 9, 2018Read my thoughts over on Reading Rumpus: https://www.readingrumpus.com/2009/07...
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