Series

The 39 Clues: Shatterproof by Roland Smith

April 14, 2014 by Daniel Johnston 2 Comments

I was a little worried when I first saw that Roland Smith was to be the author of Shatterproof, book 4 in The 39 Clues: Cahills vs Vespers series.

For those of you who don’t know, The 39 Clues is a multi-author series in which two kids, Amy (14) and Dan (11), learn they are members of the most powerful family in human history. The source of their families power is scattered throughout the world in the form of 39 special clues. If they fall into the wrong hands, the price could be the world itself.

After fighting against their vicious relatives for the clues in the first series, in Cahills vs Vespers Amy and Dan face off against the Vespers, a rival family that wants to steal the clues, and also Amy’s mysterious ring she got from her grandmother. The Vespers have kidnapped many Cahills, and are holding them to force Amy and Dan to do their bidding.

Click here to learn more about The 39 Clues

I was worried when I got Shatterproof because I tried to read Peak by Roland Smith, but I just couldn’t. Smith didn’t seem like too good of an author. I’m glad this book was a pleasant surprise.

Summary

Amy and Dan have now fully teamed up with Atticus and Jake and are traveling to Germany. Vesper 1 tells them they need to steal a jewel, and sends fake police officers to put a fake diamond into Amy’s bag. Vesper 1 tells them they need to switch this with the one at the Pergamon museum.

Meanwhile a team of Erasmus, Jonah, and Hamilton are tracking the movements of Luna Amato, Vesper 5. In the last book the Cahills learned that McIntryre was murdered, and Erasmus believes Amato might have answers. Although they are able to kill Amato, the Cahills suffer yet another tragic death.

Things are also still getting harder for Amy and Dan because Interpol is on them, especially one Milos Vanek. They are able to sneak into the museum and switch the diamonds, but not without being spotted. They are able to get away, but Amy loses the valuable ring she has been told to protect. Luckily, Vanek is able to give it to her in exchange for information about Amato, who also works for Interpol.

Of course, Vesper 1 isn’t about to let Amy and Dan off that easy. He wants them to find the “apology for my great transgression,” and doesn’t give them a whole lot of time to do it. Despite the stress, the book continues developing the idea of a romance between Jake and Amy, and Amy even ends up kissing him. This is despite the fact that Evan is already Amy’s boyfriend.

Amy, Dan, Atticus, and Jake are hot on the heels of finding the Apology, but two old friends named Casper and Cheyenne seem to be getting in their way. Meanwhile, the hostages are planning an escape plan. But things aren’t looking too good for young Phoenix Wizard. Will another hostage die?

Review

Although I wasn’t expecting this book to be super good, it actually was. It was very well written in the same style that we have gotten accustomed to throughout the series of The 39 Clues. It continues to develop the new characters of Atticus and Jake, and keeps the story exciting; not an easy thing to do towards the end of the second arc of a series.

I don’t really think all this romance stuff has a place in The 39 Clues, but a lot of people apparently like it judging by the incessant talk about it on message boards.

I do think there is getting to be a little too much action in the books with some many deaths close together. It used to really mean something when a character died earlier in the series, but now it’s almost routine.

I’m really impressed with the Cahills vs Vespers series and this is a great book to keep it moving. It definitely pushes you forward and keeps you guessing on the most fundamental questions of all: What do the Vespers want? Will Amy and Dan be able to stop them? Who is Vesper 1?

I’d recommend this book for sure. If you haven’t already read the earlier books in the Cahills vs Vespers saga, however, I’d recommend starting with the first book. Otherwise, dive right in! This book is a winner.

Get Cahills vs Vespers Book 4: Shatterproof by Roland Smith

Shredderman: Secret Identity by Wendelin Van Draanen

April 11, 2014 by Daniel Johnston 1 Comment

Shredderman: Secret Identity by Wendelin Van Draanen is one of my absolute favorite kids books. It has inspired me in a lot of ways, and this website would probably not exist had I not read the book.

I first discovered it in the school library and soon became encapsulated in it. I was reading it at the end of school and the teacher announced that it was time to pack up.

I didn’t hear the teacher, however, so engrossed was I in the book. A few minutes later I looked up and realized that everyone was already out the door. I don’t think I’ve ever been into any book that much before or since!

Summary

The main character in Shredderman is a kid named Nolan Byrd. Nolan is a nerd, the smartest kid in fourth grade but also one of the least popular. He eats lunch by himself every day and is constantly bullied and called nicknames such as “Turd.”

The worst bully at Nolan’s school is a kid named Bubba Bixby. Bubba is in Nolan’s class and constantly torments not only him, but the entire school.

Luckily, Nolan has a really cool teacher named Mr. Green. Mr. Green drives a hippy van and plays guitar. But when he assigns the class a term project, Nolan is not exactly enthusiastic. He’s not very good at hands on stuff.

For this project, however, Mr. Green asks the class to become reporters. This should be easy for Nolan because his dad’s a reporter. And then Nolan suddenly gets hit with a great, once in a lifetime, idea.

He should start a website and expose what Bubba’s been doing! Granted, Nolan doesn’t know how to create a website, but a few late nights should fix that. He convinces his mom to let him use her credit card to pay for the hosting, and the site is live.

Of course, Nolan can’t share his true identity. If Bubba sees the website and finds out who did it, he’ll pummel them for sure. His secret identity? Shredderman.

Nolan uses clever ways to spread the word about the site and before long the school is paying attention to shredderman.com.

Things change, and Bubba even gets suspended! Mr. Green realizes that Nolan is Shredderman, but he doesn’t rat him out. No, he even offers to be his sidekick! That’s how the Bouncer was born.

This is a super inspiring book of a nerd creating an awesome website that saves the kids from the horrible terror that is Bubba.

Review

I haven’t made it any secret that this is one of my favorite books ever. I’ve read it several dozen times, and it never loses its magic.

Nolan tells us the story from the first person in a really realistic and exciting way. Nolan is a super awesome kid, and almost anyone would want to be like him.

After reading this book I became interested in creating websites. I read it in third grade and my passion for making websites has only gotten stronger.

Every kid loves this book. For reluctant readers, for frequent readers, for ANY type of reader, this is simply the best. Elementary school boys love Shredderman!

Get Shredderman!

Thanks so much for reading this review. To get more reviews like these to let you know what books you should be getting for your kids, just enter your email below.

The Readers and Writers Paradise Podcast 009: Shredderman by Wendelin Van Draanen

April 9, 2014 by Daniel Johnston 1 Comment

Hi everyone, thanks so much for checking out my podcast. Today I want to talk about one of my favorite book series ever. You heard that right; not just kids book series, but any books.

Shredderman by Wendelin Van Draanen has inspired me a ton, and this website would probably not exist without it. In Shredderman, a fourth grader named Nolan Byrd decides to set up a website called shredderman.com to expose the worst bully at his school Bubba Bixby.

Even though Nolan is a nerd at school, everyone loves his website and Bubba even ends up getting suspended. Nolan later solves a local crime, blows the lid on a man known as “the mole,” and even helps the government when people sell classified documents.

Nolan’s website turns him into an awesome force for good. I’d recommend this series mostly for 2nd to 6th grade boys, and for any type of reader, reluctant or compulsive. I talk about it in more detail in the podcast.

Download the podcast

The 39 Clues: The Dead of Night by Peter Lerangis Review

April 7, 2014 by Daniel Johnston Leave a Comment

Note: This post was originally written in March, 2012.

Recently, Scholastic released the newest book in the explosive The 39 Clues action series, The Dead of Night by Peter Lerangis. This has long been one of my all-time favorite kids series, and I usually finish the book the very day it comes out.

For those who don’t know, The 39 Clues is a series about two kids, Amy (14) and Dan (11) Cahill, who realize they’re part of the most powerful family in the world, the Cahill clan, at their Grandmother Grace’s funeral.

The source of the family’s power is hidden in the form of 39 special clues, which will make whoever finds them the most powerful family in human history. Of course, Amy and Dan aren’t the only ones who want the clues. Their vicious relatives will do anything to find them first.

Click here to find out more about The 39 Clues

Summary

At the end of the last book, Dan got a text from his father (Arthur Trent), who was long presumed to be dead in the fire that destroyed their old home. Dan doesn’t know what to make of it, but he’s worried his dad may be working for the Vespers (or even be Vesper 1).

Atticus Rosenbloom (Dan’s best friend) was kidnapped by the Vespers). Not only is he a super genius, but his mother (now deceased) was a Guardian, a group that has worked with the Madrigal’s to guard secrets for years, although Atticus (11) doesn’t know what it is he’s guarding.

The Vespers are ruled by a Council of Six, headed by Vesper One (whose identity is currently a secret). In each book he sends them on a task, and threatens to kill one of the hostages if they’re late. Because they withheld information from Vesper One, Atticus was kidnapped.

They want information from Atticus, but he doesn’t have it. He only just found out he’s a Guardian in the last few days, but if he doesn’t do something, they’re going to kill him. Will Atticus’s cunning allow Amy and Dan to save him?

This time they travel to Samarkand, Uzbekistan (the oldest city in Central Asia) in search of “stale orbs” at the prodding of Vesper One, bringing Atticus and Jake along to ensure nothing happens to him again.

Amy and Dan are in search of the planetary work of Ulugh Beg meaning “Great Ruler” (his real name was Mīrzā Mohammad Tāraghay bin Shāhrokh), a revolutionary mathematician and astronomer, who had a huge observatory and plotted the course’s of stars and planets extremely precisely.

In addition, just as Lerangis played up the romance between Amy and Ian in Book Three (many avid readers are still on “Team Amian”), he hints at Amy liking Jake-already spurring “Team Jamy.” To compound things, Amy already has a boyfriend, Evan Tolliver, who is working with the Cahills because of his technological knowledge.

Vesper Five is also revealed as Interpol continues their attempts to catch Amy and Dan. Ian goes off the map, in search of a connection between the Vespers and the Lucian’s.

Meanwhile, the hostages try to escape. It was all Phoenix Wizard’s idea, but it backfires heavily.

On the good side, Amy and Dan request a picture, and a reptile crawls in while it’s being taken. Nellie gets a crazy idea that gives the Cahills an idea to where the hostages are being held. And it points straight to where they have tracked Ian.

Amy and Dan learn that McIntyre (their Grandmother’s lawyer and top Madrigal agent) died, and more texts from the man identifying himself as Arthur Trent come in. What is the connection between Amy and Dam’s father and McIntyre perishing? And what is the real identity of the mysterious texter?

Review

I wasn’t actually expecting this book to be too good, but it exceeded my expectations. I thought The Sword Thief was the weakest and worst written of all the books in the series, and I didn’t like The Vipers Nest much either. This book, however, was great.

As usual in the series, this book paints a good historical picture, sprinkling in all sorts of historical details. It’s 190 pages with small pages and average text, so it’s not a long read, meant for ages 8-14.

In this book, the action scenes were pulled off spectacularly, and by no means was the writing too relaxed (the main problem in earlier books by Lerangis). He also managed to retain funny moments, as well. This is definitely more reminiscent of the previous series, and might be the best book in the Cahills vs. Vespers so far.

If you haven’t read the previous books yet, I’d recommend starting with the first book in the Cahills vs Vespers series. If you have, this book is a great addition to the series.

Get the Book

Thanks so much for reading this review. To get more reviews like these to let you know what books you should be getting your kids, just enter your email below.

The Readers and Writers Paradise Podcast 008: The Million Dollar Series by Dan Gumtan

April 2, 2014 by Daniel Johnston Leave a Comment

One of my favorite book series for kids is the million dollar series by Dan Gutman. In the series there are five books-covering a variety of sports-that each give a kid the opportunity to win a million bucks.

Dan Gutman writes books kids want to read, and this is no exception. There was one kid I know of who didn’t want to read The Million Dollar Shot but after his mom showed him my review he decided to read it and now he loves it!

So I decided to do my podcast this week about this great book series. I talk all about the five different books and which I’d recommend getting first. Let me know what you think of the podcast in the comments below!

Click here to download the podcast

Get The Million Dollar Shot

Get The Million Dollar Kick

Get The Million Dollar Putt

Get The Million Dollar Strike

Get The Million Dollar Goal

Cahills vs Vespers Book 2: A King’s Ransom by Jude Watson

March 31, 2014 by Daniel Johnston Leave a Comment

After a great start to Cahills vs Vespers series, I was super excited to read A King’s Ransom by Jude Watson. This book reveals a lot more about the Vespers, and gives us an interesting historical trip through the world.

For those of you who don’t know, The 39 Clues is a multi-author series in which Amy (14) and Dan (11) Cahill learn that they are members of the most powerful family in human history.

The source of their families power is hidden throughout the world, and Amy and Dan need to find it first to make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.

The first arc of The 39 Clues deals with the clue hunt and Amy and Dan fighting off against their vicious relatives (who want the clues first), and learning more about themselves and their family branch.

The second series, Cahills vs Vespers, is about a rival family named the Vespers who want the clues for themselves, along with a mysterious ring that Amy was given by her grandmother Grace. It also takes place two years later so all the characters are older.

Learn more about The 39 Clues

In the first book, most of the Cahill family was kidnapped by the Vespers, and Amy and Dan are now forced to do Vesper One’s bidding or else he’ll kill the hostages.

Summary

Amy and Dan learn from Vesper One that they have to retrieve something for him in Lucerne, Switzerland. They don’t like it, but it’s not like they have much of a choice with their loved ones in danger.

Unfortunately, Interpol (the international police) is after Dan and Amy for stealing the “Medusa” from the Uffizi museum, and they are constantly having to dodge them.

Vesper 6 lets Amy and Dan know that they need to get their hands on the de Virga map. They don’t have a lot to go on, but they sneak into an auction house to try and find it. They have to flee, but come up with some leads.

Meanwhile, Dan is trying to construct the clues so he can take the serum if necessary. He knows that the Vespers are a huge threat and that even though the serum will completely mess him up, it may be worth it to prevent them from destroying the world.

Amy and Dan realize that they have to locate a book in the Czech Republic, but unfortunately they are unable to get it without a reference. Fortunately, Amy and Dan happen to run into Jake and Atticus Rosenbloom. Their dad is a famous professor, and Atticus is a genius even though he’s only 11 years old.

With Atticus and Jake’s help it looks more and more likely that they will find the map, but time is running out. Will they find the map in time, or will the hostages die? Or will another close confidant of Amy and Dan be murdered? And could Arthur Trent really be still alive?

Review

A King’s Ransom is a very good book and really completes the transition into the new series. We meet Atticus and Jake, who end up being crucial characters for the rest of the series.

Although there is a serious death in this book, it ends with suspense and Amy and Dan not even knowing. I definitely think it could’ve been done better so that we could have gone through some of those emotions.

Amy and Dan are more on their own than ever and they have to face that cruel reality in this book. It gives me some comfort to see how they move from the old and familiar and adapt to new circumstances with new people.

Overall, this book is very good. It’s not an earth-shattering book or one of my favorites in the series, but it moves the story along with lots of action. If you haven’t read the first book in Cahills vs Vespers series yet, I’d read that. If you have, this book is a must.

Buy the Book!

Thanks so much for reading this review. To get more reviews like these to let you know what books you should be buying your kids, just enter your email below.