Phineas L. Macguire ...Erupts!

What a fun read, sure to please even those who are reluctant readers. It has everything a young person could want -- exploding volcanoes, a haunted closet and boogers! Another plus -- it is a very fast read. I laughed out loud as I read the antics of Mac and his friends. I can't wait to read it to my fourth graders. I know they will enjoy it as much as I did. I'm ordering the next two books in the series.

I just read this aloud to my 6yo and 9yo sons (and they read it to themselves after we were done) and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Good humor, nothing too gruff, and it incorporated some great discussion about how people should run with their talents regardless of gender stereotypes (girls can be terrific at science, and boys can be artists despite what Ben's dad has told him). It was a quick and enjoyable read, it celebrates a love of science, and it also provides some fun suggestions for experiments. We're eager to read the sequel.

Children's librarians must find books to add to their collections from a wide variety of different sources. They read professional serials like Horn Book and School Library Journal. They receive Advanced Readers Copies and read clever blogs that always discuss new titles (cough). Far less professional but no less important, however, is the regular trip to the large corporate bookstore with the wide children's book selection. Recently I was on such a "research" trip and was attempting to find some kids books to read in the store's cafe. I plucked up the usual suspects with their shiny covers and titles when my eye was caught by an unassuming little title. First off, I'd like to point out that "Phineas L. MacGuire Erupts!", does not have the most striking cover in the world. It's nice, but something about the color scheme and the position of the font causes the eye to slip right over it to the flashier books inevitably stacked around it. However, I couldn't help but notice that this was an early chapter book. To my mind, early chapter books are THE most difficult books to write. So I snatched it up without any particularly high hopes and later flipped through for a read. What I discovered was a book so funny, so succinct, and so intelligent that I'm shocked that professional review sources haven't been bandying it about with louder fanfare. This is a great great GREAT book. A keeper and a clever beastie. If you know of any child at all that is just now getting into reading chapter books on their own, THIS is the book to buy them. Now. Forthwith. Without hesitation. This has not turned out to be a good year for Phineas L. MacGuire, otherwise known as Mac. For one thing, his best friend Marcus has just moved out of town, and the timing couldn't be worse. Mac and Marcus always planned to enter the fourth grade science fair together (that's the first time you're allowed to enter) and now that plan is gone. Worse still, there's a new kid in class who is ALSO named Mac and he's a serious jerk. He tells everyone right from the start that his own school was much better than this one. He trips the shortest kid in class right off the bat. And worst of all, he seems like he really really wants to be friends with our hero. Our Mac is edgy about this, especially when the two are paired together for the science fair. But after visiting with his new partner and seeing what a nice and incredibly artistic guy he really is, the two need to come up with some new plans. #1: Win the science fair. #2: Make the class like Mac #2 (who's real name is Ben). Both goals are difficult, but when you're dealing with a hero as scientific and smart as Mac, you know you're in safe hands. To be blunt, when I first started reading this story, it sounded mighty familiar. Mac likes to point out that he is allergic to fifteen things including anything purple, all girls, and moist towelettes in foil packs. His mother only acknowledges his allergies tow