O’Dowd, Chris
and Murphy, Nick Moone Boy: The Blunder Years, 381
pgs. Feiwel and Friends, 2014. $14.99. Content: Language: PG (No
official swears but other things parents wouldn’t like); Mature Content: G (boobs,
chest sacks and many more) Violence: G
Martin is a very negative child who has a ton of sisters. His
best mate Padraic is constantly busy so Martin is in need of a full time
friend. Padraic tells him how to get his very own imaginary friend, but things
get out of hand quite quickly. Loopy Lou is too goofy and Martin tries to fire
him, hiring a customer service rep named Sean instead, but Loopy Lou is
determined. Sean tries his best to help out Martin, together they deal with
bullies named the Bonner Boys.
This book is over the top nonsensical and overly long. I
absolutely 100% hated reading this book. Now onto the intended audience, would
they like it? I can’t imagine a fifth or sixth grade boy wanting to read almost
400 pages about a pathetic boy who hates life to the fullest and has an
imaginary friend. That is the whole plot, imaginary friends. From a school librarian
point of view, there is both an overt (boob talk) as well as an underlying current of inappropriateness that makes
me think Freud would have a hay day with these authors, and it honestly creeped
me out. One of many off-putting examples is that they refer to his bed as the place
“where the magic happens”. Well grownup know what that is referring to, and the
book puts an asterisk and clarifies that magic mean “dreams”. Basically, a
perverse reference get to be made while getting to say ‘just joking’. Yuck on every level.
EL, MS –NO Reviewer:
Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.
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