MMGM: Road Trip by Gary Paulsen and Jim Paulsen

Date Published: January 8, 2013 ISBN: 0375990313
Genre: Middle Grade, realistic fiction, humorous fiction
Publisher: Random House
Themes: dogs, rescue, father and son, family
Add it on: Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes And Noble/ *Indie Bound*

About The Book: Dad and Ben haven't been getting along recently and Dad hopes a road trip to rescue a border collie will help them reconnect. But Ben is on to Dad's plan and invites Ben's thuggish buddy, Theo. The family dog, Atticus, comes along too and the story is told by Ben and Atticus. When their truck breaks down, they commandeer an old school bus, along with its mechanic, Gus. Next, they pick up Mia, a waitress escaping a tense situation. Only sharp-eyed Atticus realizes that Theo is on the run—and someone is following them.

First Few Lines: 
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Absolutely."
"Why?"
"Because I'm your father and I said so."
"That's really lame."

What Others Are Saying: “The authors score on all fronts: they set an entertainingly frenzied pace, provide twists aplenty, create true dialogue that blends humor and pathos, and bring together a close-knit ensemble.” —Publishers Weekly Starred Review
  
"Dog lovers will especially enjoy the amusing glimpses into the wise dog's mind.Given its notable brevity and Ben's age-appropriate, oft-times snarky, attitude, this should be an easy sell for reluctant readers." —Kirkus Reviews

Tween Review: "My favorite part of this book was the border collie Atticus. The funny part was he didn’t know he was a dog!"—Teen Scene

Bloggers Weigh In:

Twenty By Jenny

Storytime Hooligans

The Late Bloomers Book Blog

What I Thought: A quick fun ride for dog lovers, Road Trip offers twists and turns characteristic of Paulsen's other books. The tween voice of Ben has just the right amount of a sardonic tone to sound authentic. I rarely like when a story is told from the point of view of a dog, usually because too many human characteristics makes the character of the dog seem forced. Atticus was okay and didn't distract from the story. The target age will appreciate Atticus's straight shooting perspective.This will appeal to older middle grade and reluctant readers. 

Photo Credit: Publishers Weekly

About The Authors: 

Gary and Jim Paulsen

Gary's Website
Jim's Website

Publisher Weekly- Great interview with both authors.

Gary: "Running away from home at the age of 14 and traveling with a carnival, Paulsen acquired a taste for adventure. A youthful summer of rigorous chores on a farm; jobs as an engineer, construction worker, ranch hand, truck driver, and sailor; and two rounds of the 1,180-mile Alaskan dog sled race, the Iditarod; have provided ample material from which he creates his powerful stories." —Website

Jim: After studying to be a teacher, Jim realized that even though he loved teaching he missed the arts. He quit teaching and began searching for his place in the art world. "While on the phone on a winters day in 1998, I thumbed a piece of my daughter's play dough. By the end of the conversation, I had completed a simple, crude bust of a man. I fell in love with the clay at that very moment and knew what I was looking for." —Paulsen and Paulsen Fine Art

MMGM: Crush by Gary Paulsen

Release Date: May 8, 2012
About The Book:Readers met the comical Kevin in Liar, Liar and Flat Broke. Kevin gets serious about Tina Zabinski, the Most Beautiful Girl in the World. Finally, finally, he's worked up his courage—he's going to ask her out. Or will his trademark scheming get in his way?


First Line: I'm the most romantic guy you'll ever meet.


One Hilarious Line: That plastic-looking, fake-named, phony-friendly doofus wasn't going to waltz into my school and take my girlfriend away from me. (10)


What Others Are Saying: "Kevin takes his understanding
 of the scientific method and attempts to apply to it learning 
about romance. His naivete and innocence about relationships 
and dating makes not only this character, but even his crazy 
antics all the more endearing. The girls who were bored by Hatchet will love Crush." -Mrs. Bond on Goodreads


What I Thought: There are few books that make me literally laugh out-loud and this one did. I don't think there was a page that lacked something outrageosusly funny. Middle school readers will love every minute of Kevin's experiments of love. I hadn't had a chance to read Kevin's other adventures and I definitely want to pick them up,now. Paulsen really has an authentic middle grade voice and makes this story believable.

About The Author: Gary Paulsen


Who: Born May 17, 1939, Gary Paulsen is one of America's most popular writers for young people. Although he was never a dedicated student, Paulsen developed a passion for reading at an early age. After a librarian gave him a book to read — along with his own library card — he was hooked. He began spending hours alone in the basement of his apartment building, reading one book after another.

Running away from home at the age of 14 and traveling with a carnival, Paulsen acquired a taste for adventure. A youthful summer of rigorous chores on a farm; jobs as an engineer, construction worker, ranch hand, truck driver, and sailor; and two rounds of the 1,180-mile Alaskan dog sled race, the Iditarod; have provided ample material from which he creates his powerful stories.-Random House
How: Writing is so much a part of the way I live that I would be lost without the discipline and routine. I write every day—every day—and it gives me balance and focus. Every day I wake up, usually at 4:30 a.m., with the sole purpose of sitting down to write with a cup of hot tea and a computer or a laptop or a pad of paper—it doesn’t matter. I’ve written whole books in my office, in a dog kennel with a headlamp, on more airplanes than I can remember, on the trampoline of my catamaran off the shores of Fiji—it never matters where I write, just where the writing takes me.-Random House