From the Publisher
A fast-moving plot and relatable protagonist make this stand-alone sequel a good choice for boys who, like Derek, would rather reach for a TV remote or game controller than a book.” —School Library Journal
“Fans of the first will be utterly delighted by this sequel and anxious to see what Jake will turn up as next.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“This is a great package for kids, especially those like Derek who don't think they like to read.” —Booklist
“Another fun, emotionally resonant read for the Wimpy Kid set and beyond.” —Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
Gr 4–7—Twelve-year-old Derek Fallon, from My Life as a Book (Holt, 2010), returns to face another school year and the dreaded task of reading. However, there are some bright spots in his days, including Frank, his capuchin monkey; his best friend, Matt; and the sport of parkour, which uses climbing, jumping, and running to get around obstacles. The boys' friendship is tested when Derek's parkour skills attract the interest of a Hollywood stuntman. Derek is ecstatic when he gets hired to be a "stuntboy," but shocked when he discovers that he's the double for a popular teen actress-and a pretty one, too. After his monkey is stolen, he needs all his friends and parkour skills to help with the rescue. Likely intended for the Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Abrams, 2007) crowd, this book won't disappoint Greg Heffley's fans, even if Tashjian's humor is milder than Kinney's sharp wit. The details about parkour and a behind-the-scenes peek at filmmaking add interesting information. Stick-figure illustrations cleverly show Derek's practice of drawing his vocabulary words, e.g., the sketch for "analyze" has a stick figure boy scratching his head while staring at a blackboard. They add depth when depicting words readers may find unfamiliar, such as "heinous" and "reverie." However, a great number of them ("gymnasium," "nerdy") need no explanation and are simply humorous. A fast-moving plot and relatable protagonist make this stand-alone sequel a good choice for boys who, like Derek, would rather reach for a TV remote or game controller than a book.—M. Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY
Kirkus Reviews
In this satisfying stand-alone companion toMy Life as a Book(2010), 12-year-old Derek Fallon thinks landing a job as stuntboy for megastar Tanya Billings must be as good as it gets.
After all, the infamously reluctant reader had finally found his niche! The plot, however, thickens: "This morning I was on a movie set doing stunts, talking to a movie star. By the end of the day, my best friend's making fun of me, I have a homework tutor, and my mother's going to cut open my adopted monkey to retrieve my horse. How do these things happen?" As Derek's well-meaning parents tirelessly engage in what sound like rehearsed "teacher moments," their son realistically vacillates between self-doubt and boyish bravado—all in a dry, funny first-person voice. Derek's Yoda-like parkour/stunt coach Tony also has many life lessons for the stuntboy, such as "Parkour is about making your way around obstacles." The family's foster capuchin monkey Frank provides a hairy subplot, as does Derek's nagging worry about losing his best friend Matt, suddenly jealous about Derek's newfound fame. The generous margins are filled with Derek's often quite clever stick-figure cartoons illustrating vocabulary words such as "flabbergasted" and "camouflage"—all rendered by the author's teenage son.
Another fun, emotionally resonant read for the Wimpy Kid set and beyond.(Fiction. 9-14)
