Audiobook review: Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

When Wahoo Cray convinces his dad, an eccentric animal wrangler, to accept a job with the reality show Expedition Survival, he didn't imagine all the shenanigans he'd have to wrangle himself - and others - out of while shooting on location in the Everglades.

Not only does Wahoo have to keep his dad from pummeling the egotistical, fraud of a host, Derek Badger, but he must also try to protect his friend Tuna (who managed to inadvertently tag along) from her gun-toting, drunk of a father.

Normally Derek Badger lives in the lap of luxury during his Expedition Survival shoots, being choppered off the primitive campsites to 5-star hotels and then flown back in the next morning to act out the remainder of various "real-life" survival scenarios. But when a storm moves through the Everglades on their first day of shooting and Derek's chopper can't fly in to get him, he must set up camp with the rest of his minions. It doesn't take long before Derek's desire for high ratings wins out over logic and he is bitten by a bat. Humiliated and delirious, Derek wanders off and soon goes missing. With an executive producer just itching to replace Derek with a more professional, less-demanding host, search and rescue efforts appear to be half-hearted at best.

With so many different volatile scenarios at play, readers are left to wonder if Derek Badger the survivalist will actually survive his own "reality" survival show.

I have always enjoyed reading Carl Hiaasen's books in the past. His stories will always have a political agenda, but they are told with heart and humor so the environmental evangelizing does not leave a bad taste in your mouth (then again, I myself am an environmental evangelizer so I guess my perspective would be a biased one). Chomp is probably the funniest of Hiaasen's four middle grade novels as it is somewhat of a commentary on the whole Bear Grylls controversy in Man vs. Wild where it was discovered he wasn't really actually "surviving" in the wild. Obviously Hiaasen's take on the controversy is much more satirized and extreme, but gives readers pause and forces us to ask ourselves: How real are reality shows? In some ways the lessons of this book are twofold: (1) respect the environment and wildlife (a constant theme throughout Hiaasen's novels) and (2) don't be gullible enough to think that reality shows are even close to reality. TV producers are always thinking about ratings and will manipulate anything to appear like it's really happening, when there is really a great deal of planning that goes on behind the scenes.

James Van Der Beek is the narrator of the audiobook and while I was never a watcher of Dawson's Creek when I was a teenager, even I managed to swoon a little listening to his deep, inviting voice. I loved how he ping-poinged between an American and Australian accent in his voice for Derek Badger, underscoring even further the phoniness of the character. But his voices for all of the characters in the story were on point and helped the listener to not just keep track of who was speaking, but also get a better sense of who they were as characters. To be able to create that sense of character with just your voice is an amazing acting talent. Based on this listening experience, I hope Van Der Beek continues to narrate audiobooks.


Chomp by Carl Hiaasen
Audiobook Narrator: James Van Der Beek
Published: March 27, 2012
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 304
Audiobook Length: 6 hours, 13 minutes
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: Middle Grade
Disclosure: Audiobook checked out from library

Audiobook Review: Au Revoir, Crazy Euopean Chick by Joe Schreiber

Perry Stormaire never suspected that the nerdy Lithuanian exchange student, Gobi Zaksauskas, who has been living with his family for the past nine months could be anything more than just a banal, mouse of a girl. But on the night he is forced by his parents to take her to the prom, he soon discovers that she is far from a nerdy exchange student, but instead a hired assassin! Forced to chauffeur Gobi all around Manhattan while she carries out her hits, Perry suddenly fears for this life and everyone in his family. Will he survive this night? Or will he be another one of Gobi's victims?

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick is the perfect novel for reluctant guy readers. It was not written to be a literary work of art, but rather a fun, dangerous thrill ride that doesn't involve too much superfluous thought. Sometimes even the most literary of minds need books like that in their lives.

As an added bonus, each chapter begins with a college admissions essay question from different universities around the country which relates to the chapter in some way. For that reason, this book could strangely be a great way to get teens to start thinking about college. Maybe teachers could even use all these admissions questions in one place as a way to get students thinking about what sorts of things they'll eventually need to write for their college applications. 

Steven Boyer is the narrator of the audiobook and he does an amazing job of bringing the story to life. His eastern European accents are flawless and he narrates the protagonist of Perry perfectly: just the right amount of teenage angst coupled with sheer fear, and finally attraction to his captor.

If you've been in a reading slump, I highly recommend some fun, mindless brain candy in Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick.


Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber
Published: October 25, 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Audiobook Publisher: Recorded Books
Audiobook length: 5 hours, 7 minutes
Pages: 190
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Audiobook checked out from library

The Dirty Cowboy: A book review turned diatribe about book banning

When bugs start setting up camp in and around his body, a cowboy hitches up his horse and rides down to the river with his dog who is instructed to watch the cowboy's clothes while he bathes. But problems arise when the dog, no longer finding his owner's scent familiar, doesn't allow the cowboy his clothes back.

The writing is full of humor and lush sensory details and the illustrations are hilarious, beautiful, and endearing at the same time.

Which is why it angers me so much that the Annville-Cleona school board in Pennsylvania recently voted 8-0 to ban this book from the school's library after a parent complained that the book was pornographic. First of all, there appear to be a large number of people in this country who need to be schooled on what the word pornography means, which is, "writings, pictures, films, etc. designed to stimulate sexual excitement." There is nothing in this book even remotely sexually stimulating. It is a funny story about a cowboy taking a bath and whose dog won't give him his clothes back. Period. No kids are going to take this book into the bathroom with them and use it like teenage boys use a Victoria's Secret catalog.Yes, the cowboy is naked in a large portion of the story, but Adam Rex skillfully and humorously illustrates each picture to display different obstacles (a frog, birds, a dog's tail) to prevent us from seeing anything obscene.

When Adam Rex found out the book was officially banned from the district's two elementary schools, he posted this on his Facebook page:

The Superintendent went on record as saying that he voted to remove the book from all schools because "parents should have the right to decide whether or not their children view this book."

At the time of this writing he has not yet died of irony.

Irony indeed. In the meantime, do the book world a favor and go out and buy this book. Show book banners that the only thing you do when you censor books is give those books an even bigger voice in the world. 


The Dirty Cowboy by Amy Timberlake, illustrated by Adam Rex
Published: August 2003
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, Giroux 
Pages: 32
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Primary/Middle Grade
Disclosure: Purchased Copy

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Want to See on the Big Screen

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Today's topic is: Top Ten Books I'd Like to See Made Into a Movie

1. The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

Yes, I know, this book gets put on just about every top ten list I do, but that's how much I love it. This book would be an epic movie. And Adam Rex has mentioned that it's been optioned by Dreamworks, but in the book business we know that doesn't always mean much. This would be an awesome movie though: The United States is invaded by aliens and forced to all move to Florida, the main character's mother gets kidnapped by the alien Boov, she drives to Florida with a rogue Boov named J.Lo in search of her mother. A road trip novel AND aliens? How hilarious is that?


2. Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber

A nerdy, Lithuanian exchange student turns hired assassin? Yes please! All I kept thinking while I was listening to the audiobook is what a rockin' movie this would make.


3. Wonder by RJ Palacio

This is definitely one of my favorite books of 2012 so far and it would make such a wonderful, heart-warming movie.


4. Matched by Ally Conde

 Dystopian literature is so hot right now and I would love to see this one ride on the coattails of The Hunger Games.


5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 This one was optioned for a movie the week after it was released. I would love more than anything to see it made into a movie.


6. This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel

All of Kenneth Oppel's books have such a cinematic feel to them that any of them would make amazing movies. Though I think This Dark Endeavor would make the best movie because of the fantasy/period/classic literature aspect of the story.


7. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

I just loved this book so much I just really want to see it made into a movie. I have no other explanation than that.


8. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

I have been to Prague before and it is the perfect setting for this creepy novel. I'd love to see it re-imagined for the big screen.


9. Going Bovine by Libba Bray

This book is so absolutely zany and strangely literary that it put me in mind of something like Kevin Smith's Dogma. I could totally see him taking on this movie and making it brilliant.


10. Die for Me by Amy Plum

A Parisian setting and a sexy, undead love interest? This book has movie written all over it!

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

In light of the big plagiarism kerfuffle going on right now, I've decided that I won't be participating in In My Mailbox any longer.  Since "It's Monday! What are You Reading?" is hosted by my teaching tweeps, Jen and Kellee, over at Teach Mentor Texts and many of my teaching tweeps participate in it, I think this is a good time to participate in a new meme.

What I read last week:
 
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (audiobook)
The audio of this book is nowhere near as wonderful as reading the book yourself. The narrator's interpretation of St. Clair's voice is nowhere near what I pictured it in my mind.

The Dirty Cowboy by Amy Timberlake, illustrated by Adam Rex
A review of this book is coming soon. In the wake of this book being banned by a Pennsylvania school district, I'm going to promote this book as much as I can!


Squish: Brave New Pond by Jennifer and Matthew Holm
Oh how I love Squish. If I had fun stories like this to read when I was in school maybe I wouldn't have hated science so much.

Currently reading (or listening):

Bad Hair Day by Carrie Harris
I requested this one on NetGalley and I'm very excited to read it. I'm about halfway through and it is just as sassy and funny as Bad Taste in Boys. Plus, Carrie Harris visited my class last week so I love that I get to read this before it's out in November.

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen (audiobook)
 
James Van Der Beek is the narrator of this audiobook. How cool is that? Not to mention this book is downright hilarious. Hiaasen is very much poking fun at the whole debacle with Bear Grylls and Man vs. Wild.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (audiobook)
 
I did not like this book at all when I was in school but I'm trying it again because I know I need to read more books that appeal to boys. I'm definitely liking it more now than I did when I was a kid. The audio version of this book is a little hokey... it plays sad music every time Brian has a flashback to a painful memory.

Paris in Love by Eloisa James
 
I received the ARC of this book a couple weeks ago and I just started it. Not sure how I feel about it yet. It's told in very small anecdotes (some of them almost Twitter-sized) and it doesn't really have a flow to it. But I'm not that far into it so we'll see if the format grows on me.

Christopher Paul Curtis event at Nicola's in Ann Arbor

Last night I went to Nicola's Books in Ann Arbor to hear Christoper Paul Curtis speak, the author who wrote Bud, Not Buddy along with some other great works of historical fiction for kids: The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963, Elijah of Buxton, and now, The Mighty Miss Malone.

I was so honored and thrilled to meet this Newbery-winning author and even more excited to hear him speak. The man has an enthralling speaking voice. I could listen to him talk all day. Not to mention the fact that he was funny and engaging to both adults and kids alike. It was a standing room only crowd there last night.

 

Carrie Harris is made of awesome

On Monday, Carrie Harris, author of the epically funny Bad Taste in Boys, came to talk to my 6th graders about what it's like to be a writer, zombie science, monster proms, and her newest book coming out in November, Bad Hair Day.

Carrie taped together all her rejections and showed them to my class

Students are eager to read some of the rejections aloud

They are all apparently fascinated by rejection

Students work on a Monster Prom writing activity

The reason Carrie agreed to come in the first place: I made her maple bacon ice cream :)

A good time was had by all! I hope she'll come back again next year. I'll have to come up with another wacky ice cream flavor to entice her to come back.