The Million Dollar Putt

Reviewed by Zach

The Million Dollar Putt by Dan Gutman was the first book I read all the way through by myself. I started it because my mom read all of his Baseball Adventure Series books to me so I know I like Dan Gutman. The book is also set in Hawaii, which I liked because I live in Hawaii.

The story is about a blind kid who loves golfing so his nickname is Bogey. Both of his parents were good golfers, but hand he happens to be really good at it. One day he went to a driving range with his friends and found out he was really good at it. He used to sneak into the golf course and play rounds with Birdie. His dad used to be a professional golfer and his mom too, but his mom died so his dad didn’t want him to golf. Now his dad’s job is diving for golf balls.

My favorite part of the book was the last shot for the million dollar putt. He curves it around this tree with his dad’s advice and he the ball goes through a lot of obstacles and you’ll have to read the book to see if he makes it or not. This is a really great book!

Miss Lazar is Bizarre--My Wierd School

Reviewed by Garrett in 2007


A.J. told a secret to his best friend,Ryan that he never told anyone before. The secret was that sometimes he would pretend he had to go to the bathroom so he could skip a few minutes of school. I liked that because sometimes I do that too. Even though he didn't have to go to the bathroom he flushed the toilet. Then the water overflowed. He called for help and Miss Lazar (the school custodian) came to the rescue. A.J. got blamed for putting crayons down the toilet even though he didn't do it.

I like the book because Miss Lazar is always using toilet plungers to rescue people. I can't think of anything I don't like about the book.

Mr. Docker is Off his Rocker--My Weird School

Reviewed by Garrett in 2007


Mr Docker is A.J.'s science teacher. A.J. hates science at first, but Mr. Docker is so cool that at the end he thinks science is so cool. Mr. Docker rides into class on a rolling thingie and he eats bugs and accidentally lights his hair on fire. When A.J. and Andrea (he hates Andrea) went outside for recess and Andrea said "guess what?" and then A.J. said, "Your butt!" He says that's the first rule of being a kid. Everytime someone says "guess what?" you should always say "your butt." So then A.J. went on vacation and he forgot to do his science project so Andrea said "you're going to be in trouble!" And A.J. said "So's your face!" He says that's the first rule of being a kid. If someone says something rude to you you should always say "so's your face!" I liked that part cause it was funny. It was awesome.

I liked this book because I think this is the funniest book I ever read. There's nothing I don't like about it. Amen.

The Kid Who Ran for President

Twelve-year-old Judson Moon is running for President of the YOU-nited states of America. This is no joke. His friend and eventual campaign manager, Lane Brainard comes up with the idea and works out all the angles. In typical Dan Gutman style, the campaign is a delightful journey for the reader. The thing about Gutman is that he somehow always makes even the most far-fetched idea seem like it really could happen. He is slick so don’t be fooled by his clever wit and quick laughs because if your kid reads this book he'll be learning a lot about the political system of America without even realizing it.

My Weird School

As usual, Dan Gutman does not disappoint. I'm a fan of everything he writes, but the My Weird School series is particulary delighful, especially for 8-9 year olds. The wacky teachers at Ella Mentry school are presented through the eyes of a off-beat second grader who wants to be a pro football player, or dirt bike racer because they don’t have to know how to read or write. He thinks school is dumb and boring and all the important things you need to know, like which breakfast cereal tastes best and which shampoo leaves your hair shiniest, you can learn from T.V. The zany principal and teachers will leave you giggling, if not laughing out loud. Gutman capitalizes on the exaggerated gullibility of childhood, making it so fun to eavesdrop on A.J. and his friends as they try to make sense of their world. A world of misperceptions, myths and mystery. A world where the adults are often aware they are being misunderstood, but play along anyway.

One thing I love about Dan Gutman is that he never entertains the reader for the sake of entertainment. In ironic fashion, this series is infused with the joy of learning--the excitement of science, music, art, and even P.E. But it is subtle enough that your kids won’t even know they're learning.

This series is a must-read!