From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8-Paulsen accounts for his 13th year "of wonderful madness" when he and his friends tried to shoot a waterfall in a barrel, break the world record for speed on skis, hang glide with an Army surplus parachute, and perform other daredevilish stunts. Readers will be drawn to the term "extreme sports" but the story is more accurately one generation's version of homemade fun in the days following the Korean War when "radio was king" and the great outdoors served as the playground. Like much of his autobiographical fiction, these sketches are more episodic than plot driven. Paulsen exhibits a wry sense of humor and storytelling ability as if he were sitting on a country porch with eager listeners at his knee. In one chapter, a friend borrowed a quarter to wrestle a bear at the carnival to get the attention of a girl, only to be swept out of the ring by a giant paw, like "a hockey puck with legs." The stories are fresh and lively and will especially appeal to reluctant middle-grade readers.Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NYCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Gr. 6-9. Every boy who is 13 or about to be 13 or who remembers being 13 should read this short story collection based on people and events from Paulsen's own life. Even though the action takes place 50 or so years ago, they will recognize themselves. And every girl who has ever liked a 13-year-old-boy, or been related to one, or wondered about one, should read this, too, because although the book doesn't explain why boys like to do things like pee on electric fences, it does give an insight into how their funny little minds work. Writing with humor and sensitivity, Paulsen shows boys moving into adolescence believing they can do anything: wrestle with bears; shoot waterfalls in a barrel; fly eight-by-twelve-foot Army surplus kites--and hang on, even as they land in the chicken coop. None of them dies (amazingly), and even if Paulsen exaggerates the teensiest bit, his tales are side-splittingly funny and more than a little frightening. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
“These episodes will not only keep young readers, of both sexes, in stitches, they’re made to order for reading aloud.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred

“The stories are fresh and lively and will especially appeal to reluctant middle-grade readers.”—School Library Journal, Starred

“This collection will likely hook adults as much as young readers.”—Publishers Weekly

ANNOTATION

Author Gary Paulsen relates tales from his youth in a small town in northwestern Minnesota in the late 1940s and early 1950s, such as skiing behind a souped-up car and imitating daredevil Evel Knievel.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Author Gary Paulsen relates tales from his youth in a small town in northwestern Minnesota in the late 1940s and early 1950s, such as skiing behind a souped-up car and imitating daredevil Evel Knievel.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Paulsen once again reaches back to his northern Minnesota boyhood to recount his and his pals' attempt to pull off stunts that live up to their billing as "outrageous" and "extreme," even by today's standards. According to PW, "This collection will likely hook adults as much as young readers." Ages 10-up. (Sept.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Susie Wilde

Humor comes to short novels in Paulsen's book, which is dedicated to "all boys in their thirteenth year; the miracle is that we live through it." In his prologue he remembers a conversation with his son after the boy has experimented with peeing on electric fences. When his son asks if he'll ever stop doing things like this, Paulsen shakes his head and answers, "It's the way we are." These are stories of the early days of extreme sports which he notes were different because "we were quite a bit dumber then" and "there wasn't any safety gear." With rollicking good humor we hear stories of boys who dare. There's Carl Peterson, determined to set a speed skiing record behind a fast-moving '39 Ford sedan. Armed with WWII gear from the army surplus store, he zooms through too much snow until at last he hits a ditch and his buddies find him with snow "packed into every opening and crevice of his clothes and his body." Shy Orvis Orvisen loses his senses impressing a girl and is determined to remain in a wrestling ring with an enormous bear! Paulsen's stories show that boys will always be boys because hormones will always be hormones. Thank goodness they can count on Paulsen for humor and reassurance about the prevalence of this condition! 2003, Random House, Ages 10 up.

VOYA - Sherrie Williams

This quick read features nostalgic true stories about Paulsen at the age of thirteen, as he and his friends undertake a series of ill-advised stunts, insisting that they are driven by a "thirst for scientific knowledge." This thirst is more accurately described as the recklessness and sense of immortality common to many thirteen-year-old boys. The title story documents their attempt to break the world record for speed on skis, while being towed behind a souped-up car driven by the toughest kid in town. They later inadvertently hang glide with Army surplus target kites, and the unfortunately named Orvis Orvison wrestles a live bear at a carnival, driven by that powerful force in a young boy's life-showing off for girls. These true stories are appealing, if brief and light. They would make excellent read-alouds or serve as the basis for introducing storytelling. This book is an excellent companion to Paulsen's several recent autobiographies for young adults, particularly Guts: The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books (Random House, 2001/VOYA June 2001) and My Life in Dog Years (Delacorte, 1998/VOYA April 1998). Although the book is set in the early fifties, the experiences are so universal to teen boys that they do not seem dated. The promise of the subtitle is delivered in a rollicking and memorable fashion. This book would appeal to reluctant readers, both in its brevity and the exciting content. VOYA Codes: 3Q 3P M J S (Readable without serious defects; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2003, Wendy Lamb Books/Random House, 160p,

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-Paulsen accounts for his 13th year "of wonderful madness" when he and his friends tried to shoot a waterfall in a barrel, break the world record for speed on skis, hang glide with an Army surplus parachute, and perform other daredevilish stunts. Readers will be drawn to the term "extreme sports" but the story is more accurately one generation's version of homemade fun in the days following the Korean War when "radio was king" and the great outdoors served as the playground. Like much of his autobiographical fiction, these sketches are more episodic than plot driven. Paulsen exhibits a wry sense of humor and storytelling ability as if he were sitting on a country porch with eager listeners at his knee. In one chapter, a friend borrowed a quarter to wrestle a bear at the carnival to get the attention of a girl, only to be swept out of the ring by a giant paw, like "a hockey puck with legs." The stories are fresh and lively and will especially appeal to reluctant middle-grade readers.-Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews