Back in my teaching days, I worked with 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students who were euphemistically characterized as "reluctant readers." "Would rather have a hot poker in the eye than read" readers would have been more accurate. I was always on the lookout for high interest reading materials to lure them to the written word. I could always find plenty of stuff for my girls. But, for my boys, well, it was quite a bit harder.
The Daniel X series is author James Patterson's effort to fill the void. Daniel X is a young alien hunter living on his own on Earth and tracking down the most fearsome aliens. Daniel has the incredible power to do anything that he can imagine. Fortunately, the boy has a lot of imagination.
The latest book in the series, Daniel X: Watch the Skies, has Daniel facing off against Number 5, a vicious fish like alien that is determined to use the inhabitants of Earth as contestants for a deadly, intergalactic reality show. Can Daniel save the Earth from endertainment, or has Daniel's imagination met its match?
I really wanted to love this book, but I didn't. Each chapter is only about three pages long. Every other page, something is exploding or aliens are splattering. Tons of techy gadgets and fast motorcycles. And, one or two story elements that made me flat-out squeamish. Frankly, my middle-aged, female self didn't . . . quite . . . get it.
And, that' s why you should buy it for your eleven year old boy immediately. Trust me, he'll love it.
This review is part of the MotherTalk blog tour. For full disclosure, see sidebar.
13 comments:
I should give this to my 19 year old...Thanks for the review.
I almost forgot....EUCHRE!!!!
Thank you so much! I am going to get it for my son. He LOVES to read, but I have a hard time finding books that he is actually interested in taking the time to read!
LOL. I haven't tried reading the Star Wars books my son loves so much, but he gives me a blow-by-blow discussion, and it seems very similar to this book. Except he's a little older, so he can handle four whole pages per chapter.
Love the end of your review. That should do it. :) That James Patterson is such a prolific writer. The partnership thing with other writers makes me think he has a whole staff of folks writing for him and his name gets the publishing.
oh, i've read one of the daniel x books. the first one, can't think of the name... i enjoyed reading it, though i've hesitated buying another, can't say why though. but james patterson i love reading generally...
So true - the gorier and the gooier the better for boys!
WAIT! Middle-age-edness does NOT start until one is 55. (And I know 'cause I'm 45!)
xoxo
Well, it sounds worth reading. A fishlike alien, huh? Reality shows... I like the idea.
Interesting. My mother was a librarian...not reading was not an option in my house!
I bet he's good at it. I love to read him, but I consider him an easy read - so I bet he's really good at this.
I think my 10 year old daughter will love this book then!
Boys are odd. Even the one I raised, who isn't too terribly testosterone-poisoned. He never liked to read, despite being very bright.
I like James Patterson's schmaltzy love stories, like "Suzanne's Diary For Nicholas" and "Sundays At Tiffany's."
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