Module 8 - Nonfiction

Bibliographic Citation

Scieszka, J. (Ed.) (2005). Guys write for guys read. New York, NY: Viking. ISBN 9780670060078.

             272 p.

Summary

In this compilation of short stories, eighty-some male authors and illustrators write or display drawings about just being a guy. The entries are in alphabetical order by author/illustrator last name and range from silly memories and funny lists to drawings, cartoons, and fictional stories. The stories and drawings include topics such as super heroes, sports, bullying, bodily functions, gross-outs, girls, motivational words, and other “guys only” topics. There is something for everyone in this collection!

Analysis

Each story in this collection of short stories is only about three pages long or less, allowing the reader to read at his (or her) own pace. As Jon Scieszka mentions in the forward, it doesn’t have to be read in any particular order or all at once and is to be read purely for enjoyment. The brevity of the stories will probably appeal to struggling and reluctant readers, but I sometimes found myself wanting a little more. Some of the favorite authors and illustrators included in this compilation are Tedd Arnold (of Fly Guy fame), Matt Groening (The Simpsons), Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants), Gary Paulsen (Hatchet), David Shannon (No David!), and countless others. Each entry includes a small biography including a silly random fact about each writer and a selected bibliography. I almost wished these facts were presented at the beginning of the entry rather than the end because I found myself flipping to the end of each story to read more about the author. I really enjoyed the inclusion of the artwork and cartoons done when the illustrators were children. Most times the illustrator included his drawings done as an adult as well. It was fun to see the progression of writing and drawing from child to adult. I sometimes felt the stories were a little repetitive in the fact that many of them mentioned something along the lines of “back in the 60s when I was a kid…”  I do understand prefacing the stories with this to help the readers understand the setting, but sometimes it felt like I was reading the same story over and over. There are several laugh out loud stories including Bruce Hale’s Boys, Beer, Barf, and Bonding and Andy Griffiths’s My Dad is Better Than Your Dad. Overall, this is a fun collection of stories and artwork that will appeal to guys (not boys) in middle school or high school.