You don't compare Gary Paulsen to other writers; other writers hope to be compared to Paulsen. From the books of Brian's Saga to the Lawn Boy books to my favorite
Harris and Me
, to more advanced YA near classics, Paulsen has created an impressive and enduring body of work.
But for day in/day out laughs, crisp dry insight, manic humor, inspired nuttiness and mystery/action, it's hard to beat the 30 books in the Culpepper Adventures series. Each book features best-friends-for-life Amos and Duncan. Duncan is, for want of a better word, the brains of the team and Amos is more like the accident prone second banana, but each is a featured player, since the point of any Culpepper book is to watch Dunc and Amos deal with, figure out, work around, and prevail over whatever the latest cockamamie plot turns out to be.
In this one, Amos wants to stop a burglar he knows will be hitting the home of a girl on whom he has a secret crush. The mystery is how the boys figure out the burglar's plans and the action is how they fail repeatedly in their task. The final resolution is inane, but again that's not the point. For Amos and Dunc the story is never about the destination, but about the journey.
And Paulsen has mastered combining snappy funny cross-talk and deadpan interior monologues. These guys are loyal, courageous, fearless, foolish and full of energy and optimism. You like them and root for them and look forward to the next adventure.
For a young reader these books seem to be scaled really well. By that I mean that there are obvious jokes, more subtle jokes, and then some really sly stuff that might go over a youngster's head and yet tickle a slightly older kid. The same is true for the writing. It isn't all chapter book style short declarative sentences. There is depth and complexity to the narrative, but all of it is accessible and manageable so that it feels like a younger reader could read this and not even realize that he might be punching above his weight. That's one of the things that makes these books so special.
So, good for a bunch of laughs, full of generous humor and insight, and well written. What's not to love?
Please note that I found this book while browsing the local library's Kindle books, and downloaded it for free. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
