Gordon Korman
With more than 50 books published, Canadian born author Gordon Korman was one of the featured speakers at the Shenandoah University 2009 Children's Literature Conference that focus on "Reading...It's a Guy Thing: Hooking Boys on Books." Gordon's career as an author started early. When he was 12 years-old he announced that he had written a book. It was about his 7th grade English teacher who was a track coach and somehow got put into a class teaching English. This Can't be Happening at Macdonald Hall was the result of his class assignment. Gordon got a B+ on his semester project. This first story was revised and became a published book when he was about fourteen.
How did it happen? Gordon was the class monitor for the Scholastic Book Club orders. He mailed in his manuscript to the warehouse and someone there gave it to an editor. He was an 8th grader, only 13 years old. The editor liked the book and as a result Gordon began working on revisions to his manuscript. He remarked that it was doubly hard because he was at that age where you believe that every thing you write is priceless and because his Canadian English and American English did not exactly match. At the time of his rewrite, Canada, where he was attending school, was converting to metric. He noted that you can't write something like "centimetering his way across" versus "inching his way across." He also had an issue with centigrade versus Fahrenheit--readers looking at 39 degrees centigrade would not think of a fever--they would think of a person who has been dead for days, because they are still in the Fahrenheit mode and this is the temperature scale used in the U.S. For some later books, there was a problem with translations into other languages--for example, Liar, Liar Pants on Fire, one of his other titles, just doesn't work in many other languages, so the title became Super Liar. He was a young writer who loved humor. He still makes people laugh and is proud that Scholastic published his first 20 books.
He commented that it is difficult to get boys to read or to engage readers who have difficulty reading to pick up a book. He makes a lot of school visits and noted that there isn't much humor in school. If you look at the list of books assigned to be read in school there are plenty with dead dogs—one of Gordon's pet peeves. In middle school there were two such books assigned, one of which was the book Where the Red Fern Grows. As he got older more dogs died, like Jack London's sled dogs and then Bob, Son of Battle. Every generation has its dead dogs. Today it is Grogan's Marley and Me which Gordon believes will stay in print for decades. No More Dead Dogs was the title of one of his books and certainly the dogs do not die in the books that Gordon writes. At ALA he was asked what his message was—pretty much to have fun to--"lighten up."
Where do Gordon's ideas come from? He is a fan of old fashioned historical stories and accounts that he reads in the newspapers. Swindle, for example, is not a true story. Could you write book about kids robbing a bank—people said no way—it is a class A felony? However, there was a gem at the core. His protagonist was not really robbing a bank, but rather stealing back what was rightfully his—a Babe Ruth card—the second most valuable collectable baseball card after Honus Wagner. There was no way the boy who owned the Babe Ruth card could prove that it was his; so the only way to get it back was to steal it back. Gordon needed to make it difficult. Even when you write a story like that there is a need to have some reality, something believable—a blow torch versus safe cracking skills was certainly more believable for kids pulling off this robbery (see the review below). Gordon likes to hook reluctant readers and Zoobreak is a sequel to Swindle. He used all the same kids. It is a sort of 1950s prison break movie. In this case it is breaking animals out of a zoo where they are being mistreated. All are arboreal animals—no elephants. The big question arises –What do we do with all of these animals?
While Gordon has been at his craft for years, he said that he felt a bit of a fraud as compared with writers like Gary Paulson, Will Hobbs, and Ben Mikaelson. He did not really do the things that he was writing about. As a result when he wrote the "Island " series he had to undertake quite a bit of research. He even bought a sailing manual to learn the language and terminology. The result was Shipwreck (Island Book 1), Survival (Island Book 2) and Escape (Island Book 3) which were all published in 2001. He also encourages kids to read books other than his own. Gordon believes that the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz works well for reluctant readers. Hooking readers early is also key, and one of the series that he thinks does the trick is the "My Weird School" books by Dan Gutman. They are targeted to readers in first and second grade.
Gordon loves to pose thought provoking ideas/issues/questions. "Think about this—the top of Mt. Everest cannot be reached by helicopter. Dead bodies on the route stay there. George Mallory who died in 1924 wasn't found until 2000. If you die then you become just part of the tour." How is that for a grabber for reluctant boy readers. "Everest tells the story of a teenage expedition to conquer the world's tallest mountain--a treacherous climb to an altitude so high that it has been nicknamed the Death Zone." All are determined to succeed, but Everest is no walk in the park. Death is common for climbers attempting to scale to its incredible summit, and the challenge these young athletes face is one of the toughest on Earth. All of this is covered in Gordon's trilogy The Contest (Everest Book 1), The Climb (Everest Book 2), and The Summit (Everest Book 3), all of which were written in 2002.
Gordon is aware of the difference between things that are kid pleasers and those that are parent/teacher pleasers. The boy stuff is often labeled as "bad." He grew up on Bugs Bunny cartoons, and he wanted to see his son's reaction to them. It turned out that these cartoons have been modified. Bugs Bunny doesn't get run over or flattened like our friend the Roadrunner. Decisions were made by the producers that the stuff that Gordon grew up on was not good for today's kids. By no means does he suggest that violence is was the only appeal in these cartoon or books that will grab kids. His Dive trilogy came out when Jaws was the rage. He wanted his book to be believable and the sharks he featured were mostly reef sharks not man-eaters, but the teenagers face real dangers and some harrowing underwater experiences.
Dialogue also attracts kids who are not avid readers. He has some tricks as it relates to what his characters say and do. In one story he had the protagonist's friend constantly mixing idioms such as "by any stretch of the means" "if we have to wait this out, it will be the eternal equinox" "icing on the gravy." So once again his mantra is grab these kids at a young age, make the stories interesting, adventuresome and most importantly fun.
Contributor: Marilyn Courtot
Reviews
Born to Rock
Leo Caraway has an imp hiding inside him, just waiting to explode. His name is McMurphy. Unfortunately for Leo--Young Republican, accepted early to Harvard, and future stocks annalist--it chooses to explode in his senior year of high school. Can buttoned-down Leo survive learning that the true identity of his birth father is the punk rock star King Maggot? Can Leo pry his first year’s tuition out of Maggot by signing on to his nationwide summer tour as a roadie? Can anyone who hates punk rock as much as he does stand the physical and aural pain? Korman gives Leo’s voice his usual sardonic cast as our hero narrates his escalating woes. Along the way the grungy world of comeback stars is unveiled in full glory. The reader also has the pleasure of meeting the gothic Melinda, the hapless and gay Owen looking for true love, and most especially, Leo’s marvelous mom, who deals with her repressions by building miles of jigsaw puzzles through the ever-narrowing passageways of home. With such a sharp, wry mix, it is obvious Gordon Korman has another hit on his hands. 2006, Hyperion/Disney, $15.99. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7868-0920-2
ISBN: 0-7868-0920-5
The Juvie Three
Gordon Korman
Gecko, Arjay and Terence are three juvenile delinquents who are candidates for an experimental alternative living program in New York City. As their group leader, Mr. Healy, explains: “Here's how it works: you live with me and two other boys in an apartment. You go to school; you go into counseling; you do community service. To be blunt, you work your butt off and keep your nose clean.” One of the boys was convicted of manslaughter, one was the driver of a get-away car, and one plans to see more of New York City than the inside of the grungy walk-up apartment that is now an installation of the United States Department of Juvenile Corrections. The night Terence makes his move and slips out of the apartment, things go terribly wrong. As a result, Mr. Healy is hospitalized. His memory is gone, and the boys don’t dare let the authorities know that the man listed as John Doe is their mentor. Until Mr. Healy regains his memory and returns to the apartment, they are going to be obedient little robots and do everything they’ve been programmed to do. If they don’t, they could receive a one-way ticket back to the juvenile justice system. This is a winning novel about three boys who just might make it. 2008, Hyperion /Disney, $15.99. Ages 12 to 16. Reviewer: Anita Barnes Lowen (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4231-0158-1
ISBN: 978-14231-0162-8
Pop
Gordon Korman
The title is a simple word. It can have so many meanings and Korman exploits that to its fullest. Marcus is not happy that he and his mother have moved to a new town. He would like to tryout for the local high school football team, but it already has a superstar quarterback, Troy who is undefeated. While practicing in a local park, Marcus meets an older man who really knows football and teaches him a few things, one of which is not to be afraid to take a hit as a quarterback. As a result, Marcus really improves his game, but his friend is most elusive and his behavior truly strange. As the story moves forward, there is the on again off again romance between the head cheerleader Alyssa and the star quarterback Troy with Marcus in the triangle and Marcus attraction to Troy's sister and plenty of animosity among all parties at various times. High school, football, relationships...it all simmers and comes to a head when Marcus finds out who he has been learning the game from. His exploits, while well intentioned, get him in trouble and it further strains his mother's budding relationship with the Officer Deluca of the local police force. The improbable conclusion is one that kids will delight in. This reviewer couldn't put the book down, wondering what could possibly happen next. It ends on a truly unusual note and there is no way any reviewer should give a clue to that, just keep reading and think about pop in terms of football, pop as it relates to Marcus' friend, and pop as a father figure and mentor to more than one young football star.
BIBLIO: 2009, HarperCollins, Ages 12 up, $16.99.
REVIEWER: Marilyn Courtot
FORMAT: Young Adult
2009, HarperCollins, Ages 12 up, $16.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-174228-6
ISBN: 978-0-06-174230-9
Schooled
Gordon Korman
Being captain of the football and soccer teams means that Zach is "the man" in eighth grade, and he is more than ready for it. Home-schooled Capricorn is about to experience school for the first time. Knowing no better, Cap finds himself in the undesired position of class president and seriously tries to fulfill his duties. The tables begin to turn as students become drawn to the moralistic Cap and away from the vindictive Zach. This book is an outstanding look at life in middle school, written from multiple points of view that are superbly interwoven to move the action forward. All aspects of school culture are clearly addressed through the characters' voices, each of whom shows his unique personality and sense of belonging within the school dynamic. Extremely well written and easy to follow, this title subtly highlights the growth of teens in school from their individualism to their sense of empowerment and the influence they have as agents of change. Author Gordon Korman's latest novel will appeal to all readers due to the multiple character viewpoints. The constant action and familiar setting will certainly attract reluctant readers. Highly Recommended. 2007, Hyperion Books for Children/Disney Publishing Worldwide, 224pp., $15.99 hc. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Dylan Thomarie (Library Media Connection, November/December 2007).
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award, 2009 Honour Book Canada
Snow Willow Award, 2008 Winner Saskatchewan, Canada
Society of School Librarians International Book Awards, 2007 Best Book Language Arts-Grades K-6 Novels United States
Thumbs Up! Award, 2008 Nominee United States
ISBN: 978-0-7868-5692-3
ISBN: 0-7868-5692-0
Son of the Mob
Gordon Korman
Vince Luca is a boy with a problem. His family is his problem. You see, his father is a mob boss. And his new girlfriend is the daughter of an FBI agent. In fact, her father is one of the agents who “listens in” on all the family discussions in the Luca household! Vince just wants a normal life. But, alas, that is just not going to happen. When he plays football--badly--he is kept in the game because the coach is afraid to take him out. The opposing team has the son of a mob employee, and so Vince never gets tackled. The teachers are afraid to give him a failing grade. Every time Vince tries to stay out of the family business, he gets drawn in because of his big heart and his efforts to make things right. This is a humorous novel from the first page to the last. It is, however, also a story with a moral. Doing the right thing can sometimes get one into trouble. With names like Benny the Zit, Jimmy Rat, Uncle Fingers, and Uncle Pampers, the reader will laugh out loud while also understanding that the mob is real. Vince is a thoroughly believable character and one who will be remembered by the reader long after closing the book. The message is there--families are unique, problems come with each family, and sometimes all you can do is your best. Fiction, Highly Recommended. Grades 8 and up. 2002, Hyperion, 262p, $15.99. Ages 13 up. Reviewer: Monica Irwin (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 15, No. 4)).
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Grand Canyon Reader Award, 2007 Winner Teen Book United States
Heartland Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, 2004 Finalist United States
Heartland Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, 2004 Winner United States
Thumbs Up! Award, 2003 Nominee United States
Young Reader's Choice Award, 2005 Winner Grades 7-9 Pacific Northwest
ISBN: 978-0-7868-0769-7
ISBN: 978-0-7868-2616-2
Swindle
Gordon Korman
This novel by the very popular author contains all of the perfect elements of a story for middle school readers, including suspense, fully-developed characters, relevant plot, humor, and a surprise ending that is difficult to predict. The main character, Griffin Bing is the boy who always has a plan. He is also a 6th grade student who is known for his sometimes outrageous actions. One of his recent ideas is to have a sleepover in a condemned local “haunted house.” While scoping out the house, Griffin discovers a very rare George Herman Ruth baseball card. This card is the key to his Griffin’s new plan to save his family from their financial problems. He sells his card to a dealer for $120. Later, he discovers that he has been swindled. The dealer sold the rare card for $200,000. Griffin knows he needs a new plan. He enlists the help of his friend in his mission to get his card back. His plan is not perfect, and he and his team soon realize they must outwit a guard dog, a security system, and a secret hiding place. One more problem stands in his way: No one can drive. Readers will enjoy the page-turning adventure, the quirky characters and the revenge factor. This book is destined to become a favorite read-aloud for librarians and classroom teachers. It is a must-have for middle school libraries. 2008, Scholastic, $16.99. Ages 9 to 12. Reviewer: Sue Reichard (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-439-90344-8
ISBN: 0-439-90344-0
Zoobreak
Gordon Korman
Poor Luthor, Savannah Drysdale’s pet Doberman, is absolutely devastated missing his best friend, Cleopatra, a capuchin monkey who has been missing for weeks. Griffin Bing, Savannah’s school teacher has scheduled a class trip to a floating zoo where Savannah discovers Cleo and the harsh, dirty, unhealthy atmosphere of the zoo. Knowing that Cleo has been stolen, Savannah and her friends are so appalled by the conditions of the floating zoo they plan to rescue not only Cleo but the entire lot of animals. This is a wonderful, unique story that is tension-filled from the very beginning and does not let up. With the help of Savannah’s friends, one with a sleep disorder, one who claims to be “The Man With A Plan,” and a wonderful assortment of adult characters, this story pulls the reader in right from the start. The idea is clever, and Savannah is portrayed as Cedarville’s greatest authority on animals. There is a lot of information woven throughout the story that kids will find interesting as well. Riveting, humorous and well told, this book is a great read for kids. 2009, Scholastic, $16.99. Ages 9 to 12. Reviewer: Joan Elste (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-545-12499-7
ISBN: 0-545-12499-9
Added 7/27/2010
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