Marvin Redpost - Super Fast, Out of Control! by: Louis Sachar

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Random House

Copyright Date: 2000

Number of Pages: 79

Reading Level: 7-12

Summary:

Marvin and his friends were bored on a Saturday when his friends decided that they all should ride down suicide hill! Marvin, not liking this idea, since he hadn't broken in his new bike went in to ask his mom. He decided the best way to get her to say no was to be mean to his sister, so he was and she grounded him. His friends were disappointed but went home.

At school on Monday somehow a rumor started that Marvin was going to ride down suicide hill. Everyone was impressed because none of them had ever done it. Marvin was scared! How could he back down? everyone would think that he was a wimp. He worried about it all week. He tried to come up with ways of getting out of it. He tried asking his brother for advice he tried to get his mom to tell him he couldn't... Finally, he accepted the fact that he was just going to have to face his fears and do it, in front of the WHOLE SCHOOL.

Saturday came. He and his friends had decided to meet up and ride to suicide hill together. He went to his friends house but he and another friend were watching a movie. Marvin was in a hurry because he anticipated that everyone was there now waiting for him and he didn't want them to think he had chickened out so he went on without them. When he got to suicide hill, no one was there. He was confused thinking he had mistaken the time. Then his mom showed up to watch. The only people that came to watch was his family. He realized that no one had actually been planning on coming they just were amazed that Marvin was going to do it! So, he rode down the hill to the cheers of his family and that was all right by him.

Who would benefit from reading this book/who would I recommend this book to?

This is a short simple book that is exciting fro kids to read. Boys would love it because it has to do with bikes and girls would love it too! I would recommend this to any child looking for a good read.

What problems/conflicts could this book potentially cause?

None

My reaction:

This is a cute book. It is an easy read and it has a good theme about facing your fears and not giving into peer pressure. I would let my children read this any day.