Sunday, July 18, 2010

Phineas L. MacGuire...Erupts!


Phineas L. MacGuire...Erupts. Frances O'Roark Dowell. 2006. Simon & Schuster. 176 pages.

My name is Phineas Listerman MacGuire.
Most people call me Mac.
It's okay if you call me Phin.
You can even call me Phineas.
Forget about calling me Listerman.
I am allergic to fifteen things. My mom says this is not true, that I'm only allergic to two things, peanuts and cat hair. But I am a scientist, and she's not.


I really enjoyed Phineas L. MacGuire...Erupts. This is the first in a series of books starring a science-loving young boy named Mac. Curious as to what he's allergic to besides cat hair and peanuts? Well, the color purple and girls to name just two. Also telephone calls, celery, cottage cheese, and kissing.

In this book, Mac is preparing for the fourth grade science fair. He would have loved to pair up with his best friend, Marcus. But. A few weeks after the school year started, his friend moved away. Which leaves Mac without a best friend. He does have an un-best friend. "Mac R." is the new kid in the class. And, well, he's not terribly popular. Which means when it is time for the class to pair up, the two Macs are without a teammate. Can "Mac R" and Mac learn to work together for the science fair? Can Mac convince the other Mac NOT to do a dinosaur project?

What did I love best about this book? The writing and the characterization. There's something so likable about Mac. He just felt very real to me. The book is funny too.


© Becky Laney of Young Readers

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