Customer Reviews

Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Whisper "historical fiction" in a kid's ear and you may see them blanch and cringe at the thought. Ugh. History. And history in fiction? For many a kid it conjures up thoughts of dry, required reading. Titles that are supposed to teach and inform even as they "entertain" (read: bore). Kids with a penchant for historical fiction know that there's a wide swath of titles out there to enjoy, but too often it's the dull ones that end up on the Summer Reading lists. Books of historical fiction that are set during recent decades past also tend to be "meaningful" tales. They usually involve personal growth, acceptance of change, and maybe a dead dog or two. The out-and-out fabulous and funny recent historical fiction is the genre I want to see more of. And with a title like "Neil Armstrong is My Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me" this little ole book is exactly what the doctor ordered. It takes a single moment in history (the moon landing) and wraps around it a story of a boy who can't stop fibbing, and the girl who loathes him so.

To Tamara's mind there's no lying snake in the grass any lower than that strutting, self-assured, blowhard Muscle Man McGinty. That's not his real name, of course. That's just the moniker Tamara gave him to make fun of his skinny, weak little self, but the kid was so pleased with the title that he adopted it on the spot. Tamara has a lot of reasons to hate this kid too. For one thing he's the foster kid that replaced her best friend Kebsie. Kebsie and her mom moved away recently and Tamara hasn't heard a thing from her. Her parents hardly talk to her, her brother's constantly fighting with her dad, and now here on top of everything is Muscle Man trying to weasel his way into everyone's affections. Can't they see what a two-faced numbskull he is? It isn't until the night of the first moon landing that Tamara and Muscle Man find themselves in an odd situation, and she begins to see that sometimes there's a world beyond the end of your nose. A world where other people have problems too.

Deluded protagonists can take many forms, but there's nothing quite so pitiful as the protagonist who is entirely blinded by her own bitterness. Tamara's hurting. She's lonely and unhappy, trapped in a family that views affection the same way as it would a fly buzzing about the head. Is it any wonder that in Muscle Man McGinty's lies she finds an outlet for her pent up rage? It's perfect! Here's a kid who tells tall tales on a regular basis. Stories so incredibly ridiculous that most of the world views them as adorable. Tamara's problem is that she mistakes this kindness for ignorance, which just ratchets up her annoyance further and further.

My husband often likes to say of believable stories like this one, "People only care about what they care about." That certainly is the case here. Tamara cares about her own pain and own problems first and foremost, and the problems of someone like Muscle Man McGinty second. And while her point of view can be sympathetic it is also noticeably flawed. Particularly when it comes to her best friend Kebsie, for whom she carries a torch the entire book, Tamara never asked about her personal life or even considered it after she left.

I like the slow reveals of the plot in this title. For a while we know that Tamara was friends with a foster kid and that Muscle Man's a foster kid as well. When we see Tamara's home life there's definitely some friction with her parents, and she calls them by their first names. Is she a foster child as well? A visit by her brother clears up the fact that Tamara is simply trying to be cool by giving them these names, but it also gives her a kind of emotional distance from them. That's fine since whenever she attempts to get close to them they push her away quickly.

Having believable characters and a smart plot are great and all, but I think it's the little things that really pull a children's novel together. Things like well-written lines. I liked the moment when Tamara describes two neighbor twins who are fighting by saying, "After eleven years, Matthew and Michael Donovan haven't figured out that both of them can't occupy the same space at the same time." And I also loved the sense of community amongst the kids. There are suburban neighborhoods out there where the kids of various ages all hang out. Then, eventually, some of the kids start to hit adolescence and distance themselves from their old playmates. Marino describes this process beautifully, including showing the kid that still wavers between youth and age, going back and forth.

If there's any problem with the book it might be Muscle Man McGinty himself. Now he's a great character. There's nothing better than a scrawny kid talking and walking like he's the king of the world. But aside from his tall tales Muscle Man is pretty much a saint. Tamara just beats that kid down and beats that kid down and he always ends up smiling. Actually, he's a pretty good poster boy for the Christian faith, considering how often he turns the other cheek. He's almost too good, in fact. You'd expect him to get testy at least once in this story, particularly when you consider what he's been through personally. Instead he keeps on taking it like a skinny ten-year-old martyr.

Unsympathetic, or at least seriously flawed, heroes aren't new to children's literature. And there was something about "Neil Armstrong" that made me want to pair it alongside "The Great Gilly Hopkins". I'm not quite sure why, since Gilly makes Tamara look like she could teach the Dalai Lama a think or two about restraint. But both books feature tough girls who need to break through the walls they've put up around themselves. They're blowhards, to a certain extent, who have a hard time identifying with others. In many ways, "Neil Armstrong is My Uncle" is a tale of redemption. Tamara's story isn't finished by any means, but at least she's made some important steps, crossed some hurdles, and gotten over herself a little. Few adults would be able to say so much. An amazing debut and a remarkable novel.

What an excellent offering for young adults! This slim book should be an easy read for the 8-12 crowd, and offers some important life lessons about loss and dreams and rushing to judgment.

In this first person account, Tamara speaks with a clear and wonderful voice that really captures the petulant anger and confusion of a young girl whose best friend moved away without advance notice or a forwarding address. As she struggles to understand why everyone in the neighborhood is so nice to the boy now living in her former best friend's room, Tamara finds herself bullying the new kid on the block despite his best efforts to become her friend.

I enjoyed this novel and recommend teachers consider it for possible inclusion in a school curriculum. Highly recommended!

Nan Marino is obviously a born storyteller!

I could connect with all the characters in the book. First there was Tamara, a 10-yr-old girl who loses her best friend after she moves away, "Muscle Man", the new neighbor who moved into Tamara's friend's house, and all the other kids on Ramble Street.

The story is filled with happiness, sadness, and interesting mysteries. Good things happen to Tamara, like her brother coming home from college. And bad things too because her best friend moved away from the neighborhood without any notice. I really liked how Tamara tried to find out where her friend moved away, it was a mystery she couldn't figure out.

As a 10-yr-old myself, my life is filled with all kinds of emotions also, that's what I liked about this book, a young reader can connect with the characters. I liked trying to find out if all the lies told by "Muscle Man" were true or not.

I found out that this was Nan Marino's first book, and I thought it was amazing. I read it in a couple days because I was interested and didn't want to stop reading. As you can see from my review, this is definitely a book I will remember.

This is a beautifully story about the loss of a little girl's best friend, the bond between neighborhood kids, and individual pride, and becoming aware of the adult world.

Tamara Ann Simpson doesn't like Muscle Man McGinty from day one. He is living in her best friend's house, where her best friend SHOULD be, but isn't. The boy tells whoppers. When he brags that he can beat the entire block in a game of kick ball, he goes too far.

Tamara carries the story with such authenticity and artlessness (though considered somewhat of a bully by Booklist). Set in the summer of 1969, there is talk of moon landings, the Vietnam War, and Slinky's. Kirkus said it best: "The authenticity of the time and the voice combine with a poignant plot to reveal a depth unusual in such a straightforward first-person narrative. Showing a neighborhood still webbed together by typical daily contact, the characters are individually distinct and real."

I think NEIL ARMSTRONG IS MY UNCLE is going to appeal to a lot of people -- kids and adults. This book was incredibly entertaining to me, and I found myself laughing a great deal at the stories of Tamara and her friends. I know young kids are going to find the banter between the kids and Tamara's resentment towards Muscle Man to be hilarious; and a few kids might even relate to her insecurities and loneliness. However, I think that I enjoyed this book for some different reasons. So many of the the kids' antics brought back fond memories of my childhood; and I found that I was feeling quite nostalgic as I read this novel.

One of the very best things about this book was the narrator -- Tamara Ann Simpson. She is a 10 year old girl and just a wonderful storyteller, not to mention extremely funny. When her best friend moves away and a new boy moves into her house, Tamara isn't willing to cut him a break for anything. As she learns more about Muscle Man's past, she not only discovers things about him, but she also discovers things about herself. It is a treat just to see Tamara mature throughout this novel.

Nan Marino is a librarian, and NEIL ARMSTRONG IS MY UNCLE is her first novel. Ms. Marino grew up in the same area that this book takes place; and I have a feeling that a lot of the story is based on things that happened in her own life. I was so impressed with how she told this story -- it's hard to believe it's her first novel -- because she not only made me laugh, but she made me cry. Ms. Marino has a fantastic website which tells you more about her and her book. There is also a section which tells you what was real in this novel, like the Moon Landing and the Vietnam War; and it even gives you links where you can learn more about these events.

There are so many special things about this novel, and I really can't recommend it enough. I loved that I laughed so much at this story; however, the real beauty of this book is how it addresses the serious issues. The summer of 1969 was a time of huge change for our country, and I think this book gives the reader a glimpse of how it affected the children. This book deals with some very big issues such as the Vietnam War and the loss of family members; however, I think the author handled all of this in a wonderful way. My hope is that children (and maybe even adults) who read this book with learn some of the same lessons that Tamara did while also gaining an appreciation of the past.

The story of Ramble Street is poignant and heart-expanding. It's a wonderful book for middle grade readers and anyone who was once ten. Nan Marino is a wonderful storyteller, and I highly recommend her book.

Tamaira Simpson is a girl who believes in truth and fairness. What could be wrong with that? The kids on Ramble Street could tell you. Tamaira's best friend moves away unexpectedly and is replaced by a new foster child on the block. She tries to compensate for her hurt feelings and sense of loneliness by single-handedly taking down Muscle Man McGinty, right or wrong.
Set on Long Island in 1969, the author incorporates the Vietnam War and the historic Apollo 11 moon landing into her moving novel filled with characters that today's children will easily relate to.
This book will delight both voracious and reluctant readers with its humor and pathos. As a school librarian, I am including this winner on my summer reading list. I hope the Newbery committee reads this one!

It's the Summer of '69 on Ramble Street. Tamara Simpson's best friend, foster kid Kebsie has just moved away and taking her place under the roof of "Grandma" Kutchner's home is Muscle Man McGinty. With all of his lies, he gets under Tamara's skin from day one! Whether it's telling the neighborhood kids that he's training for the Olympics, or that Neil Armstrong is his uncle, or that he could beat the whole block at their own game of kickball, Tamara has had enough. She is fed up and ready to show everyone once and for all Muscle Man's true colors, and expose him as the scrawny liar he is!

Remember the kid in grade school who always used to lie about his family vacation? He'd wait for everyone to share and then top their stories with one of his own, so outrageous it had to be untrue . . . The back cover summary and book title of Nan Marino's debut novel would have you believe that Muscle Man McGinty is just that kid and that Tamara is our heroine. Interestingly enough, there's something strangely likeable about Muscle Man from page one. Maybe it's his stupid smile, maybe it's his unwavering social charisma . . . Sure the kid lies (that's also obvious from page one) but his lies are nothing compared to the snotty demeanor of our narrator Tamara. She a bully and she hates Muscle Man and she doesn't hide it! Being a new foster kid to the neighborhood, the rest of the kids take his lies in stride, knowing there must be a reason for them. But not Tamara. She makes it personal. It's hard to root for her as she should be fully aware of what's going on, yet she's so darn stubborn and selfish to give Muscle Man's situation any thought.

Marino probably wants us to forgive Tamara in the end because she just lost her best friend. That's easier said than done. And about that best friend . . . SPOILER (kind of) . . . Listening to Tamara go on and on about Kebsie's outlandish behavior, it's no wonder the two shared a connection. Kebsie sounds like a brat as well. However, the reader comes to so mistrust Tamara's narrative, her opinions and perspective, it's hard to know if any of her memories of Kebsie are true or not. Notice how Kebsie never writes, even though she promises to? Notice how the neighborhood kids are willing to cut Muscle Man some slack for being in the situation he's in but not Tamara after losing her best friend? In fact, pay attention to how NONE of the neighborhood kids, except maybe MaryBeth Grabowsky (just once) makes any reference at all to Kebsie and Tamara ever being friends . . . maybe I'm reading WAY too much into this short little novel but maybe, just maybe, Tamara was never that close to Kebsie. Maybe Tamara is just a misunderstood brat.

I did think the snappy narrative was good and there were aspects of the plot that were VERY sharp. I love the way Tamara's viewpoint is shared during a scene at a funeral. It's very cold and she takes on an observatory role. I found it to be a clever point of view to share. The scene where Shirley (Tamara's mother) tries teaching Tamara life lessons through soap operas was surprisingly poignant. I also found it interesting how Tamara longed for belonging and acceptance in the neighborhood, but was held back because of her parents' social awkwardness. I wonder how many other kids in the world feel trapped, in a way, like Tamara . . . And I especially love how Marino captured the friendships of the neighborhood kids. You get the feeling that these kids play together due to proximity, not necessarily lifelong friendship. The only two girls seem to hate each other. Little siblings are dragged along to kickball games and inserted into lineups. Other kids are mentioned but remain off-scene, having grown up and moved on to friendships outside of Ramble Street. It felt very real. As if Ramble Street could be any street. And these kids could all be the kids next door.

In the end, I like the length of this book but felt that a little more time was maybe needed to redeem Tamara. I'm not sure Marino gives you enough. You know while reading that eventually Tamara and Muscle Man are going to come to an understanding of sorts (it's inevitable) but it comes on so abruptly and happens so quickly, I'm not sure I forgive Tamara the way the author might want me to. However one of the novel's themes that I definitely think will resonate in any youth that picks this book up is the overwhelming feeling of loneliness. Muscle Man was a foster kid in a new neighborhood. An outsider looking in. Tamara, despite living in the neighborhood permanently, is also an outsider looking in. They are drawn to each other. Just as other lonely children could be drawn to Nan Marino's message inside this book.

Kirsten writes: Muscle Man Maginty is a liar! He lies to get attention. Muscle Man and Tamara are connected because Muscle Man moved into Tamara's best friend's house. Tamara misses her best friend, Kebsie. I like this book and you should too.

Leigha writes: I like the part in the book when Muscle Man and the other team plays kickball and the score is 43 to nothing. Muscle Man is a liar and he is bad at kickball. Tamara is good at kickball and hates Muscle Man because he has taken the place of her friend Kebsie. You should read this book because it is awesome!

I loved this book! Tamara sounds exactly like a ten year old from the very first line. The author's beautiful writing will keep you turning the pages, and wish there was more to read when you're finished. A must have!