Scan barcode
yapha's review
4.0
What would be the science fiction equivalent of Magical Realism? I don't know, but this book is definitely it! This super fun read contains all of the glories of summer camp traditions with a group of differently abled children with not so useful super powers. Or are they finally useful after all? Highly recommended for summer reading or any time, really. For grades 4 & up.
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
My daughter and I both loved that this book took the "superhero" character trope and turned it on its head, and my son was super pleased to read a book that "had all boys as main characters." (Seriously, there's a dearth of boy-lit out there in MG right now.)
Being born with the power to float sounds fantastic -- if you can control it. If you can't, it's terrifying. You'd float away if you weren't anchored to something, all the time. That's the hard truth of life of a RISK -- Reoccurring Incidents of the Strange Kind -- teen.
So what would summer camp look like? Being tied to the dock while others go swimming in a lake? Tied to your bunk while you sleep? Would you wear huge, clunky, heavy shoes? Maybe a super-heavy vest? You'd still have to be strong enough to carry the darn things and they'd make long hikes and nature trails pure misery.
That's what 12-year-old Emerson finds at Camp Outsider. His first friend, Hank, can turn invisible, but it's a pain to disappear when you're trying to chat up a girl. It's a pain in other ways as well for Hank, who embraces his invisibility and has no qualms about running around naked to be totally invisible.
Then there's Murphy, a teen time-traveler with his own federal agents / body guards who jump all over him when he gets back from his time travels (to prevent anyone else from taking advantage of them).
Gary's known as "Sticky" -- but imagine not being able to choose who or what to stick yourself to, and then being unable to unstick yourself, say, to a rock? Or a tree? For hours, or even days, at a time?
Zeke has "sporadic x-ray vision" and naturally bad eyesight to boot. His therapy skunk, Mr. Stink, makes quite an impression.
Slowly the boys realize Murphy's seen his own death. And they've got to find a way to save him. A fantastic boy book!
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: http://amb.mystrikingly.com/
Being born with the power to float sounds fantastic -- if you can control it. If you can't, it's terrifying. You'd float away if you weren't anchored to something, all the time. That's the hard truth of life of a RISK -- Reoccurring Incidents of the Strange Kind -- teen.
So what would summer camp look like? Being tied to the dock while others go swimming in a lake? Tied to your bunk while you sleep? Would you wear huge, clunky, heavy shoes? Maybe a super-heavy vest? You'd still have to be strong enough to carry the darn things and they'd make long hikes and nature trails pure misery.
That's what 12-year-old Emerson finds at Camp Outsider. His first friend, Hank, can turn invisible, but it's a pain to disappear when you're trying to chat up a girl. It's a pain in other ways as well for Hank, who embraces his invisibility and has no qualms about running around naked to be totally invisible.
Then there's Murphy, a teen time-traveler with his own federal agents / body guards who jump all over him when he gets back from his time travels (to prevent anyone else from taking advantage of them).
Gary's known as "Sticky" -- but imagine not being able to choose who or what to stick yourself to, and then being unable to unstick yourself, say, to a rock? Or a tree? For hours, or even days, at a time?
Zeke has "sporadic x-ray vision" and naturally bad eyesight to boot. His therapy skunk, Mr. Stink, makes quite an impression.
Slowly the boys realize Murphy's seen his own death. And they've got to find a way to save him. A fantastic boy book!
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: http://amb.mystrikingly.com/
marsha1268's review
adventurous
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
laura_lorraine's review against another edition
4.0
The book was very interesting and had a good twist on superpowered kids
g4bby's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jillcd's review against another edition
4.0
What an engaging and fun storyline with diverse and interesting characters. I just couldn’t put this down! Kids in grades 4 and up will love it.
rhiannonwhite's review
4.0
If you're looking for a cross between Percy Jackson, the X-Men, and the 1995 movie Heavyweights, then I think you'll get a blast out of Float! The book follows a group of boys with superpowers that range from awkward (sticking to things) to funny (randomly invisible body parts) to dangerous (time-traveling). The boys meet at a summer camp for kids with their abilities, the first time they've ever been surrounded by people like them. Between the classic summer camp activities like Capture the Flag, bonfires, camp outs, trying to get the attention of the occupants of the girls' cabin (made even more awkward when she turns into a cocker spaniel randomly), and lassoing pigs, the boys also discover that one of their own is hiding a terrifying secret that might lead to someone not going home at the end of the summer.
Laura Martin writes a group of boys with varying, distinct personalities and uses stories from her father's time at summer camp to make the book fun and give it variety. It is a coming of age novel set in a traditional setting with an exciting twist and Martin leaves plenty at the end to hint at a potential series. I highly recommend this book for middle schoolers, although all ages will enjoy it.
My only complaint might be the lack of racial diversity, but this is still a fantastic book.
Laura Martin writes a group of boys with varying, distinct personalities and uses stories from her father's time at summer camp to make the book fun and give it variety. It is a coming of age novel set in a traditional setting with an exciting twist and Martin leaves plenty at the end to hint at a potential series. I highly recommend this book for middle schoolers, although all ages will enjoy it.
My only complaint might be the lack of racial diversity, but this is still a fantastic book.
awesome514's review against another edition
4.0
This was a sweet, entertaining story. The themes were a little heavy-handed, but that seems typical with middle reader books. The characters were easy to like and the pacing of the story kept me engaged in their adventures. Overall, an enjoyable read.
kmp's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0