Guys Read: True Stories audiobook

I think kids as young as 8 would probably get a lot out of this. It's an eclectic mix from Coulter's survival after a bear attack in the 1800s to poems explaining various aspects of physics. If nothing else, Jim Murphy's history of dentistry will make our modern ones seem pretty good by comparison. (He's a YA historical nonfiction author with a couple of books I've read & liked a lot.) Searching for & studying tarantulas in the jungle is a great shot of realism to jungle flicks, too.I liked all of the stories, although one story was narrated by a female & it would have been better in a male voice since it was told by a male from his point of view. I plan to turn my grandson on to it.

Wonderful entry in Mr. Scieszka's series of books that are designed to appeal to boys. But girls will love it too

Guys Read True Stories is a compilation of ten, nonfiction short stories designed primarily for young adult boys. The topics these stories cover are all different--some with male protagonists, others with young girls, some with animals. There is even a graphic novel of a historical account. While the facts are laid straight, the stories are still entertaining and engaging for readers of any gender. I really enjoyed reading these short stories--even for me it seemed easier to tackle because the stories were no more than 30 pages long. Some stories I enjoyed more than others, and two of my personal favorites were "Sahara Shipwreck" and "A Jumbo Story," both very different from each other. Other stories I thought were slower, or I didn't have as much personal connection to, but it wasn't bad because the stories were short. Overall, I think these would be great in a classroom to tie in real life events with what students are studying without having to take away time to read a long novel as a class. Content Warning:-Violence-Gore-Sexual references-Death

Guys Read True Stories is a compilation of true stories that are geared toward young male readers to entertain and enlighten. The stories within this book contain real heroes who fight for worthy causes, rescue those in need, learn better ways to be human, and take adventures beyond the places that eyes usually see. This book teaches readers that it’s okay to try new things and to take big steps to become who you want to become. I enjoyed reading something outside of romantic novels and Hunger Game type books. Reading these true stories amazed and inspired me. I won’t be forgetting the lessons that were taught to me in this book anytime soon. In the first story it gets a bit graphic with injuries that the men have due to very sever sunburn, cuts and layers of torn skin that are described in detail, and a lack of proper care for their bodies due to enslavement. I would still recommend this story to help readers understand the facts of life as a human being in slavery.

Another great anthology of stories. My favorite is James Sturm's essay on how he became a cartoonist. He talks about obsession, which to me is a more motivating word than passion. People keep saying to follow your passion, which always makes me feel like I've sold out somehow because a) I have more than one and b) none of them will make me a living. Being in the grip of an obsession though, that makes more sense - and let's me off the hook, because none of my passions have staying power as obsessions and I grow out of them.

This book was a great. I liked the short stories. This would be good for a reluctant reader boy or girl!

Loved loved this book. The stories were short and engaging. An excellent book for boys and reluctant readers. A must for my bookshelf!If one story isn't as appealing as the next, that's okay, go ahead.

Guys Read: True Stories. The title alone is what drew me in. Why for guys? What's the deal here? Won't girls like these stories? How dare you stereotype who reads what! Then I read the book and the Guys Read website and I promptly got over myself. The Guys Read books are specifically designed to intrigue male readers and get them motivated to keep reading. According to the website, research says that boys are getting worse at reading. I didn't see any research citations to back up that claim, but I am going to take it on face value for the moment and stop picking nits. If this is indeed true, then I think they've hit on something great here. This book was utterly fascinating (even though I'm not a guy) and I think it would motivate even the most reluctant reader. I'll admit skipping over the chapter entitled: The River's Run, but that's because it was written so vividly I kept having flashbacks of the time I almost drowned in a river. Right now I can envision guys (and girls, for the record) in my practicum class who I think would be interested in some of these stories. They are exciting and well told tales that are all true. I love to find non-fiction that will keep young readers interested, and this will certainly do that.This book non-fiction, and each chapter contains a different story by a different author. One chapter is poetry and one is even written as a comic. I love the way that the method of delivery was differentiated to reach a variety of reading styles. Also, for reluctant readers who have trouble with the idea of reading an entire 242 page book, they can break this book into digestible chunks by chapter. The AR Book Finder website lists this book for 4th-8th grade readers, but I cringe a little. That may just be the mom in me. I don't want to underestimate readers, but some of the stories were quite gruesome so I am leaning toward 6th-8th grade, possibly 5th grade, depending upon the maturity of the reader. There is the story of the Sahara Shipwreck, where Captain James Riley and his men suffer innumerable horrors in their attempt to find their way home. There is Thanhha Lai's chapter about growing up in Vietnam with her pack of unruly brothers, and the tale of Jumbo the elephant that actually made me cry (no mocking). Each story was different and entertaining in its own right. Did you ever want to know what it's like to be a cartoonist? Read James Sturm's chapter. I started this book as a skeptic, but it won me over in the end.As a future teacher, I could see having this book on my classroom shelf (depending upon the grade I teach) however I would point out to all students that just because it's "Guys" Read doesn't mean that the gals in our classroom wouldn't enjoy it too.I think this book would serve well as an independent reading book because, as I've mentioned, it would motivate reluctant readers and invite them to keep reading. Through time spent reading their skill levels will increase. It also serves as a great jumping off point for studying non-fiction and informational text. Take the Sahara Shipwreck chapter (a particularly gruesome chapter) it could be coupled with a lesson on author's point of view or purpose. Or the story of Jumbo could invite some research into news articles of that time period (the 1860's) to compare and contrast how one author's presentation of events may be different than another's. Then there is the chapter on Tarantula Heaven *shudder* this could also lead to some informational study on tarantulas. This book has fantastic possibilities for reading comprehension lessons involving informational text, and truly, the possibilities are endless.

Summary: This book is perfect for any teen boy who wants to read an adventure but can't seem to get hooked on the idea of fiction. These stories based on true accounts are fantastical enough in their writing that it really does draw you in. From settings as extreme as getting shipwrecked and enslaved in the Sahara desert, to simply lines of poetry to explain the elements of the Universe, this book contains some highly interesting and entertaining stories that are sure to hook your teen boy reader. Sahara Shipwreck is very detailed in the horrendous account of Captain James RIley and his crew battling for survival in the Sahara desert. P.T. Barnum introduces America to their favorite Jumbo-Sized Elephant, a compiled story about a Dead Man Walking keeps the reader entertained by comic strips, and the story of a blues singer that influenced the world known band ROlling Stones, are just a few of the captivating tales you will find. My Reaction: Each of the stories in this book elicited a different reaction for me. The first was Sahara's shipwreck and I really enjoyed this one. It definitely was a bit too graphic and detailed at times in what the men of Captain Riley's crew had to suffer, but I would imagine that a boy wouldn't mind the details and gore at all. Dead Man Walking was kind of fun to read as it was told in comic book style, but I kind of lost interest because of all of the times they mentioned how it might have happened like this, or like this, or this way... the Universe poems were easy and fast to read, and I already knew all of the facts they shared but I really enjoyed the creativity behind explaining the parts of the universe. Reading about the blues singer Muddy was good because of the interesting facts about the time period struggles of an African American man trying to get somewhere with his music. I found it so interesting to learn that his style influenced the name and style fo the band Rolling Stones! These stories were entertaining mostly because I knew they came from true accounts. If they were on their own just stories, I can't say I'd be quick to pick it up and read. Content Warnings: Graphic details of survival (drinking urine, skin peeling, etc.)Drinking AlcoholAdultery Violence

This is a great read aloud book to your 8-12 year olds. I have an 8 and 10 year old--I only had to censor/skip over a couple words here and there. My boys loved it. I recommend this series to others who are trying to get a new series for their boys or are looking for something to read out loud to them.

Our of the collection of stories, I had the opportunity to read "Sahara Shipwreck", "Uni-Verses", "A Pack of Brothers", "A Cartoonist's Course", and "The River's Run." "Sahara Shipwreck" is a short story about a captain and his crew who's boat crashes onto the coast of the Sahara desert. They choose to become slaves to the desert people in an effort to survive and find a way home. "Uni-verses" is a fun collection of science poems that teach the basics in a simple way. "A Pack of Brothers" is about a young girl that only desires to hang out with her older brothers and do what they do amidst a war in their country that causes their relocation to America. "A Cartoonist's Course" is about a man who turns his dream of being a paleontologist into being a cartoonists and the passion that drives him to that. Finally, "The River's Run" is about a group of friends who find wild adventures canoeing to the best fishing holes. I really liked each one of these stories. I was surprised at how entertaining these true stories could be. Each of them was written in just a way that the my attention was held, even thought the plot didn't move very fast. It made me want to read the rest of the stories that are a part of the collection in this book.Content warning: "Sahara Shipwreck" has some pretty graphic images and details

Guys Read: True Stories is a compilation of ten short stories that are targeted primarily for the male young adult audience. These ten stories are told in a variety of ways from a comic strip to a series of poems to the everyday writing of a story. These stories are all based on true historical events about men, young women, and even animals. Instead of just giving the students all the facts about the events that happen, these stories tell tasteful stories about the events that help engage even boys who hate reading.I really loved reading the stories that we were assigned in this book. While I didn't necessarily like the details in "Sahara Shipwreck," I found the story engaging and was reluctant to see it end. I found "A Jumbo Story" much more my speed and also found myself wishing that this story didn't end. While the stories we read were a variety, I didn't find that reading any of them was tedious and thought that they were very tastefully written. I loved the length of the stories as well and thought that this would also help young adult males read this book since none of the stories was more than 30 pages. Even though some girls might not appreciate these stories, I definitely think that introducing them to a classroom is worthwhile. Content Waring:~Violence~Gore~Sexual References~Death

Synopsis:Though I’ve only read half of the stories in this collection so far, each story is unique and interesting. These authors have a talent for story telling that I think would help students enjoy reading, even if they’ve previously despised it. Though they’re telling true stories, they don’t bore with overly complex facts and numbers. As promised, each story is completely adventurous and unbelievable! Every chapter tells a different story, and the formatting for each is just as unique. While you normally read the same chapter book style formatting story after story in an anthology, this compilation makes discovering each new author an adventure. The variety will help students stay interested and invested in their reading.Personal Reaction:I’ve never read such fun nonfiction! Nothing is presented like a textbook, though I honestly probably learned about as much. And the formatting made reading fun. I laughed at Douglas Florian’s humorous poems, then learned fascinating things in the blurbs provided at the bottom. I enjoyed being able to read through a fairly factual telling of “Mojo, Moonshine, and the Blues” and then jumping over to the fun illustrations of “Dead Man Crawling.” This is an anthology that I’d definitely love to have in my classroom in the future. Content Warnings:-Sometimes gross descriptions, though nothing vulgar, crude, etc.

This book is a compilation of ten very true stories written by ten different authors. It tells multiple genres of stories from thrilling, to disgusting, and even inspiring. "Sahara Shipwreck," the story of a man and his crew stranded in the desert; "Uni-Verses," a compilation of inspired poems all related to science; "A Pack of Brothers," the story of a Vietnemese girl growing up in a mans world; "A Cartoonist's Course," about a young man and his dream to feel like he matters; and "River's Run," which takes readers on a river adventure. Each story has its own voice that creates a new reality for the reader.I thought this book was fun and different and a pretty quick read. Each was a short story and allowed me to read through pretty fast since it wasn't too hard to get to the point. I particularly enjoyed "Sahara Shipwreck"-although I'm also not sure why because it was VERY disgusting, but it took me on a very unique journey as far as Young Adult Lit goes. "Uni-Verses" bored me a bit (As did "River's Run" but the poems were cute and simple to read. I felt I could personally relate to "A Pack of Brothers," and "A Cartoonist's Course" was written with a wonderful youthful tone that I found enjoyable. Overall, a good read and it was definitely something I'd recommend.