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Hey everyone, it's Iron Guy Carl, blogging at you from the end of summer. Yes, summer's over. It's always a little tough getting back to the grindstone, but, mercifully, the grownups created something to make  reentry less painful.  And that is the Labor Day weekend!! A big three-day weekend to kick up some fun before settling back into the routine. Some guys like to go to the beach over this weekend, some play or watch sports and some like to hang out. But all the readers of this blog like READING. With that in mind, let me give you a few favorite reads from the past. These will be good for those car trips or the times spent chilling out around the homestead. These books are picked randomly but every one of them is great fun for a Labor Day weekend and all of them are guy-proven great reads. (If you want to find out any more about them, click on the tab under this post--for instance, click on the "Alvin Ho" tab if you want to learn more or read reviews)

Any of the Alvin Ho books

Funny, funny, funny!!! The tales of a second-grader who's afraid of everything. Guaranteed to make you hold your sides--because, if you don't, you'll split them laughing!



The Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld

Walking war machines vs fabricated animals in an alternative history of World War I. Lots of adventure, action and things that blow up.Great reads!

Our good friend and faithful follower Jana has written and told us about a good and funny book:

My older son seems to only love funny books (Diary of a Wimpy Kid...) so to get him reading something I pulled out an oldie but a goodie, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. He whipped through it and is on to Superfudge! Yay Fudge!!

Yay, Jana! We alsways appreciate hearing about funny stuff. I heard the audiobook version of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and enjoyed it a lot. If you want to read more funny stuff, try the Alvin Ho books by Lenore Look, How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell, or Science Fair by Dave Barry. If you want to see reviews, click on the tags below this post.

Keep laughing, guys!

Carl

All RIGHT!! The new cover for The Last Olympian has finally been unveiled!! The only place to see it, though, is on Rick Riordan's blog or the Percy Jackson book site. (The book site also has a Last Olympian video) Go take a look, guys. This cover is really, really impressive!! And there's an interview with Blackjack, Percy's personal pegasus. How long is it until May 5, when The Last Olympian comes out? TOO LONG!!!!!

Well, while I sit patiently and wait, let me tell about another really Good Quick Read. Wait--before I do, let me ask----would you ever eat a worm?? Would you eat 15 worms?? "NO WAY!" Is that what you'd say? Would you do it for fifty dollars? Hmmm, that makes it different, doesn't it? That's the idea behind How To Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell, a book that's been making guys laugh for 36 years! Billy and his friends Alan, Joe, and Tom are sitting around one day and Alan, who's one of these pushy, come-on-I-bet you're-chicken types, bets Billy that he wouldn't eat a worm. Billy says that anyone could eat one worm. Then Alan bets Billy to eat one worm a day for fifteen days. Alan will give him $5o if Billy wins. Joe and Tom will be witnesses to make sure no one cheats. The worms can be fried, boiled, or cooked in any way and Billy can use ketchup, mustard, or whatever he wants to get them down. Can he do it??? It's pretty funny to find out. Billy starts to get grossed out (I bet!!) but then he gets used to his new diet! Alan starts to panic and comes up with goofier and crazier schemes to keep Billy from eating those last worms. It's funny, guys!! And it's a Good Quick Read. A lot of the "chapters" are only one or two pages long. Go read it! And enjoy your grilled-cheese and worm sandwich!

Carl

PS--there are no bad words in this book, but at one point Billy calls Alan a b----d and it was a real surprise to me. I wanted to make you aware of it.