Michael Gerard BauerCritiques

Very good. Made me cry, very few books have done this, Power of 1 was the other.½

6.5/10

Representation: N/A?
Trigger warnings: N/A?
Score: Six points out of ten.
This review can also be found on The StoryGraph.

I don't know about this one, I had low expectations for this book after I read Don't Call Me Ishmael, made by the same author, and I didn't enjoy that book.
Update: This is a rather boring novel, if this was a rom-com, I didn't laugh once. I didn't enjoy any aspect of the book at all, despite the book being just over 200 pages. The two main characters were quite flat, Sebastian was just self-loathing, and Frida was rather moody, and that's it, the side characters didn't add much to the story as well. The story itself was rather flat, it's just the main two characters developing a relationship with one another, but I didn't feel anything for them, since they weren't well written in the first place.

The characters just move from place to place for no apparent reason and just contemplate and talk about random things, like the Pitch Drop Experiment, town planning, and writing a song (how are these things supposed to be relevant to the story?) The story was character-driven, so it described the settings minimally, which I didn't like. There was this one joke that was supposed to be funny but it wasn't, it was about a character called Tolly, and the joke was that it was a nickname for Leo Tolstoy, who made War and Peace, and one of the characters said that the name Warren Pearce sounds like War and Peace, I didn't laugh at that joke. If you want a good rom-com, skip this one and try The Sun is Also a Star. There's one more book I haven't read from this author called The Pain, Sir Tiffy, My Mother, Cyber Boy and Me and it looks interesting to me though I will go in with low expectations considering that I've read two of his novels already and they were only ok to say the least.

This second Ishmael story revolves around the potential of poetry (including song lyrics) to capture and express emotions. For the teenagers Ishmael and his friend Razza, poetry is also a promising new way to approach girls. For Ishmael, who always fears to come across the wrong way and tends to find himself in embarrassing situations, words don't come easy, particularly not for wonderful Kelly. Plus, Ishmael thinks that he can't rival with Kelly's cool and sporty friend Brad. For Razza this is all different. He is relaxed and outspoken, convinced that he really knows what "chicks" like. In his persistent attempts to help Ishmael, Razza becomes the central figure of the story. Razza is also an important link to two other side stories of this book, those concerning the debating club (which connects to three other nerdy or unpopular school friends) and the revival of the Dugongs, the former university band of Ishmael's dad. In the end, these side stories converge nicely: one of the debating club nerds jumps in to help out Razza, and Razza jumps in to help out the Dugongs. Indeed, poetry works well for everybody in the end.
I found the story very funny and entertaining. Still, I liked the first book of the series better, perhaps because it is more introspective, more focused on Ishmael and less obsessed with teenage liaisions. For a non-native speaker like me, it is a great book to get or stay in touch with colloquial teenage language, perhaps with an Aussie bias. A fun read.½

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Sebastian is at a university open day with his best friend Tolly when he meets a girl. Her name is Frida, and shes edgy, caustic and funny. Shes also a storyteller, but the stories she tells about herself dont ring true, and as their surprising and eventful day together unfolds, Sebastian struggles to sort the fact from the fiction. But how much can he expect Frida to share in just one day? And how much of his own self and his own secrets will he be willing to reveal in return?
Booktopia

Loved this book. So funny and so true - is Michael Gerard Bauer actually a teenage girl? Maggie Butt is an isolated Year 10 at a new school after her parents divorce. She sets herself three goals - get an A in English, get a date for the social and make a friend. What unfolds is priceless, from Maggie's dealings with the Sisterminator in English, her attempts to make friends with a shy old man as part of community service and her dealings with her mother's new boyfriend Danny aka the Pain. Along the way, there is an ugly cat called Sir Tiffy and a rejection by a cute nerd who thinks that Maggie's invite to the Year 10 social is bullying. All in all, a fantastic fast moving and realistic read as long as you can stand the over use of capital letters to emphasize the teenage girls angst. Pages 31-33 re the Sister English teacher are great. Could be a 2017 CBC award in this one.½

Joseph is a quiet boy who loves to draw. A school assignment sends him into the lives of Tom Leyton and his sister, Caroline. Tom is a recluse and the town gossips about him behind his back, mouthing cruel explanations for his inability to work and socialize. Joseph begins to draw Tom and learns of Tom’s love for silkworms, and, gradually, the two form a friendship.

The silkworm theme in this book is beautiful and finely woven (sorry) into the book. It’s perfect for Tom and Joseph and their relationships with others.

The Running Man has to be one of the strongest children’s books I have read from the 1001 list.

Great book for third grade and above! Deals with issues that kids know about but parents think they don't or SHOULDN'T. The final chapter ties everything up by providing a bit of wisdom for coping with the normal family problems re-told by the story's narrator.

Joseph Davidson is a quiet, self-conscious fourteen-year-old boy and a talented artist. His world changes, however, when he is asked to draw a portrait of his mysterious neighbour Tom Leyton, a Vietnam veteran who for thirty years has lived alone with his sister Caroline, raising his silkworms and hiding from prying eyes. Because of this he is the subject of ugly gossip and rumour, much of it led by neighbour Mrs Mossop, who views Leyton’s brief teaching career with suspicion. When Joseph finally meets his reclusive neighbour he discovers a cold, brooding man lost deep within his own cocoon of silence. He soon realises that in order to truly draw Tom Leyton, he must find the courage to unlock the man’s dark and perhaps dangerous secrets.

But Joseph has his own secrets, including the pain of his damaged relationship with his absent father and his childhood fear of the Running Man – a local character whose wild appearance and strange manner of moving everywhere at a frantic pace terrified him when he was a small boy. These dreams suddenly return when Joseph is forced to face his fears and doubts regarding Tom Leyton. As Joseph moves deeper and deeper into his neighbour’s world he confronts not only Tom Leyton’s private hell, but also his own relationship with his father, and ultimately the dishevelled, lurching figure of the Running Man.

Interesting parallels drawn between the life cycle of silkworms and the character Tom.

Pair with ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ – Tom and Boo Radley are very similar

This book is sad towards the end and during the start sometimes sad aswell. This book is also about a family dog and a family. I did really enjoy this book, it's like a normal life with a dog and family.½

Read Don't call me Ishamael a few years back and then heard that my daughter had read it. We agreed that the scene when his mum is giving birth is one of the funniest things we have ever read. So am my daughter was stumped for things to read we went out and bought the two sequeals. Electra loved them and now I have just read Ishmael and the return of the dugongs, as my husband came from a private boys school and I did teaching rounds in a private school a lot of the story rang true. I also found the akwardness and the awe of first love coming back to me when I read it. The Orazio Zorzotto steals the show in this one. Will now have to read Ishmael and the hoops of Steel.

Mr. Mosely isn't just your average dog. He is a loveable dog. This story is about when he was a puppy until he moves into a new family.

This one was better than the second one and very, very funny. I laughed out loud so many times! It's Ishmael's last 2 years of school and he and his friends want to win the House comp for their favorite teacher. This results in them being involved in all sorts of different school activities to acrue points. There's a little bit of an issue with one of his friends deciding to 'Come out" and also all the usual girl troubles. As a teacher at an all boys school, I can really relate to the atmosphere, the teachers, the language the boys use and the types of characters that Bauer has created. Loads of fun and a great read.

Just a Dog tells the story of the life and times of a loveable part-Dalmation, Mister Mosely in the context of young family as seen through the eyes of Corey Ingram.

The subtle manner in which adult issues, such as marital infidelity and financial hardship, feature in the background of this narrative give it an unexpected appeal beyond the young readership it is evidently marketed to.

(Spoiler alert). The heartrending climax of this story does not shy away from the raw reality of grief. The young narrator’s response to Mister Mosely’s declining health is both heart-warming and hopeful.

This is a happy, cheeky and often humorous book with a sad ending, tempered by the optimistic outlook of the young narrator and the skill of a talented, award winning author.

Australian Joseph Davidson lives in the house behind the Leyton's. His father spends most of the year working away from home, and Joseph's dreams are haunted by a spooky, shambling person he refers to as "The Running Man." His nice neighbor Caroline Leyton has a brother, Tom, who lives with her. He has been the neighborhood mystery for more years than Joseph has been alive, staying inside most of the time and talking to no one. Joseph gets a portrait assignment in his art class, and ends up in the Leyton house drawing Tom. Joseph is a good artist, and reticent Tom grows silkworms as a hobby, and gradually they begin a halting friendship. How Tom became who he is, and the difference between what people think and who Tom really is becomes very clear to Joseph. He learns not only that he can learn to accept people who are different, but also that others cannot, and because of that some stories do not end easily or happily. 7th grade and up. This would be an excellent companion book for To Kill a Mockingbird.

good.

This is one of my favourite books.It is an amazing book about a shy boy who gives life to a recluse Vet.

Anybody who has been a victim of bullying or has been intimidated at school will love the novel Don’t call me Ishmael by Michael Gerard Bauer.
Ishmael Leseur is a fourteen year old boy attending St Daniel's College. Apart from the usual problems associated with being fourteen and attending school; bullies, embarrassment, schoolwork and a little sister, he has the added burden of a name that assures mockery and ridicule. The name also has a story attached, one that his father enjoys telling at every opportunity.
After some beginning, covering Ishmael's home and name, the story settles into a story of school life in year 9. Ishmael gets bully and teased about his name and tries his hardest to stay under the radar of Barry Bagsley, the school bully by blending in and making himself a small target as possible.
All this changes when a new boy named James Scobie, joins the class. James is different according to the people in Ishmael’s class and Ishmael and he is paired with Ishmael in class. Soon the pair have struck up a friendship, and together with their collection of other year nine misfits, they learn to take on not just Barry Bagsley, but also anything else life throws at them.
Don’t call me Ishmael is a humorous book in which will literally make you laugh out loud, and while it also has some frightening and emotional moments, the humour keeps the novel progressing along. The first time I read this book was in year 9, as a class novel. When I was told that we were going to read the novel. To be honest I wasn’t looking forward to it, but when I stared reading it, I couldn’t put it down. I would recommend this book to people of the ages of 12 and older who are looking for a good, funny and well paced book to read.

Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com

The mystery of Joseph Davidson's street has always been about his elusive neighbor, Tom Leyton. Joseph has always liked Tom's amiable sister, Caroline, but Tom was just weird. He rarely came out of his house. Not much was known about Tom Leyton.

That all changed when Joseph got a portrait assignment in his art class at school. Joseph suddenly found himself in the Leyton household drawing none other than Tom. The two bonded over Tom's silkworms and became friends. The mysteries of Tom Leyton were revealed once and for all to Joseph during these drawing sessions.

Joseph found the answers to other mysteries as well, such as The Running Man who had been haunting Joseph's life for years.

This book is all about learning to accept other people, even if they are different. Everyone has their own story, and some stories don't have happy endings. Joseph discovers this and more through his friendship with Tom.

This book is an excellent read. The reader is hooked from page one. Many mysteries are presented to capture the reader until the very end. Bauer has a knack for getting the reader to feel things right along with the main character, Joseph. This good read is recommended for anyone willing to learn a life lesson - never judge a book by its cover!

In 2004, Michael Gerard Bauer published his debut novel, The Running Man. In 2006, his writing took a very different tone with Don't Call Me Ishmael – and though The Running Man was outstanding, I am secretly pleased that he picked Don't Call Me Ishmael to continue with a sequel. How do you top a year of chaotic, feel-good fun, all crammed into a story that practically bounces off its pages at you? With more of the same, of course! Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs is more crazy fun, more laugh-out-loud wit, and more zany surprises from our favourite vibrant characters. Sure, at times, the plot may be a little formulaic, the dialogue a little unrealistic, and the characters a little clichéd, but all of these drawbacks are swamped by a tidal wave of sheer hilarity.

Bauer has gone out of his way to make sure that Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs is even bigger, brighter and funnier than its prequel – and it shows. For starters, he seems to have cottoned on to the fact that everybody loves the Razzman, so Orazio can now be found putting his 'wicked plans' into action on nearly every page. Bauer seems determined to challenge our views of nearly every character in the story, from debating-hero Scobie to maths-geek Prindabel. This novel never slows down for a moment – there are enough crazy surprises thrown into the mix to keep the plot running at top speed all the way through.

Inevitably, however, Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs suffers from 'sequelitis' as a result. There are times when the dialogue degenerates into clichéd drivel, particularly where the school bullies are concerned. The slightly exaggerated style of the writing sometimes threatens to become dangerously exaggerated. Any subtlety associated with the character of Barry Bagsley is unfortunately obliterated by one of the most overused plot-devices in the world of teenage fiction. These weaknesses are not prominent enough to spoil the fun of the novel, but they are prominent enough to be noticed and frowned at every now and then.

If you have ever read a Michael Gerard Bauer book, be it a serious or a silly one, then you will know that the best thing about them is the feelings they create – feelings that stay with you even after the book is closed. Rarely, if ever, will you find a children's book that makes you feel as good as this one.

One of the most hilarious books I have ever read; Don’t Call Me Ishmael gives ‘fun to read’ a whole new meaning. This is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to look at life through the eyes of Ishmael Leseur, who can handle (almost) any situation with smooth sarcasm. I will never be able to explain why this book is so funny – it just is, and I plan to buy a copy of my own so I can relive the laughs again and again.

It is said that people like books they can relate to, and I can relate to this book a lot. It is centred around bullying, (which I have experienced a lot of previously,) and debating, (which is something that I enjoy a lot, and a prominent part of my school life.) I may not be able to relate to Ishmael’s fear of public speaking, but I enjoyed every moment of the debating scenes and, after seeing so many books about football, soccer and basketball, am extremely pleased to finally read one about a competition I enjoy.

It is a shame that Don’t Call Me Ishmael has not necessarily had all the acclaim it is worthy of, as Bauer had extremely large shoes to fill after the success of his brilliant first novel: The Running Man. In my opinion, Don’t Call Me Ishmael is easily as good, but the trap it has fallen into is that it is a very different type of book, and many of the people who prefer books like The Running Man have been unwittingly dragged out of their preferred genres in the hope of something familiar, and upon finding a different style, have not given this book very good reviews. For anyone who is going to read this story, an open mind and a sense of humour are must-haves.

Don’t Call Me Ishmael is undoubtedly the best feel-good novel I have ever read; an absolute delight that nobody can afford to miss. It’s a story with a good old happy ending, and some well-communicated morals and messages, (but readers might want to make sure they don’t open it in a quiet library; I’d be very surprised to find a person who doesn’t laugh out loud at some point during this book.)½

With a name like Ishmael Lesuer it is hard to not be a target. But over the years Ishmael has learnt to fly under the radar of Barry Bagsley, the year bully. That is until Year Nine when James Scobie enters his life. Now, with a band of unlikely friends, Ishmael is about to become the centre of attention whether he likes it or not. This novel about bullies, mates and girls is laugh-out-loud funny! A 2007 Award winning book. The second novel follows the further hilarious adventures of Ishmael especially in his misadventures with girls.

As many others have already stated in their reviews...haunting, beautiful, deep, moving. I loved it! A boy develops a friendship with his reclusive neighbor when he decides to draw him for a school project. He ends up learning about life, loss, silkworms and more in the course of the story.

Joseph Davidson is a shy and artistic boy. So naturally, when he’s given a school assignment to make a portrait, he is unsure of whom he wants his subject to be. So, he never expects to pick him mysterious neighbor, Tom Leyton. At first, he tells Caroline, the sister or Tom Leyton who first suggested Tom as the subject, that he will think about it. But when another neighbor thinks that Joseph would be too afraid, he takes up the challenge.

Gradually, Joseph spends more and more time with Tom and gets to know him. Tom at first is very cold and reclusive and doesn’t respond much to Tom. But soon, he opens up, and Joseph and Tom’s meetings are spent taking care of Tom’s silk worms more than working on the portrait. But Tom’s eyes are still stony and cold; Joseph feels that he cannot capture Tom’s true self until he can see what’s really behind Tom’s eyes.

The Running Man is set up a little like The Luxe by Anna Godbersen in that it begins with a funeral and then flashes back to the events before it. However, the two stories are extremely different, as one could expect. The Running Man goes much deeper and is not filled with gossip about high society; rather, rumors circulate about Joseph’s mysterious neighbor Tom. In some ways, this reminded me of Boo Radley from To Kill A Mockingbird, because Tom and Boo are so similar in many ways.

The Running Man was a beautiful and touching story. It’s about the tentative friendship between two people who need each other. It’s also one of those deep books filled with metaphors that can seem confusing at first but are explained. It’s about the miracles that friends provide for each other and conquering the demons in your past. It’s about reaching out to others who need you and making peace with your life.

I recommend this novel to readers who are up to a thought-provoking read. While The Running Man is not full of excitement or suspense and is more of an emotional novel, readers will not be disappointed. This book has already been published by Scholastic, but it will be published again by HarperTeen in July.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com