Tag Archives: Matt Stanton

Dec8

Funny Kid Prank Ninjas [Funny Kid #10] – Matt Stanton

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Harper Collins

September 2021

  • ISBN: 9780733340628
  • ISBN 10: 0733340628
  • Imprint: ABC Books AU
  • List Price: 14.99 AUD

I freely admit it. I’m not a huge fan of the many comic mega-series. They always seem to me to be very formulaic and same-same BUT I never find that in Matt’s books. Each Funny Kid I have read has provided delicious belly laughs and absurdist humour par excellence.

It’s school holidays in Redhill and Max & Co are in the throes of a massive prank war. (Pranking seems to be a very popular theme both in kids’ books and real life these days!). Max is considerably cheesed off that his friends, particularly his BEST friend, Hugo, are all ranged against him in the bid to out-prank his every effort. But he is the Prank Ninja and his stealthy moves are sure to win the battle – aren’t they?

A movie-theatre ninja, toilet turbulence, shopping-mall disasters, cling-film mazes and an unimaginable Kid-Free Zone are just some of the things in store for Max and his friends…

It seems that it’s not just the kids who are pranking though. There are some definite suspicious happenings that cannot be attributed to either side of the kid prank-war. Could it be that an adult is trying to make trouble for everyone?

This would be a great addition to any Christmas stocking for a relaxed and funny read – possibly after a lot of yummy food on a lazy Xmas Day afternoon.

Highly recommended for kiddos from around 9 years upwards.

Feb6

Funny Kid Belly Flop: Funny Kid #8- Matt Stanton

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Harper Collins Australia

September 2020

  • ISBN: 9780733340604
  • ISBN 10: 0733340601
  • Imprint: ABC Books – AU
  • List Price: 14.99 AUD

Ok so it took a while to get to this one but I laughed my way through it today while waiting patiently at my doctor. Pretty sure that others in the waiting room were slightly bemused by my stifled giggles.

The Kid had her swimming carnival at the new school yesterday and enjoyed it very much, not so much for the swimming, of which she did only a little, but the socialising. Clearly something she inherited from both her mum and myself!

Max doesn’t want to swim, he doesn’t want to get wet in fact and he will go to extraordinary lengths (just not in the pool) to get out of the swimming carnival altogether. So a cunning plan is conceived. Max will scupper the carnival so the event can’t go ahead. As one might imagine this can only end badly. With the help of his friends the attempts to sabotage the whole soggy mess are both hilarious and spectacularly unsuccessful. To make matters worse, Max’ nemesis, Abby, wants the carnival replaced with the Maths Olympiad competition and does her very best to undermine his efforts (not that they need much help in that respect).

There are guffaws aplenty as twins Pip and Tyrone decide to reverse their usual good twin/bad twin personas, faithful sidekick Hugo has a mysterious rash and, horror of horrors, their teacher Miss Sweet has a boyfriend and it’s super muscled up swim coach Chaz, of the dazzling smile. It all ends up as the usual Max mayhem and your kiddos will eat it up.

Highly recommended for readers from around 8 years upwards.

Sep28

Go for Gold! (Pea and Nut #2) – Matt Stanton

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Harper Collins Australia

August 2020

  • ISBN: 9780733340680
  • ISBN 10: 0733340687
  • Imprint: ABC Books – AU
  • List Price: 17.99 AUD

The second in the Pea + Nut series is another rowdy rambunctious read that will have your kiddos in fits of laughter and with swimming season upon us there will no doubt be many connections made.

Pea the panda really just wants to relax by the pool, in her own inimitable way but Nut the wacky flamingo is determined to have a race.

With the hilarious elastic rules with which so many children will relate the pair are off with fiercely competitive attitude. These two are complete oddballs and their antics will surely delight any of your younger readers.

If you haven’t got onto these yet you should, your tinies from around four years upwards will just love them…..

And congratulations Matt & Bec, you talented pair, on the arrival of the new little princess!

May16

Funny Kid Peeking Duck [Funny Kid #7] – Matt Stanton

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y648

Harper Collins Australia

April 2020

  • ISBN: 9780733340598
  • ISBN 10: 0733340598
  • Imprint: ABC Books – AU
  • List Price: 14.99 AUD

Matt Stanton’s Max has become one of the most popular characters in Australian kids’ lit in recent years – with the first debuting at #1 Australian kids’ book in 2017. The Funny Kid continues to garner enthusiastic fans not only in Australia but now around the world.

The antics of this boy, along with his family and friends, and not forgetting Duck, are like the most hilarious comic strip ever in novel format and while the illustrations are highly amusing too, it is the wit and humour of the text that provide the biggest belly laughs.

Poor Max finds himself caught up in a dare predicament with his friends after somewhat snarky Abby calls him out on being afraid of heights. Suddenly there’s pressure to ride the Tower of Dying Deathly Doom, the scariest ride at Adventure Park to be witnessed by all the gang. Max’ plan to go to Adventure Park solo – well, with Duck of course – and just pretend he’s ridden the ride backfires badly and when his parents (typically) mis-read his actions as running away due to their preoccupation, the whole dare escalates to new heights (so to speak). A hellish road trip with all his friends, Duck gone missing and an encounter with Bad Skulls, the dancing motorcycle gang combine to provide the reader with another side-splitting episode in the life of Max the Funny Kid.

There will be plenty of snort-laughs in this one and any copy on your shelves is guaranteed to be on high-rotation with your readers. In fact, probably best to have back-up copies in my opinion to avoid scrimmages as they are coming back through returns.

Highly recommended for your kids who like a good laugh-out-loud read – don’t they all? – suitable for all from around 8 years upwards.

 

 

 

May4

This is a Ball and Other Books that Drive Kids Crazy – Beck & Matt Stanton

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Harper Collins Australia

May 2020

  • ISBN: 9780733341076
  • ISBN 10: 0733341071
  • Imprint: ABC Books – AU
  • List Price: 35.00 AUD

In recent years when I have filled in between gigs doing some relief teaching at least a couple of the ‘books that drive kids crazy’ were in my bag to use particularly as a ‘warm up’ and without fail they were such a hit with the audience that the kiddos were putty in my hands, especially with the promise of another later in the day.

It would be hard to pick a favourite but I can say unequivocally that Did You Take the B from my -ook?  would reduce my listeners to paroxysms of laughter as they joined in, almost howling.

Now readers can enjoy the hysteria of five of these super titles in one volume and if I were still doing that occasional relief teaching this would definitely be staying on my shelves.

Whether  you are adding this to your school collection or your personal one, or perhaps as a gift to a little human of your acquaintance this will be such a welcome relief and opportunity for some superlative light relief.

Highly recommended for small to medium humans from around 3 years upwards.