"Sydor gives readers a strong cast of characters in this young adult novel. . . Throughout the novel, Sydor treats the book as a film, and so the writing is interspersed with directions such as "Fade to: interior of a boy's head. Roll camera" or "Cut back to Joe's bar. Zoom in on Gertrude's fingers cracking peanuts." This approach enables the author to present a variety of points of view and allows different scenes to occur simultaneously. Given most teens' interest in and understanding of the media, it is a technique which works well and will appeal to the intended audience. . . Colleen Sydor presents a novel filled with enthusiasm and inspiration, tempered with both sobering moments and comic relief. The characters and the dialogue ring true, and the various events push readers to an unexpected and exciting conclusion The plot and the characters will appeal to both boys and girls and will perhaps help them to realize that we are all, in our own unique ways, extraordinary.
Recommended."
-- CM Magazine
"The biggest challenge one faces in life is themselves. The McGillicuddy Book of Personal Records tells the tale of Lee McGillicuddy, a thirteen year old who drives himself to greatness by keeping and breaking his own personal records. But meeting challenges isn't always an easy triumph, and when the stakes of his friend's life are on the line, Lee must meet the challenge. The McGillicuddy Book of Personal Records is a fun and uplifting read for young readers."
-- The Midwest Book Review
Lee McGillicuddy is an ordinary thirteen-year-old boy who does not want to be ordinary.
He wants to be extraordinary, and to accomplish that, he becomes obsessed with setting personal records. He's not trying to make the official world-record books; rather he makes up his own record-breaking stunts and records them in a spiral notebook he hides under his bed. His attempts involve what you might expect: basketball bouncing, blocks long domino chains, and pogo-stick jumping. His efforts are never successful and do not add up to much, until the day Lee has the chance to save a friend's life after a freak accident. The inner resolve and perseverance he's gained from thankless hours of pursuing just-out-of-reach records give him the strength he needs to hang in there and be a hero.
Lee is an appealing character. Readers will sympathize with his yearning for mastery over mediocrity and will identify with his frustrations and misadventures. His unrelenting loneliness and sadness seem a lot like depression, but this aspect of his character, although briefly explored, is not fully developed, and it feels like a missed opportunity to engage readers. The secondary characters promise to be colorful and interesting as they are introduced but remain mostly one dimensional. The plot device of using cinematic directions to shift point of view is used inconsistently and ends up just being distracting. Nevertheless, Lee's story will appeal to the many middle school and younger high school readers who keep world-record books in constant demand at libraries and bookstores.
-Jane Harper. VOYA Magazine
"Sydor puts together a story that has momentum and staying power. The characters are great. . . In general this was a solid book that a young person would really enjoy and might find very inspiring. As mentioned before, this book is great at getting students interested in reading heavier novels, like The Old Man and the Sea."
-- Resource Links
