How Angel Peterson Got His Name by Gary Paulsen

Yes, the author is Gary Paulsen, but just look at the cover. This is not Hatchet. How Angel Peterson Got His Name is funny, quirky and, claims to be, non-fiction. These stories of Paulsen's early days as a young boy and some of the dangerous -near death adventures he had with his friends are really timeless. Just ask my long-boarding, rock-climbing son. Rather than serious wilderness survival, this is the adolescent fool side of Paulsen. (I would hope some of the stories are exaggerated or Paulsen and his friend are very lucky to be alive.)

Paulsen knows his audience. He keeps the writing simple and stretches the tension. He includes just the right amount of humor and naughtiness - such as peeing on an electric fence. These stories have speed and camaraderie, wasps and killer dogs, and stupid, stupid boys. I think the first time I read them, I laughed so hard I almost cried.

In my experience, children tend to avoid short stories, they are just not that rewarding after going to all the trouble of getting into the book. But I keep pushing these, reading them aloud, and watching for the spark of recognition. Paulsen has a few other non-fiction books which are also good, but this is my favorite.

This is the book I read to try to hook 4th grade boys. And not just to hook them, but also to inspire them as writers. So many children confuse writing with fiction and forget that they tell stories all the time. This book reminds them that everyday is a story. Maybe I shouldn't have read it to my son.

How Angel Peterson Got His Name by Gary Paulsen

Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books (January 14, 2003)
ISBN-10: 0385729499
ISBN-13: 978-0385729499