How Angel Peterson Got His Name

How Angel Peterson Got His Name

Author: Gary Paulsen

Page Length: 110

Reading Level: 6.2

Genre: Fiction, Adventure

PLOT SUMMARY: Being a 13 year old boy comes with many challenges – none the least of which is survival. Angel Peterson decides he wants to get in the book of records. He decides that the skiing speed record is the one he wants to beat. Who needs a hill? Angel just hooks up to the bumper of a car. The results aren’t quite what he expected. How about hanging gliding in a homemade tent or shooting a barrel through a waterfall? Gary and his friends reveal their craziest adventures and harrowing tales of near death possibilities.

REVIEW: This book is a short but entertaining ride down adventure lane. The characters, out of sheer small town boredom and thirteen year old stupidity, perform crazy stunts and get caught up in numerous off the wall adventures. This book would appeal more to boys but might also be a useful tool for creating the scene. Students could hear the descriptions and talk about what language and writing techniques make it possible for them to see the story themselves.

AREAS FOR TEACHING: sequence of events, connecting text to historical time period, imagery, adventure

TOUCHY AREAS-PAGES: premise of crazy stunts (in the sense that we wouldn’t want students to be encouraged to experiment in a similar fashion)

RELATED BOOKS: Canyons, Brian’s Winter, Hatchet, Dogsong

RELATED MOVIES: The Sandlot (1993), The Goonies (1985)

RELATED WEBSITES:

http://www.randomhouse.com/features/garypaulsen/library/trueadventure.html

http://www.emporia.edu/libsv/wawbookaward/curriculumguides/cg05-06.htm#angel

http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/

REVIEWED BY: Dayna Taylor