Teddy Mars Book #2: Almost a Winner (Teddy Mars, 2) - Hardcover

Burnham, Molly B.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062278134 ISBN 13: 9780062278135

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books, 2016

Synopsis

Fans of Jeff Kinney’s humor and Sharon Creech’s heartfelt stories will love the second book in this hilarious new series about a ten-year-old boy from a big family who dreams of making it into The Guinness Book of World Records.

Win or lose, friends stick together. But when Teddy’s whole class decides to break a bigger, better world record, friends turn into enemies. And Teddy feels stuck in the middle. To fix this mess, Teddy will have to do something he’s never done before—try not to break a record! Can he win at losing before his whole class misses out? And can Teddy be a winner at all without help from his friends? Humor and grit triumph in this story of one boy’s struggle to make peace in a class full of record breakers, a coop full of pigeons, and a world full of wonders.

Told in short, accessible sections with fun lists and highly rambunctious illustrations, the Teddy Mars series is perfect for reading aloud. Teddy’s never-give-up attitude will have readers laughing out loud and striving to break world records of their own.

About this title

About the Author

Molly B. Burnham has been a dog walker, ice-cream scooper, and elementary school teacher. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two daughters, and a dog named Pepito. Pigeons really do live next door to her. Sadly, Grumpy Pigeon Man does not. Molly earned an MFA in children's writing from Hamline University. This is her first book, but not her last. She has not broken a world record—yet!

Review

Praise for TEDDY MARS: ALMOST A WINNER: “Young readers with siblings will identify with Teddy’s realistic struggles with his younger brother and older sisters. Short chapters and the subject matter make this a perfect book for reluctant readers as well as those who enjoy a laugh. Here’s hoping for more Teddy Mars adventures!” (School Library Journal)

“Teddy’s fresh perspective, aided by spot-on middle-grade humor... will win over readers in no time flat.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)

“A hilarious story that revolves around school, friends, and family.” (Booklist)

Praise for TEDDY MARS: ALMOST A WOLRD RECORD BREAKER: 2016 Sid Fleischman Humor Award winner (.)

“Teddy Mars is the everyman kind of anti-hero, with a stubborn hope and determination to find his own place in the world. It is this quality of resilience in the face of adversity... that makes him such an irresistible and adorable character who is easy to root for.” (Johanna McKenna M.Ed., for The Nerdy Book Club)

“Engaging first-person narration, ample drama and bizarre actual world records. Fans of world-record quests will savor Teddy’s efforts.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“A highly entertaining debut. Delightfully rambunctious black and white sketches elevate the comedy, while Teddy’s hard-nosed perseverance with the aid of friends new and old, takes world record-making to hilarious new heights.” (Publishers Weekly)

“This heartwarming story starts the Teddy Mars series on a hilarious foot, tracing one boy’s struggle to stand out in a big family, one failed record-breaking attempt after another. Once the wreckage is cleared, what’s left is a loving family that celebrates one another for exactly who they are.” (Booklist)

“Teddy is so amiable and put-upon, he’ll find plenty of fans who’ll want to read more in the promised series.” (School Library Journal)

“There’s a lot to love here: a quirky family, an eccentric next door neighbor, best friends, and a dream come true.” (Literacy Daily)

About this edition

• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0062278134
• ISBN 13: 9780062278135
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288
• Illustrator: Spencer Trevor