School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Sixth-grader Max sees himself as a nice kid, even as he bullies Triffin Nordstrom, aka Nerdstrom. His punishment is to be tutored by Triffin, and eventually Max comes to a new understanding of himself. Using the same "unreliable narrator" device as Wimpy Kid, this Australian import is illustrated with occasional cartoons from Max's notebook. (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
(Intermediate) Faux-notebook-paper cartoons and all, this Australian import appears to piggyback on the format and appeal of Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid. But Roy has a more substantive story to tell-though readers might not notice until after they've been pulled in by the first few chapters (regarding inappropriate lunch-time behavior and subsequent detentions) of Max's boy-centered, first-person narration. Max, who claims that he's "technically" not a bully because he doesn't punch people or even make them cry, is nevertheless recognized as such by his teachers, classmates, and the little kids he leans on for lunch money. His parents launch him on a reform mission: he's to spend time on the weekends with his main victim, bookish, shy sixth-grade classmate "Nerdstrom." Max's small but accumulating steps toward reformation are believable as he becomes more aware of his effect on others-especially a wannabe-bully first grader who seems destined to follow in Max's footsteps and whom Max has been training in "leadership skills." The ending is pretty hokey, but by then, readers-firmly rooting for Max to throw off the bully mantle altogether-may actually buy it. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Sixth-grader Max Quigley doesn't hurt people on purpose, but he certainly enjoys making trouble. His antisocial behavior makes him an unlikely friend for Triffin Nordstrom, aka Nerdstrom, whose mother conspires with Max's parents to have them spend time together; Max will get help with his math and Triffin with his social skills. While the results of this parental intervention may be predictable, middle-grade readers will still be engaged by the process. This Australian import looks at bullying from the inside. Max tells his story in the first person, illustrating it with occasional line drawings on notebook paper. His self-justifying voice is convincing; readers will be sucked into going along with his worldview and just as surprised as he is when playful fighting becomes real. Straightforward chronology, believable dialogue, self-contained chapters, and plenty of humor make this accessible to reluctant readers and particularly appealing to boys who may see a bit of themselves in this realistic school story.--Isaacs, Kathleen Copyright 2009 Booklist