Game Over, Pete Watson

March 3, 2014
For kids raised on Xbox, is there anything more pathetic than an old eight-bit video-game system? Pete Watson certainly doesn't have any reservations about selling his father's ancient CommandRoid 85 at an impromptu garage sale, not if it means he can afford a hot new game, "Brawl-a-Thon 3000 XL," the day it's released. Unfortunately for Pete, selling the CommandRoid is the first link in a wild chain of events that involves his father being kidnapped, an evil exterminator, and a destructive computer virus. At stake are no less than a killion dollars ("a number so large it would literally kill you") and the fate of the free world. Schreiber (Lenny Cyrus, School Virus) remains talented at combining anything-can-happen action and on-the-mark humor ("This is beyond awful," says Pete's father, after being digitized into an eight-bit character by the bad guys. "I know," replies Pete. "These graphics stink"). Rash's spot cartoons are entirely in sync with the story's goofy, metafictional humor and deliver many jokes themselves, making the novel read like a distant action-oriented cousin to the Wimpy Kid books. Ages 9â12. Author's agent: Phyllis Westberg, Harold Ober Associates.

May 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-Pete Watson is a gamer. When the latest hit game gets released, he has a plan to secretly buy it-until he discovers that his mom has borrowed some of his money. Revising his plan, Pete holds a garage sale and sells anything in the house he can find, including his father's CommandRoid game console. This proves to be his biggest mistake as he discovers that his dad is really a super-spy, and is now trapped inside a video game due to Pete's poor decisions. Now the youngster has to pull together all of his skills to undo what he has done. The book's opening line, "On the Saturday morning that I almost triggered the end of the world, I woke up early," will hook readers immediately. Short chapters, engaging titles, lists, and several diary-type sketches will appeal to kids with short attention spans. The plot includes plenty of humor, mystery, crime fighting, and even a bit of romance. Another fun addition is the flip-book character at the bottom of each page, as well as the author's reference to the digital version of the book that doesn't exist. With so much discussion of coding and gaming in education, this is a timely addition, and it could lead to extension activities such as animation, game design, or transmedia projects.-Andy Plemmons, David C. Barrow Elementary, Athens, GA

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