These days, most kids know Gordon Korman as the young adult author of adventure book series, like the Island trilogy or On the Run books. But for kids who grew up in the 1980s, Gordon Korman was the author young readers sought out when they wanted to read wacky adventures that would keep them laughing for hours.
Many of Korman’s early books (which he began writing and publishing in junior high) contain similar elements – clever kids who regularly outsmart adults, multiple plot lines that tie together in unexpected ways, and a constant stream of misunderstandings that cause the comedic tension to rise until it explodes in an unexpected but hilarious way.
Check out the two Gordon Korman books below for just a taste of Korman’s early comedic stylings.
Our Man Weston
Twin brothers Sidney and Tom Weston just landed a great summer job as bellboys at an exclusive hotel. The problem? Sidney is a wannabe spy hunter who’s obsessed with uncovering conspiracies – and he’s convinced that one of the guests, meek Mr. Kitzel, is the head of a major spy ring intent on stealing secrets from a nearby airbase.
Unknown to Sidney, however, the hotel does contain a spy, who ironically is the only guest Sidney doesn't suspect. As Sidney’s investigation endangers his job (and Tom, who’s constantly being mistaken for Sidney), the real spy and his lackey carry out their plan, not realizing the threat Sidney's bumbling efforts pose.
Full of comic misunderstandings and mistaken identities, Our Man Weston does for spy caper novels what Korman’s Who is Bugs Potter? did for rock ‘n roll books.
No Coins Please
Think earning money is tough? Not when you’re an eleven-year-old financial wizard like Artie Geller! After joining a group of six campers on a tour across the U.S.A (and receiving a few dollars in spending money), Artie quickly concocts numerous money-making schemes that he enacts in every state the group visits.
In New York, he earns hundreds of dollars selling jars of "attack jelly". In Washington D.C., he cleans out the wallets of senators and congressmen with a model train gambling ring. In Colorado, an abandoned pretzel factory provides a venue for Artie’s one-night exclusive disco. And then the tour group reaches Las Vegas…
Anyone who has dreamed of making a fortune will get a kick out of this book, as Artie proves himself equal parts entrepreneur and con man. Notably, while Artie soon amasses hundreds of thousands of dollars, the book is not about greed. Rather, it's about the fun of making money and the various ways people are willing to part with it. Kids and teachers will find it a hilarious book that demands repeat readings.
Kids who love to laugh will find plenty of Funny Summer Vacation Reading Books for Kids in Suite 101's children's book reviews.
Sources:
Korman, Gordon. No Coins Please. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1984. ISBN:
Korman, Gordon. Our Man Weston. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1982. ISBN: 0-590-40352-4
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