Travis Nichols (1) (1978–)

The problem with writing a book using only idioms of the English language is that your script comes off sounding cliched and corny.

We did have a little fun trying to figure out the idioms being acted out in the front of the book when the detectives are introduced (answers are provided in the back of the book), but that was the high point of this mystery.

This book was so useful I went out and bought it before I even finished reading it. It tells you how to start a band, record your stuff, making merch, like tees and buttons, stage etiquette, and oodles of other interesting stuff you ever could know about being in a band and at the end, you've had some laughs.

Matthew, a trumpet player for his school band, is a 14-year-old boy in a mid-size town in Texas. He has an epiphany, and realizes that his true calling is to be a drummer in a rock or indie style band. His parents are not enthusiastic about this, since the trumpet is their choice, and tell him that if he wants drums, he’ll have to pay for them. A neighbor informs him, that his problem is that he lets “The Man” run his life. “The Man,” he explains, is authority including parents, show more cops, teachers, bosses and old people, i.e. everyone who tries to keep Matthew from pursuing his dreams. The story, as told by Matthew, in a very amusing way, portrays the rocky road on his way to achieving his goal, and the ways in which he stands up to “The Man” along the way. The book includes many cartoon-like black and white pictures, which provide funny explanations and diagrams that depict various aspects of the story. This book is recommended for young teens, especially boys, who will relate to Matthew’s relationships with his friends, his new girlfriend, his teachers, and his parents. show less

Fowl Play is a a graphic novel about an animal detective squad. The book is set up with comic frames and uses speech bubble to show the dialog. The story has a few twist that will keep the reader guessing but is also predictable for a more mature audience. The pictures remind me of a pre school cartoon show and the dialog fits the illustrations.