Shredderman: Secret Identity

Though most kids won't create an anonymous website about a bully, and there are reasons why they shouldn't, this book is full of good ideas about how to deal with and think about bullying. I am really excited to read more in the series and see how they developed Nolan's realization that Bubba is a victim of his father's bullying. I also loved the scene where Nolan confronted the older kids and told them his name and not to call him nerd - great self governance!

Personal Response:
The humorous narration is reminiscent of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and fun to read. Nolan uses technology to his advantage to overcome adversity. While his approach to his bully is morally questionable, his guidance from his teacher helps orient the project in a positive manner, exposing children to a creative method of expression online.

Curricular Connections:
This book is a great conversation starter for discussing bullying and appropriate ways to handle bullies. Nolan had attempted to tell teachers about Bubba's actions, but the teachers couldn't catch him in the act. Many children are faced with this predicament and this book could be used to discuss whether children thought Nolan's actions were positive or negative and show more what creative ways the children can think up to help "expose" a bully.

A fun activity for this could be using a WYSIWYG to create simple web pages and allow the kids to see their creativity in action. show less

I liked a lot of things about this book. Great characters, great illustrations, appealing for reluctant readers, and I liked the way that the main character Nolan stands up for himself. However, I do feel that Shredderman is rewarded for cyberbullying Bubba, which is a message that troubles me. I'm curious to see how Shredderman uses his powers for GOOD in the rest of the series.

This is a great introduction to chapter books for young boys and girls alike. The text is large and spaced out so as not to be too ovewhelming to the young readers. The book is seasoned by occasional character drawings throughout its pages to create a bit more engagement for the reader. Everyone in school knows Nolan only as Nerd. He gets perfect grades, is a computer wiz, and is fed up with the treatment he and other classmates are getting from Alvin. Alvin likes to only be called Buddy and will make sure each of his classmates abides by his rule. Fortunately, everyone learns to stand up to Buddy all thanks to Shredderman. The new superhero with a disclosed identity happens to be the last person they would ever expect.

Bubba Bixby is the bully of the 5th grade and Nolan "the nerd" is tired of it. A class assignment to create a newspaper about someone or something inspires Nolan to create a website devoted to Bubba and his misdeeds. He creates the persona of "Shredderman" to remain anonymous. Through this project, Nolan learns that Bubba wasn't born mean, and other children learn to stand up for themselves.

I'm a little unsure about whether what Nolan did was appropriate or not. He started a website to expose a bully, but it included mean-spirited things, like Bubba jokes, parodies of Bubba and his friends, and unflattering pictures. Towards the end, Nolan is encouraged to begin reporting on the good and kind things the other children do, but he's not show more taken to task for what he did. show less

This book certainly surprised me as it was much funnier than I had expected. Bullying is a major trend in Elementary/Middle School and therefore, it is definitely a great read for such students. It sets a great example for the reasons not to bully, but also provides positive ways in dealing with one.
I probably would not assign it in class, but recommend it for outside reading.

Alvin Bixby: Hulking, knuckles of steel, hideous breath, foul temper. Kids call him: Bubba. Nolan Byrd: Puny, power walker, math genius, can't keep shoes tied. Kids call him: Nerd. Bubba has been the bane of Nolan's existence for five long years. So when Mr. Green asks the class to become reporters, Nolan decides he'll write an expose--on Bubba. He doesn't want to sign his name to it (that'd be suicidal), so Nolan creates a secret identity for himself--on the Internet. He launches Shredderman.com as a place where truth and justice prevail--and bullies get what's coming to them. This hilariously triumphant story is for any kid who's ever dreamed of unleashing their own inner superhero!