A quick fun read that my son chose in a used bookstore when we were on vacation. He enjoyed it, too, but neither of us felt compelled to save it for a reread. ( )

In the early pages, I disliked what appeared to be a snarky, obsessive, self-centered, & selfish young hero. And I would hate for this book to land in the hands of a child who already possesses those unfortunate characteristics. But, as the book progressed, his better character traits came to the fore.

Sneeze, our hero, is an inventor of more than a few failed inventions but he never gives up. His best friend, Hiccup, is his main supporter. Nicknames abound that the intended age group should find amusing. For months, Sneeze has been looking forward to a family vacation that would include a stop at the Invention Convention and the possibility of selling his latest invention. Epic fail. Finances are tight. The vacation gets cancelled. His parents need to work. They enroll him in a summer class with his least favorite teacher in lieu of a babysitter. Could life get any worse?

The book title comes from Sneeze's choice of topic in the summer creative writing class. He researches and tests these methods out on his parents for two obvious reasons. (Pity them!) 1- To vent his anger for canceling the vacation; and, 2- To sell the finished product to raise money to go to the convention on his own.

Okay, the kid definitely has an obnoxious side but as time and the book progress, he works hard, learns a few lessons and his better side emerges. His admirable perseverance sees him through trials and tribulations both at home, school, and work, with fellow classmates, the school system, parents, and a prickly co-worker. In the end, he acts both reasonably and honorably and becomes a hero in the true sense of the word. Not a bad finish. ( )

you should read it if you have not yet read it! It teaches you about how to annoy your parents! ( )

A budding inventor wants to go to the Invention Convention, but his parents back out of taking him at the last minute. Determined to find a way to raise money so he can attend the convention, he starts writing a list of ways to bug parents, which he then, on the advice of friends, decides to turn into a book and sell. Sequel is called 101 Ways to Bug Your Teachers. ( )

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