Johnny Hangtime FROM THE PUBLISHER
It's a bird, It's a plane—no, It's Johnny Hangtime!
Jumping off the Empire State Building, fighting on the wing of a biplane, and parachuting onto the back of a horse are all in a day's work for 13-year-old Johnny Thyme, a stunt kid known in the movie business as Johnny Hangtime. But Johnny's phenomenal feats are a movie industry secret. Ricky Corvette, the superstar teen for whom Johnny doubles, wants his fans to think he does his own stunts. Johnny's devoted to repeating the career of his legendary stuntman father, but what's he going to do when his favorite director asks him to perform the super-dangerous stunt that killed his father? Will following in his daredevil; dad's footsteps take him over the edge?
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
Gutman's (Babe and Me) latest novel introduces a 13-year-old with a career that kids will surely find cool: he's a "stuntkid," performing daring feats on behalf of Ricky Corvette, a teen movie star and heartthrob. Johnny's father, a legendary stuntman, allegedly died three years earlier while filming a daring maneuver over Niagara Falls. The plot moves between Johnny's stints on the set of New York Nightmare (including some behind-the-scenes revelations about pulling off seemingly impossible stunts) and his non-working life, which entails being roughed-up by the school bully. The boy's flip, first-person narrative will endear him to readers ("I was having such a good time that I nearly forgot to open my parachute. This can be dangerous, as you might imagine"). The tale culminates in a dangerous stunt at--where else--Niagara Falls, and though the credibility of Gutman's plot crumbles (Johnny's long-lost father appears on the set, begging his son to forgo the stunt; Ricky Corvette suddenly decides, for the first time ever, to perform his own action scene, and breaks both his arms and legs in the process), the author sets the scene for a sappy Hollywood ending, and a kid-pleasing wrap. Ages 8-12. (July) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.
Children's Literature
Young daredevils will enjoy this action-adventure book about Johnny Thyme (also known as Johnny Hangtime), a thirteen-year-old performer who completes dangerous stunts for movies. While serving as the stunt double for Ricky Corvette, a pompous teenage superstar, Johnny jumps off the Statue of Liberty, fights on the wing of a biplane, parachutes onto the back of a horse, and much more. Although he's famous on the movie set, no one knows about his secret life as a stunt kid. Due to legal stipulations, he is not at liberty to discuss his experiences with anyone, including the kids at school. When the movie director, Roland Rivers, asks him to perform the same stunt that almost killed his father, Johnny is somewhat apprehensive. However, to his surprise (and everyone else's), Ricky decides to do the stunt himself. Unfortunately, things go awry and the teenager heartthrob ends up in the hospital. As a result, Johnny completes the remaining scenes (minus the Niagara Falls stunt) and receives star billing, which leads to his overnight success and a future bright with possibilities. This fast-paced book will be popular among young adventure seekers. 2000, HarperTrophy, $4.95. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Debra Briatico
School Library Journal
Gr 6-8-Thirteen-year-old Judith of Nesscliff is a talented musician in 13th-century England. She is distraught when her gluttonous stepfather announces her betrothal to the middle-aged and coarse Lord Walter. At her engagement dinner, Judith is entranced by Robin, a musician in the King's Minstrels, and decides to escape by disguising herself as a boy, "Jude," and begins a trek across England to audition for this prestigious group. Along the way, she encounters those who help and those who harm or hinder her, including a cruel thief and a beautiful lady who thinks "Jude" would make an ideal husband. While the book has its strengths, it is not consistently well written. Too often, the characters' thoughts rather than their actions provide details about themselves or other characters. Though plenty happens to Jude, the events do not tie together in a way that creates a true feeling of suspense, and the ending, in which Judith and Robin head off to his family manor together, seems to come too soon and too abruptly. Karen Cushman's The Midwife's Apprentice (1995) and Catherine, Called Birdy (1994, both Clarion) are more satisfying. However, even though this novel has some weaknesses, Haahr has created a strong and charming female character.-Toni D. Moore, Simon Kenton High School, Independence, KY Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
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