There is a boy called Nolan Byrd that has a secret website called Sredderman.com. He created the page and in his school its really popular but no one knows he created it. Its popular because its about a superhero called Shredderman who spies on bullies and shows on his site the bad things they do. Nolan has a video camera in one of the pockets of his backpack so nobody notice it when he video tapes bullies.One day a teacher called Happy Hippie was upset because a boy from the school had drawn on his van a face that said “Duh!” After that, he told the principal, Dr. Voss who made all the kids in school meet outside to announce to the school, “Whomever that was the one who painted the van has to got to my Office now!” Every body suspected on Bubba Bixie the greater bully who was friend of Max the son of the principal, and of Kevin. Nobody thought it was Max because he would never do something like that. At the end, nobody declared guilty so the principal left. Nolan started looking for clues to find out who was the mysterious person. He started by spying on the bullies as Shrederman. He went to the bullies meeting that were in the restroom, and hide inside of one of the bathrooms. He heard them talking about the Van and laughing about it. So Nolan recorded it and it went right in his website. The following day he saw one of those faces drawn I on a wall of a street. He went to the park that was next to it and saw there were Kevin, Bubba, and Max. He took photos of them and went to find more clues. He then told his father about the problem he was trying to solve and his father a journalist assure Nolan to go back to the park with him at night. When they got there, they met with a police in the park who was looking to see who did that crime. After that, they saw a fence and it was filled with those faces so Nolan took a picture of it. Nolan started thinking that during the first drawing Bubba Bixie was in the class during that drawing so he wasn’t involved with that. So it had to be Kevin or Max. Nolan realizes that the drawings go in order, first they paint on a car and then on a wall so next they would paint a car. Nolan started thinking about a plan he could do. The next day he went to the parking lot of school, skipping school. He told his mom he was sick, so she left him home while she went to do work. HE dressed in black inside a trashcan and went right to the parking lot. He waited and waited until he saw Max with a spray can drawing a face in his Moms Car. Nolan recorded everything and went back home to put it in his web page. When I got back home his mother was opening the door, so he quickly took his shirt off , put his pajamas and went right in bed. However, her mom and his dad came in his room and told him the principal told them that he had skipped school all that week!Nolan had to tell her so he did but then his parents were proud that his son had solved a case. When Nolan went back to school everybody was called outside the parking lot to see who did that. Nolan quickly spread the rumor that in Shrederman’s web page it said that it was Max. At the end the rumor got to the principal, so she got so mad she walked away because she couldn’t suspend her own son. However, the following day in the news it showed that Shrederman had saved the Cedar Valley, the city where Nolan Lived.I rate these book 4 stars because its obvious what’s going to happen, I could infer it really quickly. It was also good but a think its better for kids who are smaller than me because it also talked about superheroes. Some parts where still good caused it really detailed what was happening during the story.
Meh -- Shredderman has a clever narrator, a nerdy little guy who's tired of being bullied, so he uses his skills and talents to create a website where he ridicules the bully...cyberbullying? It skirts a fine line. I was never at ease with that aspect of the story or the fact Nolan's teacher knows, gives him private information, and considers himself Nolan's 'sidekick'. We don't need depictions of teachers in kids books like this.I may be too hard on the book and author, but the times may have twisted in a way that makes this un-funny.
What do You think about Attack Of The Tagger (2006)?
How could you not like a pint-sized superhero whose dad is a newspaperman and who uses the Internet to expose bullies, vandals and obnoxious paparazzi? Attack of the Tagger is a fun kids' series, with a very sympathetic main character - a young boy who's a nerdy school outcast by day, Shredderman by night - using the power of technology to post embarrassing, incriminating pictures and videos of villains. And the tie-in between the Shredderman series and Van Draanen's The Gecko and Sticky series is brilliant. (for those not familiar with it, The Gecko and Sticky is another kids-superhero series. In this one, though, the sidekick - Sticky (who is a gecko) is far more entertaining than The Gecko (who is not a gecko) himself.Highly recommended.
—Sandra Pedicini
What a hilarious read. I laughed page in page out! Shredderman is awesome! The story is about Nolan Byrd who is actually a superhero - Shredderman! He has his own blog/website, and Alvin “Bubba” Bixby, a bully at school, is the reason why Shredderman was created. Shredderman fights for truth and justice!!! This is part of a series, and in this story, Shredderman solves the mystery of the Tagger, someone who is vandalizing Mr. Green’s van, and more! Van Draanen’s sentences are packed with humor and spice, and Biggs’ illustrations of Nolan as the Shredderman are a brilliant companion. A great author to give to the beginning reader in boys and girls, but particularly boys who secretly dream of being a super hero!
—Tiffany
