Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle & Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
It’s July 1969 and while the attention of everyone else in her Long Island neighborhood is on the impending moonwalk, Tamara Ann Simpson’s focus is the black hole created by the sudden departure of her best friend, Kebsie, a foster child who lived across the street. She directs her considerable anger at Douglas McGinty, the new foster kid, whom she ironically dubs “Muscle Man.” In her self-absorbed grief, Tammy fails to see that the whoppers Douglas tells-he’s training for the 1972 Olympics, he’s sung on Broadway-are his way of coping with a major loss of his own. To be honest, I don't know how this book will go over with other readers of this story.The themes in this story doesn't just encompass Woodstock, but rather much more and much less serious than that. NEIL talks about everything from landing on the moon to gender roles to best friends leaving to death. There are many good things in this story, but I think the most debated issue about this book is the fact that the main character is a bully without even realizing it.Tamara is upset that Muscle Man McGinty came and replaced her best friend who moved away (something that is entirely understandable) but in the process of that anger and maybe even grief, Tamara terrorizes Muscle Man, who in turn comes right back to her unassuming and as cheerful as before. As a reader, it's hard to see that through Tamara's eyes, because she thinks that she's right.Over the course of the story, Tamara grows in a few ways to try and overcome the issue, but she never truly does, which was why the ending and the book itself felt incomplete for me. The rest of the characters did grow and change and I appreciated who they are and what they did in the story. I also liked the community itself, but none of the characters really stuck out to me the way that Tamara did.Besides that, I did enjoy the story and I liked the portrayal of all the major events that went on during the time of the summer of '69. I don't think that it would appeal to younger readers as much due to the history behind it and the way that the plot drags a little bit, but 11-12+ will appreciate it. It's also a great way to introduce hard concepts and life lessons to younger kids in a classroom setting. 3 stars.
What do You think about Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle & Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me (2009)?
A great way for kids to get to know the summer of '69. My 8 year didn't put the book down.
—Emily
Cute story with some historical references. Looking forward to reading this to my class!
—charu
A great read. Can't wait to share it with the class.
—clareth
