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    My Life as a Cartoonist
    My Life as a Cartoonist
    My Life as a Cartoonist
    Ebook250 pages1 hour

    My Life as a Cartoonist

    By Janet Tashjian and Jake Tashjian

    4.5/5

    ()

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    About this ebook

    In Book Three of the popular "My Life . . ." series by Janet Tashjian, Derek Fallon's plan to help out a new classmate backfires miserably

    There's a new kid in Derek Fallon's class. His name is Umberto and he uses a wheelchair. Derek's family is still fostering Frank the monkey, and Derek thinks it would be great to train Frank to assist Umberto. But Derek quickly realizes that Umberto is definitely not looking for any help. Derek soon becomes the butt of Umberto's jokes. On top of that, Umberto starts stealing Derek's cartoon ideas and claiming them as his own. How did Derek get himself into this mess, and how can he find a way out before he is the laughingstock of school? The answer may very well be his cartoon strip—SUPER FRANK!

    My Life as a Cartoonist features illustrations by Janet Tashjian's son, Jake Tashjian.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateApr 30, 2013
    ISBN9780805098952
    My Life as a Cartoonist
    Author

    Janet Tashjian

    Janet Tashjian is a middle-grade and young adult novelist who’s been writing books for children for over two decades. Her first novel Tru Confessions was made into a critically acclaimed Disney TV movie starring Clara Bryant and Shia LaBeouf. The Gospel According to Larry series is a cult favorite and Fault Line is taught in many middle and high schools. Her bestselling My Life As a Book series is illustrated by her son, Jake. They also collaborated on the Einstein the Class Hamster series. Janet collaborated with fellow Macmillan author Laurie Keller on the chapter book series Marty Frye, Private Eye. Janet currently lives in Los Angeles and made her new home city the setting of the Sticker Girl series, which details the adventures of Martina who overcomes being shy with the help of her magical stickers that come to life.

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    Reviews for My Life as a Cartoonist

    4.5/5

    9 ratings3 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I enjoy this series as it follows Derek on his junior high adventures. This time Derek is leading a cartoon club at school. A new kid transfers into his school and makes Derek's life miserable. If Derek retaliates he looks like the bad guy. Derek and Umberto have to come to a compromise over their problem.I like Derek. The drawings are still in the margins for words he does not understand. Sometimes their definitions are broad but make the point. I enjoy learning more about capuchin monkeys and how they are used as animal assistants for people with disabilities. Bullying is the topic but it is not preachy about it. It does show how bullies come in all shapes and sizes and how perceptions come into play. I was on Derek's side the whole way but since he was always caught retaliating or getting mad I could see where the other people were coming from. I hope there will be more books in this series because it is one of my favorite youth series.
    • 3/5
      "My Life as a Cartoonist" is one of the books in a series by Janet Tashjian. The main character in this story is Derek Fallon, who is in middle school. At the beginning of the book, a new student arrives at school, and his name is Umberto. Umberto has a spinal defect and must use a wheelchair, and Derek wants to do something to help him. Derek has been training his pet money, Frank, to help handicapped people with their everyday lives, so he wants Frank to help Umberto. Unfortunately, Umberto doesn’t want any help from Derek or Frank, and he’s really mean about it. Umberto resents the fact that Derek is trying to help him, so he starts making jokes about Derek. Umberto also starts stealing Derek’s cartoon ideas about “Super Frank,” the super hero monkey, and Umberto pretends that they are his ideas. Umberto also picks a fight with Derek on the playground makes it look like Derek started it, so he will get in trouble. To try to make the boys get along, their teacher, Ms McCoddle, makes them do a school project together. They have to create a cartoon as a team. While doing the project, Derek and Umberto figure out that they have a lot in common like drawing, cartoons, and love for surfing. Umberto can’t really surf because of his wheelchair, but Derek finds someone who can help kids with disabilities go surfing. Derek and Umberto have the best day and become great friends."My Life as a Cartoonist" was a pretty good book. It wasn’t as interesting as many of the books I’ve read, so would only rate it with 3 out 5 stars. I don’t think I would choose to read the other books in this series because I thought the plot of this one was a little boring. I also thought the cartoons in the book were not that great or funny. The book did have a good morale about how bullying is wrong and can hurt people. It also showed that bullies aren’t always the people you would expect. In this book, Umberto, who is in a wheelchair, is the bully. That is not the image that most people have when they think of bullies. I’m glad I finished this book, but I wouldn’t recommend it to my friends.
    • 4/5
      The third book in the series is as fresh and delightful as My Life as a Book. If your Wimpy Kid readers haven’t discovered Derek they should. He gives them much more to think about than Wimpy Kid. Derek, known for his cartoon drawing, meets his match in Umberto, a wheelchair-bound new kid in class. In fact, Umberto seems to have it out for Derek—to the point of bullying. But how can you get teachers and kids to understand a handicapped kid is the bully. When they are finally forced into detention together with the requirement that they collaborate on a cartoon, it looks like they are doomed to stay in detention forever. But when Derek’s dog had a seizure in the dog park, it’s Umberto who helps Derek get the dog home, and as they talk, Umberto starts to open up as to why he was a bully. And as all bullies, he used it to cover up his own insecurities. This is an excellent basis for discussions about bullies.

    Book preview

    My Life as a Cartoonist - Janet Tashjian

    Super Frank!

    improved

    That’s great! my dad says as he puts the comic strip down. Your drawings have really improved.

    I look over my father’s shoulder and examine my work. No matter how long I work on it, my printing still looks like I’m in second grade.

    professional

    It takes a lot of practice for lettering to look professional.

    As if that’s any kid’s idea of fun—sitting around on a sunny afternoon filling notebooks with row after row of straight block letters.

    flattered

    My father closes the cover of the pad and hands it back to me. Too bad Frank doesn’t know he’s the star of your comic strip. He’d be flattered.

    Dad doesn’t realize I’ve already shown Frank my drawings. It may be my imagination but by the way my capuchin monkey jumped up and down, I think he WAS flattered.

    Mac and cheese with stewed tomatoes, Mom calls from the kitchen. Wash up and come to the table.

    cringe

    My father and I look at each other and cringe. Why does she take something perfect like macaroni and cheese then throw something terrible like stewed tomatoes in to wreck it? I ask.

    You know how Mom likes to sneak healthy food into everything, Dad whispers back. But I have to agree with you—it’s a crime to mess with mac and cheese.

    inadvertently

    As I put away my pad, I realize Dad’s inadvertently given me the plot of my next comic strip: SUPER FRANK VS. THE WOMAN WHO WRECKED MAC AND CHEESE.

    I can’t wait until Ms. McCoddle’s class tomorrow to start working on it.

    A New Kid in Class

    hostages

    When I show Matt the new SUPER FRANK, he tells me it’s good but needs even more action.

    How about if the evil seal takes hostages at the bank and Super Frank has to break into the building before it blows up?

    sombrero

    If you don’t count the seal and the monkey, Matt’s suggestion sounds like the plot to a zillion movies we’ve watched together over the years. But because he’s my best friend, I tell him it’s a great idea.

    How about if the seal wears a sombrero? Matt continues. And one of those long ammunition straps—with scuba gear.

    envision

    I try to envision why a bank robber with a sombrero would need scuba equipment, then take it as a challenge to come up with a scenario where those items actually do make sense.

    frayed

    Matt and I stop in the hall at the same time to continue the discussion. We both act as if the reason we’re stopping is because the topic is so important, but our REAL excuse for hitting the pause button is because Carly’s at her locker talking to Crash, who’s a year ahead of us. Crash wears his usual school uniform of flip-flops, baggy surf shorts, and a frayed T-shirt. Carly met him at surf camp in Santa Monica a month ago, and lately she’s been spending as much time with him as she does with Matt and me.

    She waves when she sees us, but Crash doesn’t bother to nod even though she’s introduced him to us a thousand times.

    arrogant

    He’s the most arrogant kid in school, Matt says. I don’t know what she sees in him.

    If he doesn’t start combing his hair, he’s going to have dreadlocks soon, I add.

    Yeah, because he’s not cool enough now, Matt says.

    What’s next, a tattoo?

    He’d be the only person in middle school with one—if you don’t count the teachers. For the past few years, every one of our homeroom teachers has had at least two tattoos.

    We immediately drop the conversation when Carly approaches. She’s her usual bubbly self, not aware that her two best friends have just been talking about her. Have you met the new kid? she asks.

    Your boyfriend, Crash? I say.

    transferred

    Crash isn’t my boyfriend! Carly blushes, then gives me a little shove. Don’t you listen to Ms. McCoddle? There’s a new kid in our class. He transferred in today.

    Hearing this makes me wonder how much other information I miss when I’m drawing in my notebook during Ms. McCoddle’s morning meetings.

    His name’s Umberto, Carly says. I met him a few minutes ago. He’s really nice.

    You say that about everyone, I tell her.

    That’s not true. Toby is a knucklehead and I’ll tell him to his face.

    confidence

    Matt laughs, but I’m surprised by how much more self-assured Carly’s become in the last few weeks. Have they started putting something in the Pacific Ocean or is all that fresh air responsible for Carly’s shift? Or does Carly’s sudden confidence come from hanging around with her buddy Crash?

    hieroglyphics

    The bell rings and we head into the classroom. Ms. McCoddle’s been on this whole around the world decorating theme, so this week every inch of the classroom is covered with photographs of Egyptian hieroglyphics as well as the pyramids and the Sphinx. Last month’s educational destination was China—I was hoping we’d get some ginger chicken or hot and sour soup along with the photographs, but we didn’t get either.

    Carly holds out her arms like some woman on TV turning letters on a game show. Derek, Matt—meet Umberto.

    I’m so busy staring at the hieroglyphics above the Smart Board that I almost trip over a kid with a Lakers T-shirt and closely shaved hair. He’s parked right between my desk and me, in a wheelchair.

    access

    I tell Umberto it’s nice to meet him, but before he can answer, Ms. McCoddle asks us to take our seats. Umberto skillfully wheels his chair to a new desk placed next to mine. I’ve seen a few of these desks in other classrooms—more like a table than a desk—designed for easy access for kids with wheelchairs.

    Matt gives me a look that says, We have a lot to discuss at recess. Our tightly knit class hasn’t had a transfer student yet and in all my years of elementary and middle school, I’ve never sat next to a kid in a wheelchair. As Ms. McCoddle babbles on about the Nile River, I imagine Matt and me on our skateboards, racing down the hill at UCLA alongside Umberto. He’s wheeling as fast as he can while Matt and I slalom on either side of him.

    As the three of us glide down the hill, I ask Umberto a million questions: What school did he transfer from? Has he always been in a wheelchair? Do his parents have one of those cool vans with a mini elevator?

    I snap out of my reverie when Ms. McCoddle pauses at my desk and shoots me the evil eye.

    But of all the things I want to talk to Umberto about, the one at the top of my list is this: I HAVE A CAPUCHIN MONKEY WHO’LL SOON BE TRAINED TO HELP PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS!

    artifacts

    I can barely contain myself through Ms. McCoddle’s lecture on Egyptian artifacts, counting the minutes till I can change Umberto’s life with my monkey.

    A Little Background on Frank

    entrusted

    Technically, Frank isn’t MY monkey. My parents and I are the foster family he lives with to get used to being with humans. An organization in Boston trains capuchins to work with people with physical challenges and because my mom’s a veterinarian—and because I can SOMETIMES be responsible—they chose us as one of the families entrusted with nurturing a monkey. And if you guessed it’s my job to change his diapers, you’re

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