How Angel Peterson Got His Name

Author: Gary Paulsen

This is an amazingly funny and exciting young adult novel that explores relationships, coming of age and wild adventures. Gary Paulsen writes about growing up in a small rural area in northern Minnesota with nothing to do; they invent activities and adventures to fill their time, which become their own personal versions of extreme sports. The personal adventures these young boys go on test agility, strength and challenge the boy's internal strengths and weaknesses. Their wild activities teach the boys important lessons about growing up and how they can challenge themselves to do things they never thought were possible. The boy's are wildly creative; they show off for girls and attempt some impossible and amazing stunts.

The boys copy activities that they have heard about on the radio or read about in books, these activities include wild stunts like shooting a waterfall in a barrel, breaking the world speed record on skis and even hang gliding with an army surplus target kite. The boys invent skateboarding, jump bikes through hops of fire and even attempt to wrest a bear at the state fair. They are like all boys wacky and daring, they will not stop for even pain if they can prove their abilities and not show their friends any fear. They stick together, help and even push each other to complete each extreme sport This novel is hilariously funny and Gray Paulsen makes this a very enjoyable and interesting exploration into the minds of young boys whom have nothing better to do but challenge themselves physically and emotional as they are growing up.