Book Reviews and More: Light’s Camera, Disaster - Gordon Korman

Light’s Camera, Disaster!

MacDonald Hall Book 6

Scholastic Canada

ISBN 9781443128063

eISBN 9781443128063

ASIN B078H21VPL

Light’s Camera, Disaster - Gordon Korman - Macdonald Hall Book 6

This volume is the penultimate in this series. It is a great read in a wonderful series. I have been working my way through Gordon Korman’s complete works, and this was the 90th volume I have read from Korman’s masterful pen. Because of a dual form of dyslexia, I did not learn to read until later, because of that I have a great fondness for Middle Grade books, and books for tween and teens. And Korman is one of the all-time masters. I believe this was Korman’s 16th volume published. And to date it is the second to last in the MacDonald Hall series which was originally published as Bruno and Boots.

The series consists of:

This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall

Go Jump in the Pool

Beware the Fish!

The Wizzle War

(formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle )

The Zucchini Warriors

Light’s Camera, Disaster

(aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)

The Jokes on Us

(formerly Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall)

Book 6 was renamed in 2003 the stories were originally published between 1978 and 1995, though some have been rewritten to be more up to date. Three of the original 7 have been renamed at some point over the years. The current description of this volume is:

“Gordon Korman's classic, bestselling series celebrates its 35th anniversary! Macdonald Hall's ivy-covered buildings have housed and educated many fine young Canadians. But Bruno Walton and Boots O'Neal are far from being fine young Canadians. The roommates and best friends are nothing but trouble! Together they've snuck out after lights-out, swapped flags, kidnapped mascots . . . and that's only the beginning.

Macdonald Hall has been chosen as the ideal setting for a Hollywood movie — with superstar Jordie Jones! But when Bruno Walton and Boots O'Neal discover that the star just wants to be a normal guy, one who plays hockey, hangs out with friends and goes to dances, they decide to help Jordie out. Who would have guessed that a simple favour could go so wrong, so fast?

Join two of Gordon Korman's most memorable characters in seven side-splitting, rip-roaring adventures! Macdonald Hall is the series that started it all, and thirty-five years later it remains a must-read for old fans and new, the young — and the young at heart.”

The chapters in this volume are:

1: Macdonald Hollywood

2: Tap-Dancing Garbage Picker

3: Booby-Trapping the Star

4: Body Double

5: Getting into Character

6: The Royal Sneeze

7: Fred the Goalie

8: Bench Strength

9: Meet the Press

10: The Stuntman

11: Nothing and Nowhere

12: The Rescue Mission

13: The Media Circus

14: A Cry in the Woods

15: Is It Dangerous?

16: The Super-Duper Jumbo-Boomer

Epilogue

This is followed by a preview of the final volume in the series. This volume was the only one published in 1991 by Korman, but he had 1 in 1990, Losing Joe's Place and 2 in 1992, The Twinkie Squad and The D−Poems of Jeremy Bloom that bookend it. This one was originally published as Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood. This story has been updated some over the years but the whole series is masterfully written. Korman is a master of the Middle Grade and even Young Adult genres, his books are amazing for kids, tweens and teens. And even some of us older readers. C.S. Lewis in On Stories: And Other Essays on Literature stated:

“It is very rarely that a middle-aged man finds an author who gives him, what he knew so often in his teens and twenties, the sense of having opened a new door.”

I said in a previous review that Korman accomplishes that in this and all of his other books I have read. This was another great read. For many authors have a great first work and often it is not followed up well or even at all. Having now watched the three made for TV MacDonald Hall Movies I have very clear pictures in my head while reading this volume.

Bruno and Boots have a knack for creating trouble, and for not getting caught, this time they seem to get caught almost immediately, time and time again. There is a film cred on campus filming the outdoor shots for a movie called “Academy Blues” starring Jordie Jones. The girls across the street from MacDonald Hall have at Miss Scrimmage’s Finishing School all gone gaga over Jones presence. Between Bruno trying to get in the film, the girls trying to get to Jones. And Bruno and Boots befriending the lonely Jones there will be no end to the hijinks. Much like Korman’s Slapshots series and the stand alone The Chicken Doesn't Skate there are some great Hockey moments in this volume. And the Die in the Woods outdoor adventure trip is just awesome.

Can Bruno pull it off? Can Bruno make his way into the film? Can Jones get some time as a normal boy? Can MacDonald Hall survive going Hollywood? To find out, read this excellent sixth volume in this series. An excellent read, I can easily recommend this book and series!

Books by Gordon Korman:

MacDonald Hall Series:

This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall (1978)

Go Jump in the Pool (1979)

Beware the Fish! (1980)

The Wizzle War (1982)

(formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle)

The Zucchini Warriors (1988)

Light’s Camera, Disaster (1991)

(aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)

The Jokes on Us (1995)

(formerly Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall)