The Awesome, Almost 100% True Adventures of Matt & Craz — Alan Silberberg

A magical pen causes creative chaos in this quirky, comic-style story from the author of Milo.

Best friends Matt and Larry “Craz” Crazinski couldn't be more different. Matt loves order, while Craz lives on the edge. The boys share a passion for cartooning, but thanks to the school paper gatekeeper (and kind-of bully), Skip Turkle, it seems their cartoons will never be published.

But then the boys discover a pen that promises to help them DRAW BETTER NOW! -- and quickly realize it's no ordinary pen: Whatever they draw comes to life!

They start small with their drawings -- bags of cash, cool gadgets. Next, they get their pesky English teacher to take a unique and extended vacation. But when the boys get a little bolder in their magical drawings, they realize that things don't always end up as perfect as the art they create....

In this funny, slightly zany, and ultimately heartwarming story, Sid Fleischman Award-winner Alan Silberberg demonstrates the power of friendship -- and that the best life is not always sketched out in advance.