Kel Gilligan's Daredevil Stunt Show

By Michael Buckley and Dan Santat

From Michael Buckley, the bestselling author of the Sisters Grimm and NERDS series, and Dan Santat, author-illustrator of Sidekicks, comes this hilarious picture book starring Kel Gilligan (a.k.a. “The Boy Without Fear”) that encourages kids to laugh at their fears and celebrates the bravery it takes to try new things no matter how ordinary. Narrated by Kel himself as he attempts his “stunts” with Evel Knievel–like flair, the story unfolds as a performance in which readers themselves become part of the audience, encouraging Kel to get dressed all by himself (without a net!), eat new foods like broccoli (eww!), and take a bath (gasp!). Bold, interactive, and downright silly, this is a book to make kids cheer and attempt some “stunts” of their own.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jan 11, 2013
• ISBN: 9781613124895

Michael Buckley

A nomad at heart, Michael Buckley has travelled widely in the Himalayas, Central Asia, and South Asia. He is author of a number of books to these regions, including: --Eccentric Explorers: wild and wacky adventurers of the Tibetan plateau --Travels in the Tibetan World: detailing personal voyages to many Tibetan enclaves --Shangri-La: a Travel Guide to the Himalayan Dream --Tibet: the Bradt Travel Guide Books about environment crisis in Tibet: --Meltdown in Tibet (Palgrave-Macmillan, New York, 2014) is about serious environmental issues on the Tibetan Plateau. Also available as ebook version. --Tibet, Disrupted is a companion digital photobook, updated and revised, published 2020. This is available for download via Amazon Kindle, Apple Books or the iTunes Store. The photo-based book is over 430 pages long and focuses on visual presentation with minimal text.  --This Fragile Planet His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Environment Photobook with quotations from His Holiness, compiled and edited by Michael Buckley published on Apple Books platform. Published in larger-format print version by Sumeru Books, September 2021 --The Snow Leopard's New Friend Tibetan Animal Tales. A children's book for ages 8+ featuring 10 tales about the amazing animals of Tibet. The back of the book features profiles of the real animals as well as section on Activities. Published on Amazon Kindle platform and Apple Books platform. Published in print version by Sumeru Books, September 2021. Print version translated into Tibetan, published in India by the LTWA, September 2021. As well as being a writer, Buckley is a passionate photographer, documentary filmmaker and environmental explorer. He is filmmaker for three short documentaries about major environmental issues in Tibet that go under-reported--or not reported at all. To find out more, go to www.WildYakFilms.com/: --Meltdown in Tibet == about dams and water problems on the Tibetan plateau --From Nomad to Nobody == about the plight of the vanishing nomads of Tibet --Plundering Tibet == about the devastating impact of mining in Tibet --Mekong Apocalypse == about the devastating impact of China's megadams on Cambodia and Vietnam

Book preview

Reviews for Kel Gilligan's Daredevil Stunt Show

[marybethlingner · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed “Kel Gilligan’s Daredevil Stunt Show” because it made simple things little kids do such as eating broccoli and getting dressed by themselves seem like really huge accomplishments. Throughout the book, little Kel Gilligan, makes himself seem like a huge risk taker by taking on “stunts” such as going to bed by himself without checking the room for monsters. This portrays a message to kids that small daily accomplishments, like the things Kel is doing, are still accomplishments worthy of praise. Also, when Kel gets scared and has to sleep in his parent’s bed he brushes it off as no big deal by saying “For my last stunt I’m going to keep my parents safe from monsters under their bed.” The central idea of the book is that children should feel proud of themselves for being able to accomplish some things on their own but not get too discouraged when they sometimes still need their parent’s help.

[sullywriter_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This entertaining story reminds me of my own Evel Knievel phase when I attempted such stunts as riding my tricycle down the basement stairs and into a wall of cinder blocks. Lots of fun.

[demmiee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Young Kel Gilligan sees himself as the star of his own reality show, performing feats of daring such as eating broccoli, facing the Potty of Dome, and getting dressed all by himself. The text is hilarious as are the illustrations. This is a book students can connect to since the daring feats are things that they come across on a daily basis.

[sdusute216 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Buckley, M. (2012). Kel Gilligan’s daredevil stunt show. (Ill. By D. Santat). New York: Abrams. 40 pp. ISBN: 978- 1-4197-0379-9. (Hardcover); $16.95. Kel Gilligan, the boy without fear takes on terrifying stunts everyday. “Kel Gilligan’s Daredevil Stunt Show” shares this boy’s stunts from using the potty, eating broccoli, to taking a bath. It is the perfect picture book to read to preschoolers who are attempting these horrifying stunts too, like Kel. This story written by Buckley and illustrations by Santat together make these everyday scary stunts for kids exciting and silly, with Kel’s facial expressions and comments on the stunts, encouraging kids to attempt them. - Shannon