Reading Guide for
Snarf Attack, Underfoodle, and the Secret of Life:
The Riot Bothers Tell All

by Mary Amato

Common Questions

Are the Riot brothers based on your own kids?

I write stories for my kids, not about my kids. My two sons do funny things, but they didn’t do the wacky things in these stories.

How do you think up funny stuff—like the Riot Brother games?

When I write, I imagine myself as a kid and try to make myself laugh first. Then, I test it out by reading it to my own kids.

Did you have to revise it?

Yes! I enjoy revising because it makes the book better. My editor loved the stories overall, but she didn’t like the ending of my draft. She also wanted me to make certain parts of each book funnier. I have a trick for revising. I don’t try to come up with the perfect solution. I brainstorm and write a whole bunch of ideas down. After I’m done, I see which idea I like best.

Famous Brothers

I named my main characters after two famous brothers: Orville and Wilbur Wright. The Wright brothers were brilliant inventors. Read more about them in these books and then figure out how the Riot brothers and the Wright brothers are alike.

Wilbur and Orville Wright by Louis Sabin

Wilbur and Orville Wright: Young Fliers by Augusta Stevenson

Do It Yourself:

If you were going to give a lesson on how to be annoying, what would you teach?

What chore do you hate to do? Invent a machine to help you do it. Draw a sketch or make a model of your invention. Make sure you think of a fun name for it.

The Riot Brothers found a “treasure” tucked away in a closet. Imagine that you find a box in your house. What treasure could be inside?

Make your own list of ways to make fake snow. Are there any problems with your ideas?

Invent your own game that you can play at home when you are bored. Make sure that it is something you can play without any special materials.

About the Illustrator

Most often, writers don’t choose their illustrators. That’s the job of the publisher. Holiday House, Inc. chose Ethan Long. He is an artist who lives in Florida. Ethan read the manuscript and drew lots of sketches of the various characters, using ordinary paper and a good old #2 pencil. After receiving feedback, he did the final drawings on bristol board with india ink line and washes. The cover painting was done in acrylic paint on bristol board.

About the Author

Mary Amato is a writer, choreographer, and shadow puppeteer. She is the winner of many grants for writing and theater. Her first book was THE WORD EATER. Mary teaches workshops on writing, theater, poetry, and the creative process.

Write to her at:

Mary Amato c/o Holiday House, Inc.

425 Madison Ave.

New York, NY 10017.

Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope if you want a reply.

Check out www.maryamato.com