Wizner,
Jake. Spanking Shakespeare. Random
House Children’s Books, 2007. 287 pages, $16.99 ISBN: 9780375840852 (trade)
Plot
Summary:
Shakespeare Shapiro
hates his name and resents his parents for giving it to him, but he does share
a talent for writing with his namesake.
Shakespeare’s 12th grade writing class assignment is to write
his memoir. Shakespeare’s chronicle of
his life and his senior year are a riot of humor. Shakespeare’s existence is misery, his little
brother is more popular than he is, he does not have a girlfriend or any prospects
of getting a girlfriend, his parents are crazy alcoholics, and his best friend
is more concerned about tracking his bowel movements than helping Shakespeare
find a date to the prom.
Critical
Review:
Wizner’s tale contains
some course humor and some drug use, but it is a story that teens will eat
up. As many a teenager is, Shakespeare
is concerned about sex and if he will ever have any. Shakespeare’s is a coming of age tale in
which Shakespeare experiments with smoking pot, dating, and learns about what
it means to be a friend and a man.
Wizner’s novel is a deeply humorous story about the path to
adulthood. This is a great book for boys
who are reluctant readers since Wizner’s nonstop humor will keep them reading
and laughing.
Genre:
Realistic Fiction
Humorous Fiction
Interest
Level:
Grades 9 and up
Similar
Books:
Doing
It Melvin
Burgess
Deadline
Chris
Crutcher
Subjects/Themes:
High School
Friends
Dating
Awards/Honors:
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults 2008
Author’s
Website:
Annotation:
Spanking Shakespeare is a humorous account of Shakespeare Shapiro's senior year in high school.
Spanking Shakespeare is a humorous account of Shakespeare Shapiro's senior year in high school.
Book
Talking Ideas:
Being a teenager is tough, especially is your name is Shakespeare. In his senior year of high school Shakespeare deals with unpopularity, lunatic alcoholic parents, dating, and a best friend who is obsessed with his own bowel movements. This is a funny story about growing up and finding one's identity.
Being a teenager is tough, especially is your name is Shakespeare. In his senior year of high school Shakespeare deals with unpopularity, lunatic alcoholic parents, dating, and a best friend who is obsessed with his own bowel movements. This is a funny story about growing up and finding one's identity.
Why
I chose to include this book:
I chose this book because Shakespeare resonates with
teens everywhere. Wizner captures young
adulthood perfectly; Shakespeare is embarrassed by his parents, plagued by
unpopularity, and cannot find a date.
Potential
Challenges:
This book contain some drug use, underage drinking and course humor.
This book contain some drug use, underage drinking and course humor.
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