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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
Great coming-of-age story. Lubar manages to offer a new spin on the old "one meaningful summer in a teen's life" story through the bizarre figure of Bozo, the clown in the dunk tank. Though Chad learns to express his rage through humor, the overall impression left by the book is not one of comedy but of survival. I'll definitely be recommending this one.
hands down one of my favorite books. I have reread this numerous times. If i'm in a reading slump, this helps me get out of it.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I’m not excited about the sarcastic humor because it can be very damaging to the “target” so I had a bit of trouble with the major vehicle in the book. The relationships were real and interesting, but the humor wasn’t my speed.
Dunk the Bozo. 3 balls for $2. You know the routine. 3 chances to hit the target and dump the clown in the water tank. But bet you haven’t met this clown. He’s full of insults to goad on the crowd. And once he has them hooked he pours it on. “If that’s your best throw, you’d better just mail the other balls to me. Anybody got a stamp?”
Chad lives on the Jersey shore where every summer the boardwalk turns into an amusement park. And this year Chad thinks it would be way cool to work the dunk tank... until he gets his chance and then he’s not so sure.
Dunk the Bozo. 3 balls for $2. You know the routine. 3 chances to hit the target and dump the clown in the water tank. But bet you haven’t met this clown. He’s full of insults to goad on the crowd. And once he has them hooked he pours it on. “If that’s your best throw, you’d better just mail the other balls to me. Anybody got a stamp?”
Chad lives on the Jersey shore where every summer the boardwalk turns into an amusement park. And this year Chad thinks it would be way cool to work the dunk tank... until he gets his chance and then he’s not so sure.
This is actually a pretty good story to listen to. having listened to it all the way through with my 19-year-old daughter during a road trip, i'd like to think that the emotional healing that some of the characters went through and how they learned to let go of a negative past might have sunk in for her, since has serious issues with my parenting of her.
it is entirely possible that i disliked this book merely because it contained clowns.
A really sweet book with a great setting and a good premise (I wanted to be the Bozo myself after the first few pages). I have little patience for the angry misunderstood adolescent protagonist, so I found it slow going for bits. But it's a winner. And I love the Jersey Shore.
"You didn't have to live the rest of your life with your first choice. A choice isn't a tattoo."
"You didn't have to live the rest of your life with your first choice. A choice isn't a tattoo."
I can see my elementary aged son enjoying this story, but why my school district would have this as suggested material for teaching to and with 9th grade, I am a little lost. Feels way too young for the target audience I was given.
I enjoyed this book. It would be a good book for kids needing help with sticking themselves out there in the world.