Twerp by Mark Goldblatt ~ My Thoughts #Twerp #NetGalley

Twerp

Twerp by Mark Goldblatt
Series: (Twerp #1)
Print and e-book, 290 pages
Grade Level: 4 - 7
Published May 28th 2013 by Random House Books for Young Readers

It's not like I meant for Danley to get hurt. . . .

Julian Twerski isn't a bully. He's just made a big mistake. So when he returns to school after a weeklong suspension, his English teacher offers him a deal: if he keeps a journal and writes about the incident that got him and his friends suspended, he can get out of writing a report on Shakespeare. Julian jumps at the chance. And so begins his account of life in sixth grade--blowing up homemade fireworks, writing a love letter for his best friend (with disastrous results), and worrying whether he's still the fastest kid in school. Lurking in the background, though, is the one story he can't bring himself to tell, the one story his teacher most wants to hear.

Inspired by Mark Goldblatt's own childhood growing up in 1960s Queens, Twerp shines with powerful writing that will have readers laughing and crying right along with these flawed but unforgettable characters.

The series on Goodreads

My thoughts about Twerp ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"My English teacher, Mr. Selkirk, says I have to write something, and it has to be long, on account of the the thing that happened over winter recess—which in my opinion, doesn't amount to much."

Julian is a very likable 6th grader, who is assigned by his teacher to write in a journal about an incident that happened over break. As we read the journal, we find out so much about Julian, his life, and what it is like to be a 12 year old boy—a boy who is just trying to figure out how to live in his world.

Twerp was a very enjoyable read for me, even though it's not the typical kind of story I usually read. Sometimes it's refreshing to step outside the box and discover new authors and new worlds.

I received Twerp from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

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