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Tween Hobo: Off the Rails

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A hilarious and irreverent illustrated book based on the popular Twitter feed (@tweenhobo), featuring a young spunky girl who packs up her glitter pens and sneaks out of math class one Monday afternoon to traverse the railroads in search of freedom, adventure, and her own personal Justin Bieber tickets.

Get ready to laugh and learn with the littlest hobo. She’s only twelve years old, but a “hard twelve.” You’ll meet her Stumptown Jim (a hero who tried his best to homeschool her on the road); Tin Cap Earl (who’s always up for shooting a “Call Me Maybe” parody video in a graveyard); Toothpick Frank (who loves Pinterest); Salt Chunk Annie (a “woman of the night,” whatever that means) and Hot Johnny Two-Cakes (who Tween Hobo swears she does NOT have a crush on).

Find out how she survives, thanks in part to the kindness of park rangers. You’ll hear her take on major cultural events (“I go off a fiscal cliff every time I go near a Claire’s.”). And you’ll enjoy beautiful hand-rendered illustrations that bring out the beauty in her words—just like how eyeliner makes a hobo’s look really pop.

Often snarky and frequently ridiculous, this imaginative journal-like book includes maps, jokes, laughs, doodles, tips, hobo symbols (“House with a triangle on top means PIZZA PARTY!!!), games, stories, and more. So grab your iPhone and wrap it in a handkerchief, tie it to a stick, and let’s roll!

240 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2014

3 people are currently reading
60 people want to read

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Tween Hobo

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5 stars
11 (18%)
4 stars
14 (22%)
3 stars
21 (34%)
2 stars
9 (14%)
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6 (9%)
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
Profile Image for Sam C.
693 reviews11 followers
May 28, 2014
Vapid is the one word that kept running across my mind countless times while reading this book. I don't know why I bothered. I don't even like Justin Bieber, so what possessed me to request this title? The character seemed like an old soul trapped in a tween body...sometimes. It was jarring. The obsession with Bieber is realistic, but I did not want to waste my time reading an entire book about it when I can just go on Twitter and search #JustinBieber to read what the teenagers (aka the millions calling themselves Mrs. Bieber) today are wetting their panties about--all in 140 characters or less.
Profile Image for Jillyn.
732 reviews
June 16, 2014
Two and a half stars.

---

Tween Hobo is a book based on the Twitter account @TweenHobo, which follows the tales of a fifth grader who decides that she's had enough of her life in school and starts anew, jumping onto a freight train to travel the rails. Complete with both tweets and prose, this is a book that combines a Justin Beiber obsession of epic proportions, social media, and life stretched across America with snark, humor, and a sense of style.

I think my main issue with this book is that I have no idea who this book's intended audience is. On the surface, it's clearly a middle grade book. The little hobo protagonist is young, has obsessions with things like Twitter, Beiber, glitter, rainbows, and nail polish. So many girls have been through that phase. And yet, there's vocabulary and humor that seems geared towards adults. There's talk of cathouses and women of the night, and the word "dick" is used. Don't get me wrong, I'm not stranger to these themes or language, but when I'm expecting a breezy middle grade read, it's off-putting. Is it satirical? Maybe. I was left laughing at parts because it was humor I got, but then it turned to frustration because I'm not so sure a kid would find it funny for the same reasons.

Though I knew going in that this book was based off of social media, the obsession was a bit much. I don't think anyone should be quite so attached to the internet and social networking as she is, I don't care whether you're twelve or 57. The Beiber obsession, however, was completely dead on. I know girls that age who feel very much the same way about him, for whatever reason.

I found her humor at times to be brilliant. She sometimes seemed like a wise little adult. But then it would go back to talk of tweets and spelling words with z's at the end instead of s's and then the charm would be gone. It was cute at times but also glaringly unrealistic; no parents came after her, her phone was always charged and attached to wi-fi, etc.

I have no idea who to recommend this to, other than Beiber fans or Twitter fanatics. What age? I've got not a clue. All in all, I feel like a book isn't necessary. If you follow the Twitter account, you'll get a sense of the book, and in my opinion it could have all just stayed there.

Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review. This review can also be found on my new blog, Bitches n Prose.
Profile Image for Monica.
192 reviews14 followers
October 7, 2014
I actually had to read this book for a university course on Tween Literature and I loved it! I know many have complained it was super annoying but I thought it was hilarious and that was obviously the point of the book. It's definitely not a book for tweens to read but it's a way for adults to basically laugh at tween culture (and I'm not gonna lie, I'm in my 20s and I'm guilty of saying some of these things too). Tween Hobo is witty, clever and honestly just hilarious! Reading this book made me laugh and I caught myself many times being like 'ahhh I see what you did there with that pun' :P Yes, she was annoying with her Justin Bieber fangirling but I was a Belieber too at some point...(two years ago...I was young...)
The perfect book for my age group to be honest, she made references to Twilight (which I was also totally obsessed with), Hunger Games, Miley Cyrus, the Olsen twins, etc. I found her so ridiculous you just had to laugh. It's not a book you can take seriously but at the same time you're reading it and thinking 'this is actually what tween culture has come to'. It's a great way for us to critique tween culture and pop culture in today's society in a humourous and entertaining way.
And I totally follow her on Twitter now lol #tweenhoboftw

LOVE IT and definitely recommend it!!
Profile Image for Renata.
2,977 reviews445 followers
February 13, 2014
I'm giving this 5 stars not because it's a perfect book, but because every book has its reader, and in this case, I am that reader. This book is like... improbably perfectly attuned to my own personal sense of humor.

I'm honestly not sure how many other people would like this book? A lot of the "tween" references are clearly aimed at twenty-somethings who were once tween girls--scrunchies, Lisa Frank, etc--but it's clearly set now-ish, with Justin Bieber and emoji references aplenty. I suspect the target audience woudl be a twenty-something person who is also attuned to today's tween pop culture but also love hobo code. So... again, I am the target audience for this book.

It's ostensibly YA but I don't know how many actual tweens/teens would think it's funny? The plot is a loosely structured cross-country adventure on rails, interspersed with a lot of tweets from the @tweenhobo account.

It was a fun, fast read that I personally thought was 100% hilarious, but I acknowledge that it is likely a book with limited appeal.
Profile Image for Nathan Rabin.
Author 21 books191 followers
June 4, 2014
This is a very clever and charming little book about a very clever and charming little scamp. God bless her.
Profile Image for Rosemary.
247 reviews4 followers
June 5, 2014
How can you resist a book with a title like "Tween Hobo"?

As an alien to the Twitterverse, I didn't know about @TweenHobo's viral life prior to reading this...so I have to say up front that it took me awhile to figure out what was going on (the tweets and images don't show up particularly well on my old-school Kindle). Once I did, though, I found this a hilarious and irreverent sendup both of tween culture and of the adults who created it as a niche marketing category.

It says volumes about me as an adult reader that despite the clearly tongue-in-cheek tone, it took me a long time not to worry about Tween Hobo's safety as she rides the rails with a degenerate but lovable group of older men. Obvs, I read too much YA and was totes waiting for the sexual abuse theme to appear.

It doesn't, and in fact, a lot of Tween Hobo's observations have to do with the hypocrisy of adult views of children--for example, when she tries to get a job picking tomatoes, and the farmer goes on a rant about how Un-American child labor is, and then turns to deal with "a bunch of Mexican dudes lined up to hand over thirty-two pounds of fresh-picked tomatoes for abut fifty cents each." After stumbling across the aftermath of a school shooting, she comes to the logical conclusion that "we should outlaw schools," since that's where these things always happen.

But this all makes it sound like _Tween Hobo_ is a serious book, and it's most definitely not. There are laugh-out-loud moments here--I especially loved the "Great American Poems (by Tween Hobo)" section, which includes such gems as

There's a stake in your fat black heart
And the villagers never liked you
If I can't have a vampire-themed bat mitzvah
Daddy, daddy we're through

--and

So much depends
On me
Doing the chicken dance

In fact, there are a lot of clever literary references here: Tween Hobo runs into the Joads in Oklahoma, (mis)quotes Ginsberg's "Howl," and tweets as @GoodySalem: "If I drown, I'm not a witch. If I float, you'll kill me anyway. #Mondays." But TH is also fluent in Tween: she's a Belieber, and a Twilight fan, and plays MASH with her fellow hobos.

In the end, this felt like it went on a lot longer than it should have--as funny as it is, the premise gets a little tired after awhile. And I'm not quite sure who the audience for the book is, since it doesn't seem like it's pitched to actual tweens. But it's a fun read, and a skillful parody of the adolescent culture machine.

[Note: I received this book as a free e-ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
Profile Image for Mehsi.
15.5k reviews465 followers
February 14, 2016
I got this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

Sorry, really sorry, but I just can't finish this book. Grammar/spelling errors, and one that really made me go twitching:
"And her name is Honig. Which means Honey in Dutch." No NO NO. That might have once been used as that, and maybe it is still used by some very very old people, but these days, Honey = Honing (note the n). Honig is still used in the German language though, but again German is NOT Dutch.

Also I absolutely hated the kid. Bieber this, Sparkly that, I almost expected her to rant about damn ponies, but thank Lord she didn't do that.

I normally love Middle Grade books, and this one sounded absolutely wonderful and interesting. Sadly, I just get a headache from the girl and how she speaks and acts. I also so far haven't seen any parent interaction (she is trainhopping and such, and twittering, and yet no one comes after her?).

So sorry, I couldn't finish this book. :(
Profile Image for IvyAna Cerin.
20 reviews
May 14, 2016
Fun and clever. A definite must read for those of us who adore road trips and exploring.
22 reviews
December 10, 2020
Short, entertaining, and funny story. I wasn't expecting the next Steinbeck and maybe my low expectations was one of the reasons I didn't mind it as much as others. It's far from a masterpiece and it definitely reminded me of the travel picture books I read as a kid but the varied layout and the humor kept my interest long enough for me to finish the book.
Profile Image for Andréa.
12.1k reviews113 followers
Want to Read
April 14, 2021
Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
147 reviews14 followers
April 29, 2014
My Thoughts on this particular matter: Sooooooo much Bieber...Soooooo sooooo much. It was awful. It was so much of the horrible. Also, there was a lot of The Hunger Games. There was a lot of pop culture references. I thought it was cool how the author swung it but still...it was a lot and all the time.

I wasn't really certain what age group this novel was written for. The main character was, as one might guess, a tween and talked a lot about things that a tween would care about; however, there was a lot of larger words. There were also concepts, references, and jokes that would only be funny for older people. It all just confused me a little bit. It was funny though, since I got most of the jokes. You really need to be up on pop culture or else you will be a little bit lost.

I thought the drawings were perfect when they were used. They were cute especially since I decided that it's for a younger audience. I really liked the different formats of writing used. There were tweets and lists and images. I liked the variety.

The slang and text lingo was, because this novel was short, acceptable. However, the grammar mistakes were not acceptable. The question marks in the middle of sentences really freak me out. I do not like those at all. They need to be stopped before they take over the world. Trust me, if they aren't controlled than they will take over the world.

My favourite parts were (you'll need to buy the book and look them up for the laugh as I will not be quoting the pages for you) Histories Greatest Tweets, the Rowling Family Tree, and Great American Poem since it uses parts from real poems.

Sadly, this novel was mucho unrealistic...obviously, cause somebody would have been looking for the fifth grader. I also really doubt that she's manage to get away from the slammer in the same way she did. I agree with her about one thing though. School would be better if we actually learned things and travelling is a wonderful way for one to learn.

Honestly, the only reasons its a 5 out of 10 is because it was a bit too young for me and also I don't care about Justin Bieber...Plus, I feel so bad for people who are this attached to social media. I really relate to her, the main character...I can't do fractions either.

I loved that it all came together.
Plus, the acknowledgments page was cute. Man, I say cute a lot. I apologize and will go look up more words for cute right now.

So: It was cute but a little bit too young for me. I'd recommend it to someone who is, in fact, a tween. Then their parents can read it and enjoy the older people jokes. It's the perfect buy for pairs like that. It's pretty good.

SEE MORE REVIEWS HERE --> http://one-chapter-ahead.blogspot.ca/
Profile Image for Olivia (Bookcomet).
362 reviews36 followers
January 30, 2014
I'd say #good pretty much sums this up.

Oh wow. Ok. I haven't actually been able to stop thinking in hashtags after reading this book. No joke.

Tween Hobo was a really light and entertaining read about an eleven year old girl who goes by Tween Hobo. Yup, Tween Hobo. She has a Twitter feed where she leaves updates in her own, quirky way. The Tweets were definitely the best bit.

However, Tween Hobo wasn't just Tweets alone. There were different styles involved, such as one part is told in third person and it's also told in first person too.

Tween Hobo has such a funny way of speaking and thinking. She's so innocent and attacks problems with the ferocity of an eleven year old girl - with glitter pens. Scary. She's definitely very confident and doesn't seem to be apprehensive of anyone in the slightest, which makes a cool and fairly welcome change to what I typically read.

However, she annoyed me a lot.

What I didn't like is the effort that her parents put in to find her. They did not put in nearly enough effort and when they did they where like: where are you/want me to pick you up? Not your average worried parents behaviour.

I really liked the characters. They were very different and all had quirky names that were fairly...unique.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading middle grade fiction. It was a fun, entertaining read that's pretty much a light between the darkness of the dark serious dystopian books out lately.

2.5 comets - Minor ident.
Profile Image for Kristina Mathioudakis.
737 reviews3 followers
June 18, 2016
I know that this book was based off of a twitter account, but I had never heard of it before being contacted to review this book. The first-person narrator was an eleven year old girl, so that alone should tell you the depth of the story. There were many pop cultural references, including many to Justin Bieber. This got kind of annoying, as did the language although I know it was just part of the character.

I am someone that cannot grasp the difference between my age group and the next, because everything was so different when I was a kid. We did not have twitter or Facebook, and the only time I could use the Internet was at the library at school or the massive desktop my parents had. Reading this book kind of made me feel annoyed because it portrays, at the beginning for sure, a girl that is ignorant of a world away from teen heartthrobs and tumblr.

Full review: http://theprincessgummybearreviews.bl...
Profile Image for Bryan Hall.
167 reviews9 followers
January 11, 2015
Gets off to a weak start that had me worried it would be all Tween, No Hobo. Improved from there, but the Bieber- and Twilight-love too often seem not ironic, but sincere (which in itself isn't objectionable, but the way it comes across is way too annoying-kid). Plenty of good wit is scattered throughout and it definitely picks up once it becomes clear that there is a story underneath the conceit, rather than just assorted musings.

Still, it's only ok at best. The tone is just strange, in that it's never clear whether the target audience is Bieber-loving tweens who can identify with the narrator or adults who can read it for the sardonic edge. Too much tweeny-bopping for me, but plenty of jokes/references that a younger crowd definitely wouldn't pick up on, as well as some material probably too mature for them.

That said, it was breezy enough to recommend if you see any appeal in the title.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Curington.
204 reviews22 followers
May 27, 2014
Wow did this book make me feel old! (I am only 33, just FYI.) I work with 14yo all day long, but still!

I liked the pop culture references. I loathed the Bieber obsession. I laughed out loud at times. I groaned at times. I can't help but wonder where her parents or any reliable adult was at any time. How did she manage to keep up with her phone and keep it charged? I couldn't get past reality enough to enjoy the book.

So: cute, but utterly forgettable. This could have stayed on Twitter.

*I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Laura.
211 reviews51 followers
March 1, 2014
I'm reviewing this book for NetGallery.

When I read the summary, I immediately knew I wanted to read this book. I thought it would be a light, amusing read. It definitely didn't disappoint. Although it's a young adult book, there are a lot of references to older popular culture that I'm not sure young adults will get; however, being in my thirties, I got them and it felt like an inside joke with the author.

If you want a book that will make you laugh, give Tween Hobo a try.
Profile Image for Heather.
63 reviews21 followers
May 5, 2014
I was asked to review this book by NetGalley.
I enjoyed this novel, even though I am much much much older than a tween. Having teenagers living at home, I do appreciate the humour and cultural references in the story. Reading this book was just like talking to my own daughter! The character reminds me of Darynda Jones' Charlie Davidson character if she was a tween. I laughed out loud many times while I was reading and I loved the tweets in the story.
Profile Image for Nicole Shepard.
149 reviews3 followers
July 14, 2014
This book was laugh out loud funny! The idea behind it is genius and the writing was hilarious and just my sense of humor.

Don't hate on this book - it is purely for entertainment and it entertained the crap outta me!
Profile Image for Jennifer.
209 reviews1 follower
July 15, 2014
I am a sucker for lots of things, and thanks to my John Steinbeck phase in high school, hobos are one of those things. This book is original, hilarious and fun.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews