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Busted
In high school, anyone can get busted.
It could be the senior class ski trip, or maybe it's the way you cope with the school bully, or how you entertain yourself in the world's most boring class. Every kid has some secret crime, something that they are afraid they'll get in trouble for. In Busted , four different stories take place throughout one year at Coldwater Creek High School and intertwine to show that no one, whether you are an honors student or the best athlete in school, is safe from getting busted.
It could be the senior class ski trip, or maybe it's the way you cope with the school bully, or how you entertain yourself in the world's most boring class. Every kid has some secret crime, something that they are afraid they'll get in trouble for. In Busted , four different stories take place throughout one year at Coldwater Creek High School and intertwine to show that no one, whether you are an honors student or the best athlete in school, is safe from getting busted.
- GenresYoung Adult
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
3 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Phil Bildner
34 books119 followersPhil Bildner is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books for kids. His latest book is the groundbreaking, #OwnVoices middle grade novel, A High Five for Glenn Burke. He is the author of many children’s picture books including the Margaret Wise Brown Prize winning Marvelous Cornelius, the Texas Bluebonnet Award winning Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy, Martina & Chrissie, Twenty-One Elephants, and The Soccer Fence. Phil is also the author of A Whole New Ballgame, Rookie of the Year, Tournament of Champions, and Most Valuable Players in the critically acclaimed middle grade Rip & Red series.
Phil grew up in Jericho, New York, a Long Island suburb of New York City. He studied political science at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland and then attended law school at New York University School of Law. After passing the bar in New York and New Jersey, Phil worked as an associate at a large Manhattan law firm, but he quickly realized the legal profession wasn’t for him. So he followed his heart and went back to school, earning a master’s degree in early childhood and elementary education from Long Island University.
For eleven years, Phil taught in the New York City Public Schools. Teaching fifth and sixth grade in the Tremont section of the Bronx in the 1990s, he built an innovative ELA curriculum around song lyrics and music. Dave Matthews, Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, Lauryn Hill, and Wyclef Jean all visited his classroom. Teaching middle school English and American History in Manhattan in the 2000s, Phil continued to integrate music and the arts into his curriculum, working with the Lincoln Center Institute, Broadway shows (Wicked, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), and Off-Broadway shows (Def Poetry Jam, De la Guarda).
After leaving the classroom to write full time, Phil began chaperoning student-volunteer trips to New Orleans to help in the post-Hurricane Katrina recovery effort. He founded The NOLA Tree, a non-profit youth service organization and served as the co-Executive Director.
These days, Phil lives in Newburgh, New York with his husband in a two hundred year old farmhouse. Most of the time, you’ll find him out in the yard playing with his dog named Kat or writing on the back porch (aka, his office) overlooking the Hudson River.
Phil grew up in Jericho, New York, a Long Island suburb of New York City. He studied political science at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland and then attended law school at New York University School of Law. After passing the bar in New York and New Jersey, Phil worked as an associate at a large Manhattan law firm, but he quickly realized the legal profession wasn’t for him. So he followed his heart and went back to school, earning a master’s degree in early childhood and elementary education from Long Island University.
For eleven years, Phil taught in the New York City Public Schools. Teaching fifth and sixth grade in the Tremont section of the Bronx in the 1990s, he built an innovative ELA curriculum around song lyrics and music. Dave Matthews, Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, Lauryn Hill, and Wyclef Jean all visited his classroom. Teaching middle school English and American History in Manhattan in the 2000s, Phil continued to integrate music and the arts into his curriculum, working with the Lincoln Center Institute, Broadway shows (Wicked, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), and Off-Broadway shows (Def Poetry Jam, De la Guarda).
After leaving the classroom to write full time, Phil began chaperoning student-volunteer trips to New Orleans to help in the post-Hurricane Katrina recovery effort. He founded The NOLA Tree, a non-profit youth service organization and served as the co-Executive Director.
These days, Phil lives in Newburgh, New York with his husband in a two hundred year old farmhouse. Most of the time, you’ll find him out in the yard playing with his dog named Kat or writing on the back porch (aka, his office) overlooking the Hudson River.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 18, 2007
After reading his first novel, I determined that I would read Bildner's second novel even though I wasn't impressed with his debut. Unfortunately, I think I was less impressed with the second novel. Busted is essentially a collection of short stories to comprise a novel. They're tied together as they take place over the course of a school year. The premise is that "every kid has some secret crime, something that they are afraid they'll get in trouble for." In the end, everyone gets busted.
The idea is intriguing, but in the end, I'm unimpressed with the writing. I'm also disgusted at the actions of many of the characters, particularly the principal, who allows a bully to nearly beat a gay kid to death before he finally intervenes. And how does he intervene? He beats up the bully. Which he can do since nobody will believe the bully's story.
So, having given the author two chances, I don't feel inclined to pick up his next book.
The idea is intriguing, but in the end, I'm unimpressed with the writing. I'm also disgusted at the actions of many of the characters, particularly the principal, who allows a bully to nearly beat a gay kid to death before he finally intervenes. And how does he intervene? He beats up the bully. Which he can do since nobody will believe the bully's story.
So, having given the author two chances, I don't feel inclined to pick up his next book.
August 19, 2019
So first off, the writing was very young. It looks like someone who hasn’t read a lot of adult books and is stuck in middle school writing. Second, every character pissed me off. That’s all I got to say
May 10, 2019
School bully gets what is coming to him!
November 5, 2012
Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com
High school is a crazy time for most people, and the people in these stories are no exception.
A senior trip gone horribly awry, a gambling ring, a horrible bully, the invisible kid who won't be invisible for long, a twisted principal, honor students getting high in the parking lot. These are just some of the things you'll find in the connected short stories in this book.
This is a book about some of the crazy, awful, "seemed like a good idea at the time" things that you, or people you know, do in high school. And the events that those activities set in motion. No one, regardless of age, social standing, or position, is immune to getting busted.
Being that they are short stories, I don't want to tell you too much about what happens. I will tell you that every time I thought I knew what was coming, I got thrown for a big loop. This is not a simple, moralistic, "kids are bad, teachers are good" kind of book. By the time I finished BUSTED, my jaw had fallen open more times than I could count.
Whether you're in school, out of school, or teaching in school, this book is definitely worth reading.
High school is a crazy time for most people, and the people in these stories are no exception.
A senior trip gone horribly awry, a gambling ring, a horrible bully, the invisible kid who won't be invisible for long, a twisted principal, honor students getting high in the parking lot. These are just some of the things you'll find in the connected short stories in this book.
This is a book about some of the crazy, awful, "seemed like a good idea at the time" things that you, or people you know, do in high school. And the events that those activities set in motion. No one, regardless of age, social standing, or position, is immune to getting busted.
Being that they are short stories, I don't want to tell you too much about what happens. I will tell you that every time I thought I knew what was coming, I got thrown for a big loop. This is not a simple, moralistic, "kids are bad, teachers are good" kind of book. By the time I finished BUSTED, my jaw had fallen open more times than I could count.
Whether you're in school, out of school, or teaching in school, this book is definitely worth reading.
January 19, 2010
This book is about a couple a of high schoolers. They experience what it is like to be adults because the find out what alcohol feels like and what it feels like to get in trouble. at a senior ski trip they do things they aren't supposed to. they party with out the teachers knowing and risks all the bad things that can happen.
I can connect this book to the world because there are many kids in the world that do many underage things that could get them in trouble. when they do these things it makes them cause a risk towards them self and to everyone else. these consequences can affect not only them but to others too.
I rate this book 4 stars because I found it to be very interesting. it was about kids that had fun doing what they like to do and that's what made it more fun to read it.
I can connect this book to the world because there are many kids in the world that do many underage things that could get them in trouble. when they do these things it makes them cause a risk towards them self and to everyone else. these consequences can affect not only them but to others too.
I rate this book 4 stars because I found it to be very interesting. it was about kids that had fun doing what they like to do and that's what made it more fun to read it.
October 16, 2011
This book is about a couple a of high schoolers. They experience what it is like to be adults because the find out what alcohol feels like and what it feels like to get in trouble. at a senior ski trip they do things they aren't supposed to. they party with out the teachers knowing and risks all the bad things that can happen. also they find out how to deal with a bully. this bully is rude and makes sexual harrassments to people and tourtures people who dont "fit in" and the principal doesnt know how to deal with it. until one day when the principal takes things to extreem and involves the cops. the last thing is these kids have a "therpy" session where they get high before a class and they get caught but nothing really happens because there is another big crisis about a student having a gun but you never know what really happens.
April 9, 2010
This book is about a couple a of high schoolers. They experience what it is like to be adults because the find out what alcohol feels like and what it feels like to get in trouble. at a senior ski trip they do things they aren't supposed to. they party with out the teachers knowing and risks all the bad things that can happen.
I can connect this book to the world because there are many kids in the world that do many underage things that could get them in trouble. when they do these things it makes them cause a risk towards them self and to everyone else. these consequences can affect not only them but to others too.
I rate this book 3 stars because I hhave seen this before. it was about kids that had fun doing what they like to do and its somthig i do every day..
June 15, 2015
This is a collection of four short stories all about the same high school. Each story ends with a student or group of students being busted by someone in the school.
The first story is about the senior school trip and the repercussions of getting caught drinking, not only for yourself but everyone around you.
The second story stars a young man placing bets on who gets kicked out of class each day - until a senior shows him who is really in charge.
The third story revolves around a school bully and how one principal solves the problem.
The fourth story is about a group of seniors caught smoking weed on school property, and what happens because of that. This story wraps up the other three and brings them all together.
The first story is about the senior school trip and the repercussions of getting caught drinking, not only for yourself but everyone around you.
The second story stars a young man placing bets on who gets kicked out of class each day - until a senior shows him who is really in charge.
The third story revolves around a school bully and how one principal solves the problem.
The fourth story is about a group of seniors caught smoking weed on school property, and what happens because of that. This story wraps up the other three and brings them all together.
May 22, 2014
I wanted to like this book more than I did. Four stories in one book that all tie together could be a good thing. I didn't like it. To me, it was very disjointed. The four storylines bounce around from one to another and back again. I found myself wondering how the bully in the story, Andre, could be in so many places so quickly. I also found myself wondering why he was allowed to do this for a full year without anything being done. The way the principal handled the situations was wrong, and we were basically told that this was the only way to handle them. The end of the book left me feeling unsatisfied.
August 23, 2017
Disappointing. The author seemed enthralled by high school stoners and ineffectual educators. The problems were solved through brutal manipulation or violence and the conclusions of the stories were ineffectual. There was almost no insight into the characters. The sole point of the stories seemed to be to give the author an excuse to relate reams of teenage/stoner dialogue.
January 27, 2016
Hated this book. I won't recommend it to anyone, EVER! This is billed as being true to life high school but it's just self-gratify teenage behavior. Immorality is rampant with no moral lesson in the end. There's a button for "favorite" in this review section, so where's the button for "made me want to hurl?"
September 26, 2008
This book was okay. It wasn't a favorite, but I did like how it followed different people, all going through similar problems, all at the same place, at the same time, and how they effect each other without even knowing it.
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January 12, 2011Damn loved it i could not put it down finished in two days... Sex, Drugs, and Bullying... Spoiler Alert!! Big Bully Named Andre Gets Fucked Up By Principle... I really Recommend this to any students with a harsh or sexual situation..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2008
High school life in a nutshell.
September 9, 2008
So many stories/ charaters intwine together. Teens trying to have fun and drama that connects to one another.In the end you understand how things came to be.AMAZING BOOK.
February 14, 2009
AT times it was slightly perverse and innappropriate but it was funny in a dark kinda way. Hey, it is high school.
April 20, 2011
picked this up for my teenager to read, glad I read the first chapter before passing it along. Pretty graffic with the sex and alchol / drug use. Not what i was hoping for.
August 8, 2011
I really didn't like this book. It wasn't as good as I thought it would be, and I really had to push myself to keep reading.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews