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Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie #1
Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie
Dealing with bullies, the separation of old friends, and unsuccessful romances as a high school student, Scott decides to write a journal for his younger sibling in order to give him a helpful guide for surviving all the dramas, struggles, and issues he will be forced to face when he gets put into the game. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
288 pages, Library Binding
First published July 21, 2005
338 people are currently reading
5800 people want to read
About the author
David Lubar
107 books245 followersDavid Lubar created a sensation with his debut novel, Hidden Talents, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Thousands of kids and educators across the country have voted Hidden Talents onto over twenty state lists. David is also the author of True Talents, the sequel to Hidden Talents; Flip, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and a VOYA Best Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror selection; several short story collections: In the Land of the Lawn Weenies, Invasion of the Road Weenies, The Curse of the Campfire Weenies, The Battle of the Red Hot Pepper Weenies, and Attack of the Vampire Weenies; and the Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie series. Lubar grew up in Morristown, New Jersey, and he has also lived in New Brunswick, Edison and Piscataway, NJ, and Sacramento, CA. Besides writing, he has also worked as a video game programmer and designer. He now lives in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidl...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidl...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,435 reviews
December 30, 2009
I absolutely adored this book. From your first glance at the title, you are intrigued. When you read the description/sneak peek on the back flap, you are reeled in. And from the first chapter to the last, you're undoubtedly hooked.
The main character, Scott Hudson, is a smart freshmen bookworm with a witty outlook on life. He begins constructing a Guide To High school that he will present to his sibling to-be when they enter.
I loved the things they learned in his Honors English class {wish I was in it!} and all the characters were all quite believable and realistic.
Scott pines after a girl whom he has known since kindergarten, a girl who comes back from summer beautiful. His attempts to charm her lead him into his school paper (covering the school's awful football team), crew of the spring musical, and even student council.
Though, his attempts fall flat since she still dates the idiotic quarterback with no brain.
His little clique of best friends fall apart throughout the year as well. But by the end, he does have some strong friends. His friends at the end are people he was terrified of at the start of the novel.
Personally, this book was GREAT! and I would so date Scott Hudson. ;)
Read the book, it must be good since it spurred me to write my first ever review on this website!
The main character, Scott Hudson, is a smart freshmen bookworm with a witty outlook on life. He begins constructing a Guide To High school that he will present to his sibling to-be when they enter.
I loved the things they learned in his Honors English class {wish I was in it!} and all the characters were all quite believable and realistic.
Scott pines after a girl whom he has known since kindergarten, a girl who comes back from summer beautiful. His attempts to charm her lead him into his school paper (covering the school's awful football team), crew of the spring musical, and even student council.
Though, his attempts fall flat since she still dates the idiotic quarterback with no brain.
His little clique of best friends fall apart throughout the year as well. But by the end, he does have some strong friends. His friends at the end are people he was terrified of at the start of the novel.
Personally, this book was GREAT! and I would so date Scott Hudson. ;)
Read the book, it must be good since it spurred me to write my first ever review on this website!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2011
June 19, 2011
Super cute! Scott was AWESOME! And I'm just going to say ditto to the stuff I said down there vv because I feel the same way!! :)
December 15, 2008
I'd give it 4.5 if I could.... I'm still working on that.
It was REALLY REALLY CUTE! I REALLY like Scott! He was so cute and nerdy, but in a great way! Just the kind of guy I would have gone for in high school... Of course, it would have been a super-secret crush, and he would never have suspected in a million years. But whatever. The guy was actually a lot like me, except that I was a huge math nerd, not an English nerd. And BOY, are math nerds nerdier!
ANYWAY! Book was cute. I couldn't believe the lengths Scott was willing to go to in order to spend time with Julia, when he couldn't even TALK to her! And, okay, I lied. I was more like Julia, including dating a bad-boy in high school. Except for the being gorgeous thing. I had bad glasses, bad hair, and bad clothes in high school. It's actually painful to think about—like Drew Barrymore in Never Been Kissed. Okay, not that bad. :)
Wow. This is completely off topic. The book was very interesting. It's one thing to read a book where the protagonist is male when it's written by a WOMAN. But it's a complete other thing when the book is actually written by a MAN. So I got some very intriguing insights into the mind of a teenage boy, without it being gross. He was actually a very respectful teenage boy, which is something I'm not used to... :P His mom and dad were great. I loved the whole diary-for-a-fetus thing... :D
I loved the characters of Mouth and Lee. Gosh, Mouth would be my best friend, but I'd be scared to death of Lee (and secretly envious of her green hair). I loved Wesley, too. He was REALLY FUNNY... siphoning gas... holy freaking cow!
Anyway, overall very cute. And I think I'm going to bump it up to 5 stars, as I loved it. Oh, and there are some serious teen issues in the book that Scott handles the best way he knows how... Suicide, bullies, judging people... those kinds of things. It was really good.
Super cute! Scott was AWESOME! And I'm just going to say ditto to the stuff I said down there vv because I feel the same way!! :)
December 15, 2008
I'd give it 4.5 if I could.... I'm still working on that.
It was REALLY REALLY CUTE! I REALLY like Scott! He was so cute and nerdy, but in a great way! Just the kind of guy I would have gone for in high school... Of course, it would have been a super-secret crush, and he would never have suspected in a million years. But whatever. The guy was actually a lot like me, except that I was a huge math nerd, not an English nerd. And BOY, are math nerds nerdier!
ANYWAY! Book was cute. I couldn't believe the lengths Scott was willing to go to in order to spend time with Julia, when he couldn't even TALK to her! And, okay, I lied. I was more like Julia, including dating a bad-boy in high school. Except for the being gorgeous thing. I had bad glasses, bad hair, and bad clothes in high school. It's actually painful to think about—like Drew Barrymore in Never Been Kissed. Okay, not that bad. :)
Wow. This is completely off topic. The book was very interesting. It's one thing to read a book where the protagonist is male when it's written by a WOMAN. But it's a complete other thing when the book is actually written by a MAN. So I got some very intriguing insights into the mind of a teenage boy, without it being gross. He was actually a very respectful teenage boy, which is something I'm not used to... :P His mom and dad were great. I loved the whole diary-for-a-fetus thing... :D
I loved the characters of Mouth and Lee. Gosh, Mouth would be my best friend, but I'd be scared to death of Lee (and secretly envious of her green hair). I loved Wesley, too. He was REALLY FUNNY... siphoning gas... holy freaking cow!
Anyway, overall very cute. And I think I'm going to bump it up to 5 stars, as I loved it. Oh, and there are some serious teen issues in the book that Scott handles the best way he knows how... Suicide, bullies, judging people... those kinds of things. It was really good.
February 17, 2009
I love to read YA literature about guys that are written by guys. I find it to be more entertaining, on the whole, than books about guys written by women. This book didn't disappoint in that regard.
The gimmick of chronicling the lessons learned in school was not too over the top so as to get annoying. Also, the author does a good job of making some surprising characters to be really interesting, and the romance resolution wasn't at all what I thought would have expected. It seems like it's going to go against type, and then he throws a wrench, and then it's all up in the air. I liked that.
I also liked that the author got into the characterization of the parents and Scott's older brother--they spiced up the book (and I hate to read a book about teenagers that acts as if they exist in a vacuum and they have no meaningful interactions with adults).
All in all, a decent book that I was able to rip through in a day. If you've got an extra 6 hours or so, you might try and find a copy of this book and get a laugh or two.
The gimmick of chronicling the lessons learned in school was not too over the top so as to get annoying. Also, the author does a good job of making some surprising characters to be really interesting, and the romance resolution wasn't at all what I thought would have expected. It seems like it's going to go against type, and then he throws a wrench, and then it's all up in the air. I liked that.
I also liked that the author got into the characterization of the parents and Scott's older brother--they spiced up the book (and I hate to read a book about teenagers that acts as if they exist in a vacuum and they have no meaningful interactions with adults).
All in all, a decent book that I was able to rip through in a day. If you've got an extra 6 hours or so, you might try and find a copy of this book and get a laugh or two.
January 26, 2012
When I saw the cover and title, the only thing I wanted to do was to read the book. Now the only thing I want to do is warn other people not to read the book. David Lubar’s Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie successfully bored me to death with its magnificently dull plot. Firstly, the author’s style is horrendous. The main character, Scott Hudson, is an average kid with nothing special about him. Dedicated solely to depict Scott’s journey throughout freshmen year, this book is terrible. I personally despised how the book consisted of multiple diary entries, all of which are addressed to Scott’s unborn sibling. The author tried too hard to recreate a teenager and ended up creating a mess. Secondly, Scott writes his diary entries with an unbelievable and unmatchable level of immaturity. Scott consistently greets his sibling with stupid names and references like when Scott says, “Hey, toe sucker” (199). It is even more humiliating when Scott says, “Hey, you fluid-dwelling piece of protoplasm” (55). This book is supposed to be humorous but instead it’s one of the worst reads I’ve ever had. Referring to his unborn sibling as a “fluid-dwelling piece of protoplasm” (55), Scott merely embarrasses himself over and over. Is that supposed to be funny? Grow up, Scott! Why did he refer to his sibling as a “toe sucker”? It was phrases like these that made me lose respect for Scott and this book. At home, my eyes closed as I write this review, I realized that the bottom line is that it is better to get hit by a truck than to read this book.
July 2, 2019
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
Scott is a freshman in high school learning to navigate his new surroundings, social status and crush. When he gets the news that his mother is pregnant, he decides to begin a notebook to write down advice to his unborn sibling on how to survive the chaos that is high school.
Although I was not a huge fan of this book, I do think that it would be a hit for the target audience. In my opinion it was a bit bland and predictable and I was bored through most of it.
Scott is a freshman in high school learning to navigate his new surroundings, social status and crush. When he gets the news that his mother is pregnant, he decides to begin a notebook to write down advice to his unborn sibling on how to survive the chaos that is high school.
Although I was not a huge fan of this book, I do think that it would be a hit for the target audience. In my opinion it was a bit bland and predictable and I was bored through most of it.
September 23, 2015
3.5 Stars
I find this book quite boring at first. its pretty dull in the beginning with nothing hugely interesting happened. But things start to pick up and i was surprised to find myself enjoying it.
i think the best part of this book is Scott himself. Hes a pretty cool and decent guy. And he loves book. He has this cool way of thinking and most of the time i love being in his mind (which I have to admit, is a rare occasion)
I find this book quite boring at first. its pretty dull in the beginning with nothing hugely interesting happened. But things start to pick up and i was surprised to find myself enjoying it.
i think the best part of this book is Scott himself. Hes a pretty cool and decent guy. And he loves book. He has this cool way of thinking and most of the time i love being in his mind (which I have to admit, is a rare occasion)
June 9, 2016
This was a very light, fun & quick read and I loved it! I loved Scott's personality and his humor. Loved the writing.
Definitely glad I picked it up so randomly.
Definitely glad I picked it up so randomly.
January 12, 2016
This book is just so under rated. Its a laugh out loud one. There are other books of this type which tries to make us laugh, but by the effort it seems that the author is trying to force the humor into the depressing parts also. But here David truly narrated from a freshman's perspective. Its refreshing to see Scott to struggle with change that comes with maturity,how friends drift apart and how the people who once seemed Impossible to live with move out of town and he just had to deal with it.
Also how the other characters developed also sort of impressed me. This one is not one of them in which the dorky freshman gets then hot chick in the end. This is real life and how to deal with it. :)
Also how the other characters developed also sort of impressed me. This one is not one of them in which the dorky freshman gets then hot chick in the end. This is real life and how to deal with it. :)
July 7, 2017
Found my first read aloud for the school year! This book had me cracking up and then tearing up. Scott is a smart, funny, and caring freshman who describes his first year in a way that you can't stop reading. I think my 8th graders would thoroughly enjoy the story and there are even a few school related terms that I can incorporate while reading out loud! LOVE this book!
February 9, 2017
This one really engaged my son (a read aloud). I thought it was a bit hokey, but hey....I'm not a 14 year old freshman boy (Thank God!!)
August 25, 2021
This book was a 3.5/5. Considering this book was a school book, I liked it better than if I would of read it for fun. The beginning was slow and was lacking flavor until Lee was introduced. Lee was an okay character but I really didn’t like the vibe that came off from her. SHE LITERALLY HISSED AT SCOTT. Who tf does that??? I really do enjoy how this book talks about serious topics and the way it shows that you really don't know a person's true feelings. This book had about 20% romance but I still didn't enjoy who Scott ended up. I’m really surprised that Scott made a senior friend and that Scott improved his ways of thinking throughout the book. Overall, I liked this book. Would I recommend this to people? Maybe, if you like nonromantic stories, but I would rather recommend other books to you. (Ps. Scott was annoying sometimes cuz man tried to do ANYTHING FOR JULIA and he wouldn't do stuff just because he wanted to.)
September 26, 2020
This one kind of dragged for me... But it was still one of the best books I have read. Plus it had me laughing/crying/and getting angry around every corner. If you know me, I have a thing about books that make me emotional. Not crying as much as laughing but it still gets to me. This one deals with some harder topics, such as a friend and suicide. As well as getting "Free" gas and fights. Not the biggest deal because the way it is written, it really makes you feel and get over it with the main character as well.
PARENT NOTE: Deals with Suicide, person (friend) doesn't die, but it tells us he tried to hang himself from the fan. But he falls from it and gets taken to the hospital.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: 11 and up, but might be more understood at 13 and old.
VIOLENCE: A few black eyes, threats, and definitely punching.
ROMANCE: Clean!
SWEARING: Some, but from what I remember not much.
PARENT NOTE: Deals with Suicide, person (friend) doesn't die, but it tells us he tried to hang himself from the fan. But he falls from it and gets taken to the hospital.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: 11 and up, but might be more understood at 13 and old.
VIOLENCE: A few black eyes, threats, and definitely punching.
ROMANCE: Clean!
SWEARING: Some, but from what I remember not much.
September 16, 2016
To be honest, I was't looking forward to this book... I don't even know why I put it on my to-read list. Even when i got it at the library I felt kind of dull. I didn't start reading it until 11 p.m. that night, but i didn't put it down until I was done O_O I finished passed 6 a.m.! I have NEVER read a book in one night before! I LOVED it. I think it was absolutely brilliant and so worth the sleep deprivation.
You know what I love? I love the feeling you get when you laugh. And i'm not talking about laughing quietly to yourself or laughing politely. I'm talking about when you actually find something really funny and you can't hold back a laugh. Your chest just feels so light and you feel wonderful in the moment. This book gave me many of those moments. Kind of awkward because if my parents heard me laughing by myself at 4 a.m.... O_O It would've been worth the trouble, though!
Okay, yes, some of it was a little far fetched, but not too much. And it made an AMAZING story! I love all the lessons taught. It was just wonderful. I especially loved how it was mentioned that we really don't realize our assets. We don't see ourselves the way other people see us. I think everyone needs to be less hard on themselves because i don't care who you are, you have something to offer. Take Louden (Mouth) for example. He talked too much, but he always persevered. When one girl turned him down at the dance, he asked another. And Lee who was never afraid to be herself no matter what people thought of her. This book deserves nothing less that 5 stars.
You know what I love? I love the feeling you get when you laugh. And i'm not talking about laughing quietly to yourself or laughing politely. I'm talking about when you actually find something really funny and you can't hold back a laugh. Your chest just feels so light and you feel wonderful in the moment. This book gave me many of those moments. Kind of awkward because if my parents heard me laughing by myself at 4 a.m.... O_O It would've been worth the trouble, though!
Okay, yes, some of it was a little far fetched, but not too much. And it made an AMAZING story! I love all the lessons taught. It was just wonderful. I especially loved how it was mentioned that we really don't realize our assets. We don't see ourselves the way other people see us. I think everyone needs to be less hard on themselves because i don't care who you are, you have something to offer. Take Louden (Mouth) for example. He talked too much, but he always persevered. When one girl turned him down at the dance, he asked another. And Lee who was never afraid to be herself no matter what people thought of her. This book deserves nothing less that 5 stars.
June 28, 2015
Summer reading 2015
My students in summer school really enjoyed this book and it's helping them get more comfortable with the idea of high school.
My students in summer school really enjoyed this book and it's helping them get more comfortable with the idea of high school.
June 29, 2017
Liked it! Will share as a book talk this year:)
November 19, 2023
Passed my time but wouldn't read it again. It was a fast-paced high school drama that wasn't super interesting but easy to read. 3.4 stars
August 18, 2017
As a Freshman I can firmly say that I hate it. The plot is extraordinarily boring, with shallow characters and a obvious desperation to be relatable to teenagers. The Book starts as solid. The main character, Scott's, high school experience begins as what many teenagers expect for high school to be like: bullies steal lunch money, the one they love is tragically distant and unreachable, and friends and family gradually grow more distant. New friends are made, however, and Scott's life improves. When the problem begins, is at the end. Scott suddenly lives in a Utopia. He has a new friend group, he turns down the girl he was obsessed with all year, and it is as if he was replaced with two-dimensional hero. Spanish, a language he couldn't comprehend for nearly all of the book, is apparently instantly learned within a single page. The bully who steals his money becomes his best friend, and is set up as a thief, and does steal. The book, however, ends his narrative with making a good person with a few kind words from Scott, but this just establishes how weak he is. Convincing another human being to change is much more difficult than a few off-handed comments on how they could improve. Scott's obsession with his love interest, Julia finally comes to fruition, and it honestly left me wanting. He dedicated his entire year to chasing her, but when he has the option to see that his sacrifices were not wasted, he turns her down. While I have seen things like this happen, it was infuriating to watch what happens next. Lee was my favorite character, but also the one I hated the most. She was deep, philosophical, and taught Scott many valuable life lessons. She did not care what others thought. But even when she helps Scott develop as a person, he barely makes any headway. At the end it is implied that the two may harbor romantic feelings for each other. But Scott ruins this. At the dance, she changes herself to accommodate him, and while she helps him mature as a character, his final comment her isn't about how smart she is, or how much she means to him, it is about how he finds her hair color hot.
These were only a few criticisms I have, and I may or may not update this.
These were only a few criticisms I have, and I may or may not update this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2015
Ohmygod. This book was definitely the highlight of my last two weeks. I absolutely, positively LOVED IT TO DEATH. Legit.
First off, I'm going to HAVE to talk about Scott. I swear, He is like the cutest thing ever. Scott is the complete definition of an awkward nerd in the eyes of society. The way he words everything and interprets things about ordinary, everyday life just slaps this permanent smile on my face. Plus, the nice "words of advice" he gives to little Smelly always cracks me up. But the thing I like about him most, is his morality and ethnicity. There was a point that he stood up to his own best friend, because it was the right thing to do. Scott is just that type of person you would love as a true friend. Or a soulmate. Or whatever.
But of course, I have to give credit to the author himself, David Lubar. To be completely honest, this is the first book I have ever read of Mr. Lubar's, but I can also honestly say that I am a fan. Usually, in past books I have read, there's always those one or two moments where you just want to laugh out loud. In Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie, those LOL moments are in almost every chapter. Not a single page is wasted on endless jibber-jabber. That, right there, is the raw definition of happiness.
Last, but not least, the feels. The mountain of feels. My heart has gone through a crazy roller coaster ride while reading this book. We will all have those moments where we go, "Awwww!", "He did not just do that!", "Wait, what?", and many, many more. I assure you.
For this book, I would recommend it to anyone and everyone, even if that 'everyone' isn't a hardcore reader. In my opinion, I think this book deserves a rating no lower than a 4.5. Even though I have blabbered on and on about Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie, I could never portray how amazing this book was; you're going to have to read it yourself for the full experience.
I started with a smile, and ended with a smile, and I'm pretty sure you will, too.
First off, I'm going to HAVE to talk about Scott. I swear, He is like the cutest thing ever. Scott is the complete definition of an awkward nerd in the eyes of society. The way he words everything and interprets things about ordinary, everyday life just slaps this permanent smile on my face. Plus, the nice "words of advice" he gives to little Smelly always cracks me up. But the thing I like about him most, is his morality and ethnicity. There was a point that he stood up to his own best friend, because it was the right thing to do. Scott is just that type of person you would love as a true friend. Or a soulmate. Or whatever.
But of course, I have to give credit to the author himself, David Lubar. To be completely honest, this is the first book I have ever read of Mr. Lubar's, but I can also honestly say that I am a fan. Usually, in past books I have read, there's always those one or two moments where you just want to laugh out loud. In Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie, those LOL moments are in almost every chapter. Not a single page is wasted on endless jibber-jabber. That, right there, is the raw definition of happiness.
Last, but not least, the feels. The mountain of feels. My heart has gone through a crazy roller coaster ride while reading this book. We will all have those moments where we go, "Awwww!", "He did not just do that!", "Wait, what?", and many, many more. I assure you.
For this book, I would recommend it to anyone and everyone, even if that 'everyone' isn't a hardcore reader. In my opinion, I think this book deserves a rating no lower than a 4.5. Even though I have blabbered on and on about Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie, I could never portray how amazing this book was; you're going to have to read it yourself for the full experience.
I started with a smile, and ended with a smile, and I'm pretty sure you will, too.
June 19, 2016
3.5 stars
That was rather sweet. A bit tidy, but not all YA novels need to be horrifying and wrenching.
The story takes us through the main character's freshman year of high school. He's smart but not incredibly popular, has a crush on a girl he's too afraid to talk to, and is finding that his group of childhood buddies is growing apart (that's OK-most of them are dummies. And that Kyle? What a tool). Mostly, his experiences are the normal growing pains of a person starting high school.
The story is written in the first person, and since Scott's favorite class is English, we are treated to a variety of writing styles and vocabulary words as he's learning them. I thought this was fun, and it made the book stand out more than it otherwise would have. The journal entries/letters to his unborn brother were also a nice touch.
Early on, I called the friendship he would develop with , but that was still one of my favorite aspects of the book.
As far as the incredible amount of self-awareness and the life lessons Scott managed to learn by the end of his freshman year-maybe that was a stretch, as was his being able to translate for his Dad after an exaggeratedly bad run of Spanish teachers.
Besides a few other quibbles, I liked this character and his story, and this is one I will probably recommend at the library.
That was rather sweet. A bit tidy, but not all YA novels need to be horrifying and wrenching.
The story takes us through the main character's freshman year of high school. He's smart but not incredibly popular, has a crush on a girl he's too afraid to talk to, and is finding that his group of childhood buddies is growing apart (that's OK-most of them are dummies. And that Kyle? What a tool). Mostly, his experiences are the normal growing pains of a person starting high school.
The story is written in the first person, and since Scott's favorite class is English, we are treated to a variety of writing styles and vocabulary words as he's learning them. I thought this was fun, and it made the book stand out more than it otherwise would have. The journal entries/letters to his unborn brother were also a nice touch.
Early on, I called the friendship he would develop with , but that was still one of my favorite aspects of the book.
As far as the incredible amount of self-awareness and the life lessons Scott managed to learn by the end of his freshman year-maybe that was a stretch, as was his being able to translate for his Dad after an exaggeratedly bad run of Spanish teachers.
Besides a few other quibbles, I liked this character and his story, and this is one I will probably recommend at the library.
June 20, 2015
I noticed this was re-released recently for some reason and was like, "oh, I have that book! It was written like 10 years ago! Maybe I should read it!" And so I did. This book is pretty unremarkable, very generic high school experience, but kind of an interesting callback to when it was okay to write books like that, without them being gimmicky/high-concept. That said, not a lot happens, and while the POV is funny enough in a dad joke sort of way, I'm not sure why this story needed to be told. Also why it was re-issued, other than maybe it's sort of John Green-ish in being about smart white boys with crushes on unattainable girls? Idk idk. I saw three books in B&N with covers that touted their similarities to John Green and it made me sad for the laziness of the publishing industry, but that is a subject for another rant.
June 7, 2009
This book might not have been geared toward me (older teenage female), but I loved it.
Scott is just beginning high school, complete with all its pitfalls, scary upperclassmen, pretty girls, loyal and not-so-loyal friends, homework, weird teachers, and everything else. And on top of all that, his parents are expecting another baby.
David Lubar's narration (through Scott) is witty, wise, and spot-on without being stereotypical. Scott's various problems and discoveries about the beautiful Julia, terrifying junior Wes, obnoxious Mouth, and philosophical Goth girl Lee are touching, hilarious, and eye-opening.
In the form of a diary to his little brother, not yet even born, Scott figures out how to handle the first year of high school...and a lot more.
Scott is just beginning high school, complete with all its pitfalls, scary upperclassmen, pretty girls, loyal and not-so-loyal friends, homework, weird teachers, and everything else. And on top of all that, his parents are expecting another baby.
David Lubar's narration (through Scott) is witty, wise, and spot-on without being stereotypical. Scott's various problems and discoveries about the beautiful Julia, terrifying junior Wes, obnoxious Mouth, and philosophical Goth girl Lee are touching, hilarious, and eye-opening.
In the form of a diary to his little brother, not yet even born, Scott figures out how to handle the first year of high school...and a lot more.
August 16, 2015
Ahh the insight into the mind of a freshman boy that I didn't want or care about
March 28, 2020
1/10 would burn every copy
Read
February 26, 2018super good, kinda long but bueno. and tbh it's also educational but the author kinda sneaks it past you but it makes me feel smart so yay me
November 6, 2016
Having just finished the sequel (which, to my surprise, had a ten year publishing gap), I felt it prudent to review the first book before giving my thoughts on the second.
It's been a little while since I've read the book, though I've read it multiple times in the past. As a whole, the book isn't anything special. There's not much that stands out about Scott Hudson as a character, nor is there anything particularly unique or interesting about the environment in which he lives.
That's both a strength and a weakness of the book. As a 'slice of life' story it works fantastically well, because although events in the book are executed in a way that could only happen in a story, there were enough moments of interesting nothingness that it felt like a more honest depiction of a geeky kids first year at school.
A few minor spoilers ahead.
I think a part of why I liked it as much as I did was because it reminded me of a show that I enjoyed in the past - Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide. It was a quirky show about a kid giving advice on how to survive middle school. It was heavy on jokes, but had a strong cast of interesting characters and fun plot lines, and worked for what it was. Sleeping Freshman Never Lie almost serves as a spiritual sequel to the show, where the main character ends up giving advice in a journal to his yet-to-be-born brother. The lessons that Scott learns and the ones he tries to pass on his journal end up being incorporated into the events of the story itself.
Granted, at times, it feels like the novel is doing it's best to emulate the old sitcoms, where a strong moral would be presented at the end of the episode and things would end well. And here, too, the story and the ending are both relatively simple.
Scott works as a main character. He has a love for reading and for English in general, and what he learns throughout the year is incorporated into both his narrative and his journal. I think that's why I liked the book as much as I did. Minus the kid brother and the journal, I was the same way - nose always buried in a book, eager to try writing. I was never as outgoing as Scott ends up being though.
Wesley was a fun character as well - the bully with a heart of gold. He lacked depth though. Even in the sequel, you don't really get an idea of what makes that guy tick or why he does what he does. And most of the time, he's basically a walking plot point. He shows up to make things happen, and it's usually fairly humorous, if not a bit contrived. He never really offers anything deep or meaningful to the story as a whole, other than providing a moral lesson for Scott - namely, don't judge others by appearance. It was almost redundant, though, because he also had to learn this lesson with Lee (and in a way, with everyone else as well.)
Lee was the bright spot of the book for me, even if she is a bit of a stereotype. I can't judge that too harshly, because if I remember one thing from high school, it's that sometimes the stereotypes are dead accurate. She's witty and provides blunt commentary on events as needed, and I like that she ended up being a foil for Scott on his journey to not being so self-centered. The problem is, she was constantly more interesting. If anything, I wanted some of the story from her perspective. She's the one that undergoes bullying, has troubled relationships with the administration, her peers, and her parents. Her journey, in some ways, is more interesting than Scott's, and in a novel, sometimes having a secondary character be more interesting than the main one isn't a good thing.
I do have a few more problems with the story. It tries to go for a sense of timelessness, while also seemingly striving to be more modern. Some of the story feels like it could take place in almost any era, while other bits of it seem to be leaning towards a more modern take. It didn't bother me too much, but there were times when I felt it was a case of the author being an adult and not really knowing what kind of high school experience to emulate. Things were a little too clean, and an a little too nice, to be any kind of an accurate representation of high school. In reality, most people, most kids, don't talk the way they do in this novel. I think it worked though, in the same way that it works for Archie Comics. It's not trying to be an accurate representation, and it tells the story it wants to tell in the way it wants to tell it.
The other problem is well, a bit more personal, and harder to critique on. The book is plain. The characters are plain. In my head, I pretty much pictured everything as being white and straight and straight edged. People get into fight. They swear, but Scott never actually uses any swear words. Scott likes stereotypical boy things (while also liking literary pursuits and poetry and so on). The mothers work in the kitchen and gossip and the men are broody and work on cars and barbecue and fish. It's all very...stale? Lee was an otherwise bright spot in a sea of uniformity, as far as the novel goes, and even then, she was used a bit sparingly. It wasn't such a glaring issue that I felt I should take a star off for it, but nevertheless, it's an uncomfortable realization lurking in the back of my mind whenever I reread.
It's a lighthearted novel. It's not trying to say anything particularly new. And it doesn't have to. It does the job it wants to, and does it well enough. It resonated with me because I could relate to Scott, and I enjoyed how English and the lessons learned in class were the driving force of the narrative.
It's been a little while since I've read the book, though I've read it multiple times in the past. As a whole, the book isn't anything special. There's not much that stands out about Scott Hudson as a character, nor is there anything particularly unique or interesting about the environment in which he lives.
That's both a strength and a weakness of the book. As a 'slice of life' story it works fantastically well, because although events in the book are executed in a way that could only happen in a story, there were enough moments of interesting nothingness that it felt like a more honest depiction of a geeky kids first year at school.
A few minor spoilers ahead.
I think a part of why I liked it as much as I did was because it reminded me of a show that I enjoyed in the past - Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide. It was a quirky show about a kid giving advice on how to survive middle school. It was heavy on jokes, but had a strong cast of interesting characters and fun plot lines, and worked for what it was. Sleeping Freshman Never Lie almost serves as a spiritual sequel to the show, where the main character ends up giving advice in a journal to his yet-to-be-born brother. The lessons that Scott learns and the ones he tries to pass on his journal end up being incorporated into the events of the story itself.
Granted, at times, it feels like the novel is doing it's best to emulate the old sitcoms, where a strong moral would be presented at the end of the episode and things would end well. And here, too, the story and the ending are both relatively simple.
Scott works as a main character. He has a love for reading and for English in general, and what he learns throughout the year is incorporated into both his narrative and his journal. I think that's why I liked the book as much as I did. Minus the kid brother and the journal, I was the same way - nose always buried in a book, eager to try writing. I was never as outgoing as Scott ends up being though.
Wesley was a fun character as well - the bully with a heart of gold. He lacked depth though. Even in the sequel, you don't really get an idea of what makes that guy tick or why he does what he does. And most of the time, he's basically a walking plot point. He shows up to make things happen, and it's usually fairly humorous, if not a bit contrived. He never really offers anything deep or meaningful to the story as a whole, other than providing a moral lesson for Scott - namely, don't judge others by appearance. It was almost redundant, though, because he also had to learn this lesson with Lee (and in a way, with everyone else as well.)
Lee was the bright spot of the book for me, even if she is a bit of a stereotype. I can't judge that too harshly, because if I remember one thing from high school, it's that sometimes the stereotypes are dead accurate. She's witty and provides blunt commentary on events as needed, and I like that she ended up being a foil for Scott on his journey to not being so self-centered. The problem is, she was constantly more interesting. If anything, I wanted some of the story from her perspective. She's the one that undergoes bullying, has troubled relationships with the administration, her peers, and her parents. Her journey, in some ways, is more interesting than Scott's, and in a novel, sometimes having a secondary character be more interesting than the main one isn't a good thing.
I do have a few more problems with the story. It tries to go for a sense of timelessness, while also seemingly striving to be more modern. Some of the story feels like it could take place in almost any era, while other bits of it seem to be leaning towards a more modern take. It didn't bother me too much, but there were times when I felt it was a case of the author being an adult and not really knowing what kind of high school experience to emulate. Things were a little too clean, and an a little too nice, to be any kind of an accurate representation of high school. In reality, most people, most kids, don't talk the way they do in this novel. I think it worked though, in the same way that it works for Archie Comics. It's not trying to be an accurate representation, and it tells the story it wants to tell in the way it wants to tell it.
The other problem is well, a bit more personal, and harder to critique on. The book is plain. The characters are plain. In my head, I pretty much pictured everything as being white and straight and straight edged. People get into fight. They swear, but Scott never actually uses any swear words. Scott likes stereotypical boy things (while also liking literary pursuits and poetry and so on). The mothers work in the kitchen and gossip and the men are broody and work on cars and barbecue and fish. It's all very...stale? Lee was an otherwise bright spot in a sea of uniformity, as far as the novel goes, and even then, she was used a bit sparingly. It wasn't such a glaring issue that I felt I should take a star off for it, but nevertheless, it's an uncomfortable realization lurking in the back of my mind whenever I reread.
It's a lighthearted novel. It's not trying to say anything particularly new. And it doesn't have to. It does the job it wants to, and does it well enough. It resonated with me because I could relate to Scott, and I enjoyed how English and the lessons learned in class were the driving force of the narrative.
December 23, 2022
This gave me some serious 00's nostalgia. Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie is one boy's story of navigating high school as a freshman. He has a lot of typical problems, like liking a girl who doesn't like him back, bullies, and trying to fit in. However, his older brother is also back at home after getting into a bit of a mess and he also finds out his mom is pregnant. The thing I enjoyed most about this book was the humor, creativity, and the format. Ultimately, I only rated it 3 stars because I expected more from it at times.
October 2, 2014
If you really like surprises then sleeping Freshman Never Lie is the book for you. I was satisfied with this book because the main character relates to me because he kept it real, he was very successful,he was in many different programs and activities at his school, and he was very caring for others even though they weren't friends or whether he liked them or not.I gave it five stars because the book was very interesting at the beginning it was kind of boring but just like you don't judge a book by its cover, don't judge a book by its first few chapters as I read further into the book it started to get even more interesting because of all the surprises. ***SPOILER ALERT*** Mouth is going to try and commit suicide but luckily the ceiling is going to fall!
My book took place in a high school.The main character was Scott Hudson.Scott Hudson was a very good student he was very involved in school activities such as the news papers, school plays, and he was also the class president .The conflict is person vs. person because Scott had got into a conflict with Vernon a football player because scott wrote a paper about how badly Vernon played football but the paper was not suppose to get out and mouth tried to surprise Scott by publishing the paper when Scott was at home sick and the next day Scott found out. Mouth was Scott's friend.
A major event that changed the character was when mouth tried to commet suicide. Scott's whole view toward mouth change, he started to care more about him. As Mouth was being hospitalized Scott went up to the hospital every day and sat and talked with Mouth ,and when Mouth got out of the hospital him and Scott became better friends.
What i took away from the story was that you should not judge someone based off what you see because you never know what they are going through.For example scott didnt know what Mouth was going through on the inside until he tried to commit suicide. That made Scott more sensative what Mouth was going through.
In conclusion, this is why I would rate this book 5. I was satisfied with this book because the main character relates to me because he kept it real, he was very successful,he was in many different programs and activities at his school, and he was very caring for others even though they weren't friends or whether he liked them becauses its full of surprises,life lessons,and experiences.
My book took place in a high school.The main character was Scott Hudson.Scott Hudson was a very good student he was very involved in school activities such as the news papers, school plays, and he was also the class president .The conflict is person vs. person because Scott had got into a conflict with Vernon a football player because scott wrote a paper about how badly Vernon played football but the paper was not suppose to get out and mouth tried to surprise Scott by publishing the paper when Scott was at home sick and the next day Scott found out. Mouth was Scott's friend.
A major event that changed the character was when mouth tried to commet suicide. Scott's whole view toward mouth change, he started to care more about him. As Mouth was being hospitalized Scott went up to the hospital every day and sat and talked with Mouth ,and when Mouth got out of the hospital him and Scott became better friends.
What i took away from the story was that you should not judge someone based off what you see because you never know what they are going through.For example scott didnt know what Mouth was going through on the inside until he tried to commit suicide. That made Scott more sensative what Mouth was going through.
In conclusion, this is why I would rate this book 5. I was satisfied with this book because the main character relates to me because he kept it real, he was very successful,he was in many different programs and activities at his school, and he was very caring for others even though they weren't friends or whether he liked them becauses its full of surprises,life lessons,and experiences.
January 4, 2015
"Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie" is about young Scott Hudson trying to survive his first year of high school and also tries to attract the attention of his crush, the number 1 beautiful freshmen, Julia. If dealing with school activities and growing isn't stressful enough,Scott is found out from his mom that she's pregnant. Trying to make all of this manageable, Scott writes down tips for getting through daily life and high school for his unborn brother.
One character I can relate to in the book is Scott. He is always stressed out wherever he goes. He's always getting picked on by the older students, like when they purposely bump into him or when they take his lunch money. He wishes that his best friends would help him, but they're moving away from him.Even Kyle, who now hangs out with the bullies at the school. He always tries to join clubs that Julia always goes to, but he always finds out that she doesn't make into those clubs. Scott even has to help out his parents for the new baby, which kind of troubles him because his older brother, Bobby, got evicted from his apartment and needs to settle down somewhere so he can get back up on his feet again.
I liked how the story was sharing Scott's point of view as a freshman and how he talks about what he thinks about Julia and how he explains about what life will be like with a new sibling. His feelings include desperation and being worried.
What I didn't like was when Vernon, one of the bullies and the boy who was hanging out with Julia before, beats him up and Kyle didn't try to help him. Julia had broke up with Vernon and Scott was trying to comfort her. Like Scott, I always comfort people whenever they get depressed. Luckily, I don't get beaten up by others when I do that.
In the end, this book was really good. I got recommended by the librarian at my school to read this book. I really enjoyed it.
"Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie" is a good book to read.
One character I can relate to in the book is Scott. He is always stressed out wherever he goes. He's always getting picked on by the older students, like when they purposely bump into him or when they take his lunch money. He wishes that his best friends would help him, but they're moving away from him.Even Kyle, who now hangs out with the bullies at the school. He always tries to join clubs that Julia always goes to, but he always finds out that she doesn't make into those clubs. Scott even has to help out his parents for the new baby, which kind of troubles him because his older brother, Bobby, got evicted from his apartment and needs to settle down somewhere so he can get back up on his feet again.
I liked how the story was sharing Scott's point of view as a freshman and how he talks about what he thinks about Julia and how he explains about what life will be like with a new sibling. His feelings include desperation and being worried.
What I didn't like was when Vernon, one of the bullies and the boy who was hanging out with Julia before, beats him up and Kyle didn't try to help him. Julia had broke up with Vernon and Scott was trying to comfort her. Like Scott, I always comfort people whenever they get depressed. Luckily, I don't get beaten up by others when I do that.
In the end, this book was really good. I got recommended by the librarian at my school to read this book. I really enjoyed it.
"Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie" is a good book to read.
July 20, 2009
Humor
Bccb Blue Ribbon Fiction Books
Michigan's Thumbs-Up Award, 2006
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2006
4/5 Stars
6-7th Grade
Sleeping Freshman Never Lie is a humorous, yet insightful look at a male’s first year in high school. The protagonist (Scott) is the humor and wit behind the story. I fell in love with Scott when he said, “I’d just spent a year in eighth grade, towering over the short ones. Okay-that was an exaggeration. I only towered over the short ones” (Lubar 11). The character being so witty is a great way to appeal to young adult readers. The plot is, without a doubt, realistic in its nature along with its characters. You have all the serotypes in the high school, the pretty girl, the bully, the strange artsy girl (Lee), the jock, and then you have Scott, the protagonist that isn’t quite “normal.” He loves to read, and use vocabulary beyond his age (Scott using the word “penultimate” on page 130). Scott joins the paper, runs for student council, and tries out for the play; just to be noticed by Julia, the girl he likes. All while dealing with his mothers is pregnancy by writing in his journal of advice for the unborn baby. This journal is also comical. This journal includes many silly records such as, “Scott Hudson's Guide to Teacher Types” (Lubar 82). This comical geek paired with a humorous yet educational plot makes for one enjoyable book.
The ending is closed, Scotts discovers that it is not Julia that he wants, but rather Lee, the less popular of the two. I felt that this showed one of the many ways that Scott has grown throughout the novel from a little freshman who just wanted to be invisible, to a confident student who knew his self worth and didn’t just want to hide anymore. He even is excited about becoming a big brother to the new addition in the family.
Bccb Blue Ribbon Fiction Books
Michigan's Thumbs-Up Award, 2006
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2006
4/5 Stars
6-7th Grade
Sleeping Freshman Never Lie is a humorous, yet insightful look at a male’s first year in high school. The protagonist (Scott) is the humor and wit behind the story. I fell in love with Scott when he said, “I’d just spent a year in eighth grade, towering over the short ones. Okay-that was an exaggeration. I only towered over the short ones” (Lubar 11). The character being so witty is a great way to appeal to young adult readers. The plot is, without a doubt, realistic in its nature along with its characters. You have all the serotypes in the high school, the pretty girl, the bully, the strange artsy girl (Lee), the jock, and then you have Scott, the protagonist that isn’t quite “normal.” He loves to read, and use vocabulary beyond his age (Scott using the word “penultimate” on page 130). Scott joins the paper, runs for student council, and tries out for the play; just to be noticed by Julia, the girl he likes. All while dealing with his mothers is pregnancy by writing in his journal of advice for the unborn baby. This journal is also comical. This journal includes many silly records such as, “Scott Hudson's Guide to Teacher Types” (Lubar 82). This comical geek paired with a humorous yet educational plot makes for one enjoyable book.
The ending is closed, Scotts discovers that it is not Julia that he wants, but rather Lee, the less popular of the two. I felt that this showed one of the many ways that Scott has grown throughout the novel from a little freshman who just wanted to be invisible, to a confident student who knew his self worth and didn’t just want to hide anymore. He even is excited about becoming a big brother to the new addition in the family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2021
I love my niece, which is why I suffered through this terrible book for a second time in order to support her summer reading. That this book is required summer reading for high school is troubling in and of itself. Lubar's coming-of-age book about being a freshman reads not dissimilarly to several middle-school books and perhaps other books for an ever younger audience. Sleeping Freshman Never Lie combines all the tired stereotypes of high school....but poorly. To be fair, it would perhaps be difficult to write a book about being a high school freshman without such unoriginal tropes. And yet, while it's a movie and not a book, High School Musical did it well (or better....I ain't no Zach Efron fan boi!) SFNL goes over the top and instead of it being in the background and part of the book's charm, it's distracting and feels like it takes center-stage. Scott Hudson's lists also got old quickly.
I think what I dislike the most is that it is required reading. It isn't a challenge to read - it's as straightforward a book as you can write. It seems like the entire purpose is to present this fictional character in this fictional high school and tell the upcoming real-life class that it pays to try things, to be oneself. Lubar's one serious moment is a scene regarding teenage suicide. I wonder about the in classroom discussions that would take place about the book. I wonder what the students would feel comfortable to talk about. As I allude above, it won't be about the writing - it will be about their fears, expectations, and experiences about high school. And maybe that's why the Board of Education wants them to read this book...not for its literary merit the purpose of 100% of my summer reading books. Perhaps the BOE is more concerned about social well-being. Maybe. But if that's the case....goodness, is that sad.
I think what I dislike the most is that it is required reading. It isn't a challenge to read - it's as straightforward a book as you can write. It seems like the entire purpose is to present this fictional character in this fictional high school and tell the upcoming real-life class that it pays to try things, to be oneself. Lubar's one serious moment is a scene regarding teenage suicide. I wonder about the in classroom discussions that would take place about the book. I wonder what the students would feel comfortable to talk about. As I allude above, it won't be about the writing - it will be about their fears, expectations, and experiences about high school. And maybe that's why the Board of Education wants them to read this book...not for its literary merit the purpose of 100% of my summer reading books. Perhaps the BOE is more concerned about social well-being. Maybe. But if that's the case....goodness, is that sad.
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