Solving Damian Dermite

The Adventures of Alexander Thomas #1

by Christopher Francis

How would you stop the most feared bully in school from humiliating your new best friend?
An impulsive eleven year-old boy named Alex Thomas has a simple solution: you hurl your left over pizza at him. Although it does mean he will have to spend the sixth grade finding clever ways to escape a vengeful bully. Alex soon discovers that hiding in the boy’s bathroom, stinking up the cafeteria, pulling the fire alarm ,and running away are not the answers. When he finds himself standing with no clothes on in front of the entire school, Alex quickly realizes things have gotten way out of hand. With help from his brother, and a calculated plan in place, Alex faces his greatest fear...and finally solves Damian Dermite.

Genres: Middle Grade

92 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 9, 2016

About the author

Born in Brisbane, Australia, Christopher was accepted at age 19 into Sheridan College’s Animation program before earning a degree in Sociology from McMaster University.

He then enjoyed a two-year adventure overseas working with children, before completing his Bachelor of Education degree at York University. He is now teaching junior and intermediate level students in Burlington, Ontario.

Through Christopher’s experience working with children, he found writing and illustrating to be one of his passions. Currently working on a middle grade series, he recently completed and illustrated the first three books. He has also created seven other children’s picture books and illustrated children’s novels for independent authors.

Reviews

[Irena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway.

I really don't feel like the characters were developed enough for me to really care about them but besides that, is a great easy-to-read book that many kids can relate to in their life.
If you are an adult then "Solving Damian Dermite" will bring you all the way back to middle school, with all the bullies, the struggle to make a new friends, the first crash and all the special people that will reserve a place in your heart for a long time.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eleven-year-old Alex is starting sixth grade, and it's going to be terrible. His best friend had the nerve to move away to Boston, Boston!, with his family over the summer, and his older brother is starting 9th grade, so they won't even be in the same school anymore. All attempts to get his parents to home school him failed, so he now faces 6th grade, alone, with no friends. What is he going to do?

Then, to make things worse, there's a new kid at school, and Alex is convinced that this kid is going to ruin all his chances to make new friends. But everything changes when Alex, for reasons he has yet to understand, actually stands up to Damian Dermite, the biggest and meanest bully in school. Now, Alex isn't as worried about making friends; he's worried about surviving - and avoiding Damian Dermite! This is going to be a long 6th-grade year.

This was a good book, and the story dealt with several issues facing kids today: making new friends, dealing with bullies, and managing their own emotions. Alex deals with all of that, though not always successfully. His attempt to hide from the janitor while trying to find dry clothes - I laughed so hard at that scene. I admired the confidence that Alex showed there, as many kids would have a very different reaction. But I guess, at that point, there's not much else you can really do but own it.

Yet again, Christopher Francis has delivered another book starring kids that delivers a great story and life lessons for them to apply, all without sounding preachy or as if giving a lecture. Even as an adult, I have enjoyed each of his books that I have read or listened to thus far.

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of this author's books. While cleaning up files, I realized that I had never written a review of this one. So I reread it. Like all of his books, Christopher Francis takes a prominent issue and creates a story that not only shines a light on that issue but helps the reader see a way through it. Alex's best friend has moved away. Now, he has to face his first year of middle school alone. In his first-period class, he sees the biggest kid he's ever seen. Henry is large with red hair. He is also new to the school. He was constantly picked on at his previous school because of his size. Over the summer, his dad remarried, and that is why he had to change schools. Alex is having a very rough first day after hitting Henry in the back of the head with a slice of pizza and getting sent to the principal's office. It was at the end of the first day that Henry and Alex had their first run-in with the school bully, Damian Dermite. As Alex is leaving, he sees Henry on the ground, and Damian is trying to force him to eat a worm. Alex steps in. This time, he gets suspended and is on the bully's radar.
If he can figure out why Damian is a bully, maybe he can survive middle school. A great book about bullying, finding friendship, and, most of all, surviving middle school. Unfortunately, as a middle school teacher, I see things like this play out all the time. It is unfortunate. Maybe if more people were willing to step up we could diminish the bullying issue.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of eBook

Alexander Thomas is having a tough time. His brother, James, has graduated and now he’s in high school for the new school year. His best friend, Finley McKnight, moved away [to Boston], leaving Alex to start sixth grade with no friends. All alone. Timpleville Elementary School was no longer a safe place.

But things go from bad to worse when the much-feared school bully, Damain Dermite, singles Alex out for special attention. Now Alex has to figure out how to survive sixth grade with Damian out to get him.

What can Alex do?

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The target audiences for this book are students in grades four through six, ages nine to eleven. First in a series of Alexander Thomas stories, this story addresses several issues middle grade students face: bullying, peer pressure, friendships, consequences, and trust. Sixth graders will surely relate to Alex and his struggles.

As Alex struggles, he continually considers how he can turn things around, keep from being bullied, learn to fit in There’s some humor, but the central theme of the story is dealing with the bullying in a positive manner. It’s a good life lesson for middle graders, written in a way that engages the reader in the telling of the tale.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from StoryOrigin and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[PAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those stories they all teens should read. It is a story that addresses the issues of bullying. and what more is the need for us to addresses the issues of bullying in our schools? Just this week there have been 3 mass shooting of school children. This book is beautiful illustration of the various issues our children face. It is written and illustrated in a manner that will engage them and take on the issue of the hurt our children face and how they themselves may feel they can come to us as adults to assist them in their issues. This is a novel that should be on every schools required reading list

[Sentinelle23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️Very moving.

About to swallow an earthworm held by the horrible brute Damian, young Alex Thomas regretted the events that had led him to this horrible situation...

>>>>>>

A very moving and sensitive story of school bullying which recounts the misadventures of young Alex.

Captivating to read, I really liked this story full of lessons and how Alex solved his problem.

A must read!!!

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great middle grade book about bullies and how you shouldn't be one. Being friends and making new friends is always better! There's a great lesson about consequences, too. It's easy to read and short enough to keep a kid's attention, but also just long enough to be a bit of a challenge.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

My friend Amy narrated the audiobook version 👍🏼

[Celine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved!

I loved how the author put a different spin on a story about a bully and the victim. How the victim becomes a bully in order to protect themselves, only to realize that doesn't make anything about the situation better.

I also love how the character worked to make things better and in the end help was given to him to solve the problem.

A very enjoyable children's/middlegrade read. There is definitely a very good lesson at play here as well.