Ginger Kid: Mostly True Tales from a Former Nerd

by Steve Hofstetter

In Ginger Mostly True Tales from a Former Nerd , popular comedian Steve Hofstetter grapples with life after seventh grade . . . when his world fell apart.

Formatted as a series of personal essays, Steve Hofstetter walks his readers through awkward early dating, family turbulence, and the revenge of the bullied nerds. This YA nonfiction is sure to be the beloved next volume for the first generation of Wimpy Kid fans who are all grown up and ready for a new misfit hero.

“Good advice offered with a light but realistic touch make this a strong collection addition that will inspire teen readers to reach for challenges and friends beyond school walls. His journey holds much wisdom for adults, too, especially for those working with young people.” — VOYA magazine

“While [Hofstetter] is living a life of fame, travel, and financial success that many kids no doubt dream of, his origin story is a humble one; indeed, it is the sheer ordinariness of his experiences that will likely prove to be their most inspiring aspect.” — The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Comedy, Book Club, Biography

290 pages, Hardcover

Published March 20, 2018

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun! Well written, well laid out; opener, feature, headline. An autobiographical account of comedian Steve Hofstetter's adolescence in Queens, New York.
There are some terrific lines interspersed throughout the book, his comedic side is always evident. Although the target audience for the "Mostly True Tales" are teens, I am willing to bet most any adult who was not at the top of the popularity food chain (in other words; pretty much all of us) will resonate with "Steve, please" and his struggle to find a niche amongst the often confusing halls of high school. As someone who has done improv myself I was particularly interested in his experience as a member of the improv club and wholeheartedly agree with the impact it had on my confidence level.
Great addition to any high school library and a reliable choice for teachers. Although I had not previously heard of Mr. Hofstetter, I wish him much success and would be up for checking out more of his work, both in print and on stage.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who has ever sat in their very own Freak Hallway will fall in love with this completely relatable and hilarious tale of growing up.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great entertaining read. Fans of whimpy kid and middle school series will enjoy. I especially like this book cheering on the under dog and giving hope to all of us.

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

High school Battle of the Books pick. Definitely made me laugh out loud a few times, and I think that Hofstetter will be inspirational and quite the role model for any kid struggling to fit in in high school. He overcame bullies, social awkwardness, lack of popularity, low self-esteem, and more to become the confident celebrity he is today.

I think students will really relate to a lot of his experiences and feelings, and without giving any advice, Hofstetter definitely paves the way for overcoming all of that high school crap. I enjoyed this, but it is definitely written for high school students.

P.s. if books received ratings like movies, this would be PG.

[Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small Tumors, Big Growth

This young adult memoir is an awesome read. It brought back memories. I can see it helping so many teenagers during and after all that awkwardness.

I look forward to sharing with my kids when they are older.

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, articulate honest writing.

[Kasey Giard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, easy, read that’s deceitfully informative. Each essay delivers laughs and lessons together, from things Hofstetter learned about girls and relationships to his development as a comedian. I liked the gently self-deprecating, funny way the stories are related. The short sections are perfect for readers with short gaps of time for reading—perfect for me right now!

I liked that even though the stories often have a moral lesson to them, it felt very personal rather than instructive. The scenes about improv made me want to play the games he described or join a local improv group—they sounded like so much fun!

Ginger Kid is a great read not just for misfits but for anyone who has ever felt awkward in a crowd or wrestled with self-discovery. If you’re looking for a lighthearted read, add this one to your list for sure!

Posted at The Story Sanctuary on 4/13

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know what I was expecting with this book, but it wasn't this. I burned through this book in two days because it was so well-written and funny that it compelled me to keep reading - not necessarily laugh-out-loud funny like his stand-up, but funny in a clever way that I sincerely appreciated. It was a surprisingly inspirational book with lots of good advice hidden in the humor and life lessons. I did have to throw the book down and walk out of the room for a moment when I realized the "talented sophomore" he was talking about in the latter part of the book was Lin-Manuel Miranda, though. This is not a book I would find myself buying under normal circumstances, just because I'm not usually into memoirs, but I'm really glad he was selling these at his show and that I picked a copy up. It was really worth reading. I'm not giving it five stars because I reserve those for the best books I've ever read ever (fight me, Steve), but it doesn't deserve to lose any more stars than that.

[Truck Captain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was truly surprised when I read this book as I was expecting something different. I did not expect to be able to relate to Steve Hofstetter as he is what I would consider to be funny, entertaining and quick on his feet. What I found is that we shared some very similar experiences, from being bullied to being quiet, shy nerdy types.

One thing I loved about this book is that it takes you on a journey from purile behaviour through to maturity (sort of, anyway - LOL). I really wish I had this type of "guidebook" when I was a teen as I could have used the information within, so I am going to try to get my Grandkids to read this while they're teens growing up.

Steve uses his history to show how you can make mistakes and use them to grow rather than wilt in the corner. The message I received from the book was more about learning to take the chance!

This book is actually a great guidebook for teens through middle-age.

[Francie Struzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delicious and fast read with authenticity, wit, and a positive message.

[Jacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve's one of my favorite comedians so I'm immediately biased on that front. He's also a great writer/journalist in general so the essays were naturally great and well-written. At first I wondered how someone with his comedic style/talking points would do for a YA bio, but he pretty much nailed the age-appropriateness. My only gripe is the perpetual use of the term "friend zone" because it is not a real thing. Using it can help to get points across, but overall I don't approve of the continual use of this term. I'd recommend this book for relating to the nostalgia and also because he's amazing on many levels.

[Karen Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an entertaining romp through the trials of middle/high school! As a 'nerd' myself, most of his stories resonated with me and I think many high school students (and adults) will relate with aspects of this book. Steve Hofstetter did a great job portraying the trials of transitions: fitting in, standing up to bullies, developing your strengths, and ultimately finding true friendship. This is a great addition to our 'humor' genre collection.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know if it was my mood, or just that I had trouble connecting with the book, but this book was not for me. I can see where kids might enjoy it and gain encouragement from it. It is funny in parts, but sometimes I felt like it needed editing.

[Elly Valdes · Rating 3 out of 5]

despite my ginger hair, I was not the target audience for this

[Lisa-Marie Bellmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed everything I've experienced of Mr. Hofstetter (live comedy shows, his podcast, YouTube, social media trolling...) and this was no exception.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of fun to read.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty, intelligent writing. For those of you who had your own Freak Hallway and found your people and yourself there, you will particularly relate to this book.

Spoiler! My only beef is that the reader is never told if Amy, in fact, had a boyfriend. I guess we’ll never know.

[Tj Brekke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steve Hofstetter is every kid who’s ever been bullied in school. Or who’s ever been the new kid. Or who’s ever not fit in, but desperately wanted to. In Ginger Kid, Steve takes us with him on a journey through his awkward adolescence. From eighth grade through getting accepted into college, Steve shares what it’s like to grow up a Jewish, red-head in Queens, New York. I really enjoyed reading this book because I went through the same struggles as him growing up even though have yet to go through a lot of the struggles he went through personally. I recommend you read this book if you are a high school student because you too might be going through stuff that Steve Hofstetter has.

[Grace Lynch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Based off of the fact that the author is a comedian, and the book was talking about mostly tru tales of a former nerd, I thought this book would be funny, but to be honest it was just regular stories about a regular everyday life. Nothing too exciting, but at least he wasn’t a total jerk, so there’s that. Probably a good read for fans of his that are wanting to know more about his background.

[Milky]

How was your experience in highschool? Good? Bad? Well Steven Hofstetter had a rollercoaster of experiences in high school. From being bullied to getting a girlfriend just to get dumped and realize that she didn’t even like him. From developing an eating disorder, to having multiple crushes and relationships, Steven has quite the experience. This book goes into the highs and lows of highschool for Steven.
With this brilliantly written book about Stevens highschool experience, it can give readers something to relate to. Some may have gone through what he had which provides a great connection to Steven. This connection leads to more engagement with the reader throughout the book and a lighthearted tone. Hofstetter provides engagement throughout the book. For example when he says, “That Sunday, one of our classmates, Marley, was having a birthday party. Marley had a country home on a huge piece of land about an hour from New York City, and her parents chartered buses to bring the entire grade up” (page 65). The engagement is present through the way Hofstetter would illustrate each of his scenes to provide the reader with the context of the setting before telling us what happens. All the events throughout the book go in chronological order and there are flashbacks throughout to keep the reader interested.
For every new character introduced in the story, he would describe them and how they played a role in their interactions with him. Although the development of the characters he introduced weren’t as good as it could have been, the feeling of wanting to get to know that character more was an aspect to the book which gives it its traction. Even in the book before he got to Hunter, the characters in his old school first had a surface level to them, but got deeper as the characters that provided value to the story were pointed out. The character development is like a painting. All the characters introduced give a layer of development to who they are and how they tie into the story. More layers are added onto the characters that provide something to the story and a life lesson for Steve which leads to it having a free and unstructured tone which you don’t find in most books.
At the start of Steve’s time at Hunter, he got bullied very often and that led him to faking being sick just to get an excuse to go to the nurse’s office and get away from it all. The bullying got so bad that he taught himself how to throw up on command. This would later develop into an eating disorder that’s still with him today. Because of this, anytime he gets stressed out, he gets very nauseous and throws up. Although he’s gotten better at controlling it, it is still something that affects his daily life. In highschool, even after he would end a bad relationship, he would learn something from it and move on making sure not to make the same mistakes again. These two ties together convey the central idea that no matter what’s happening in your life, you need to keep pushing forward and persevere.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked, but didn't love this book. Hofstetter tells good stories with some valuable lessons for teens going through high school, even if his stories lean more towards privileged kids. For example, Steve includes various life lessons on relationships and dating girls; advice on trying too hard and being shot down socially (page 7); advice on dealing with bullies (various pages); eating disorders (page 31); and learning that you have to listen as well as talk (pages 144-146). Combined with funny hijinks and stories such as the 'Long ride on the short bus' (pages 54-61, where Steve's mother hires a crappy bus company to shuttle kids to save a bit of money), or when Steve starts teaching classes for his frequently-stoned English teacher (page 206), you've got some entertaining and valuable reading here.

In addition to its attraction as a light memoir for teens, I was interested in this book because I too, am (part) ginger -- and still a nerd. Reading the book, I discovered other personal similarities: I also hung out in the 'freak' hallway in high school (page 43), with the artists and nerds and outcasts; I went through different processes of being bullied and being a class clown; I was in plays and drama (pages 153-158); and I was very independent in some ways from a young age, travelling alone across my city. Unlike Steve, however, I wasn't raised in a huge house, didn't have siblings, didn't go to a fancy school, and didn't have the same extra-curricular and community opportunities, boo-hoo poor me etc.

Where Ginger Kid let me down was how, as the book went on, Steve became less and less a sympathetic personage. He spent entire chapters bringing up and rambling about consecutive slights to his person, and petty victories enjoyed -- from high school (e.g. pages 218-219, 250). Pages and pages of every embellished accomplishment and self-centred pat on the back, even given that it's a memoir and thus inherently-biased, soured me on Steve. I know we all do it, but reading chapters of it was too much for me. Additionally, Ginger suffers from poor editing, including various typos, but particularly concerning time and subject jumps. I assume some liberties were taken with the text to produce a quickly-paced, fast-reading book appealing to somewhat-reluctant readers, but when a major event or time transition takes place in the next paragraph, with little to no introduction -- there's a problem. See page 72 for a great example of this awkward truncation.

3.3 Stars

[American Mensa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Hofstetter, now a famous comedian and Youtuber, had an easy and relaxing life as a young child. However, when he was accepted into one of the most prestigious high schools in New York, he was overwhelmed by all of the drama that came along with it. Formerly a brilliant pupil, he developed into a C student. He was well liked by all in grade school, but was bullied and ignored in high school for trying to be funny, being a skinny redheaded kid, and because everyone knew that he would not fight back. He became quieter and shyer as he suffered continued abuse. A girl pretended to date him to make her real crush jealous, two bullies tormented him in different ways, and a favorite teacher died from cancer. Steve withdrew further and further into himself until he found an improv club at his school. In this club, he found a community with a no-judge policy, and a safe space to try and succeed or fail, to entertain others. Steve excels at improv and before long he uses his skills to find a social place in his school and in the Jewish community outside of school. He becomes a student leader, homecoming king, and even gives a speech at graduation, morphing into the confident and funny adult that most people know him as today. Hofstetter writes about the lessons he learns and the different successes and failures that he faced. I found this book to be extremely enlightening, especially from the standpoint of someone going through high school myself. This book is very well written (even if the author claims he wrote this memoir on a plane to New Zealand) and it has humor sprinkled all over the book when his life problems are too heavy, or when a funny story actually happens. I would recommend this book to someone middle school age and above, as there are some aspects of the book younger children would not be able to handle, such as minor swearing, romance, and sexual references (but not over the top sexual scenes) as well as some topics such as college applications and high school work that may not be interesting to younger audiences.
Reviewed By: Alex F., age 15, Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa

[GiaLUP · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a Funny Memoir About Growing Up
Ginger Kid is a memoir by comedian Steve Hofstetter that tells the story of his life as a redhead (aka "ginger") growing up. He shares hilarious moments and awkward experiences from his childhood, high school, and beyond, showing the ups and downs of being a redhead in a world that often makes fun of them.
It Talks About Bullying and Being Different
One of the main themes in Ginger Kid is how Steve dealt with bullying because of his red hair. He reflects on how people would tease him, call him names, or make fun of his appearance. But instead of staying upset, Steve uses humor to cope and show how being different can actually be a strength.
There Are Lots of Laugh-Out-Loud Moments
As a comedian, Hofstetter’s writing is full of humor. Whether he's making fun of his own awkwardness or sharing funny stories from his life, Ginger Kid is packed with laugh-out-loud moments. Even though the book tackles some tough topics, Steve always manages to find the humor in every situation.
It Talks About Confidence and Self-Acceptance
Ginger Kid isn’t just about humor—it's also about learning to accept yourself. As Steve grows older, he learns how to embrace his "ginger" identity and stop letting other people's opinions affect him. This journey to self-confidence is inspiring for anyone who has ever felt different.
It’s a Great Read for Anyone Who’s Been Bullied or Felt Out of Place
If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t fit in, Ginger Kid is a great book to read. Steve’s stories will make you laugh and help you realize that being different is something to be proud of. Whether you’re a redhead or not, you’ll relate to his message of overcoming challenges and finding strength in being yourself.
Ginger Kid is a fun, funny, and heartwarming book that proves we can all find power in embracing
I loved the way that it was so easy to connect with the character & he told real life things that kids my age go through daily. I found this book to be a great read.

[Amont'E Allen-Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book Ginger kid was a solid 4 out of 5,just because of how fun and easy it was to read. This book would maybe take a person that likes to read about 2-3 days to finish the whole book if they put their mind to it hey,maybe less. It took me a while to read the book just because of how much I procrastinate but overall it was a really nice book.

You learn a whole lot about the author Steve Hofstetter and you find out that he’s a real life comedian. But that's really believable because once you read the book you will often find yourself cracking a smile or bussing out a laugh here and there. You also find out that he was a nerd,a risk taker,a ginger himself and also a current youtuber. Yes, the book was about him.With finding all this out it made me want to learn more about him so I went to his youtube and he really is a funny guy.

Yes the book is a little childish but not too childish at all i recommended this book to ages 12-15 or people that just likes funny not to serious books and that is right up my alley so i loved it. It’s a huge step up from your Diary of a wimpy kid book but you still get a little feeling but there's nothing wrong with that at all.

The amazing book Ginger kid is about Steve’s childhood and which contains dating,moving and even self change throughout the book you really get a feel of Steve the Ginger kid but as the book goes on toward the end you get to hear from Steve as a grown up. Even though Steve got shot down by girls he never treated with extreme reactions and that’s one thing i liked about him he had a wonderful personality and kinda just wanted to fit in but know when to fall back. So i really recommend you to read this book no matter your age as long as you have a personality or love personality this book won’t let you down READ THIS BOOK!

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of Steve Hofstetter, I knew that I just had to get his book so when I had the opportunity to buy it, I did. Although at times serious, his book also had his comedic touch to it and there were times I sat cackling with laughter or sitting still in awe of what he has experienced through life.

There are some things in the book which he briefly mentions in his YouTube videos and it very eye opening. As a fan of two years now, I had a few realizations about his life that he talks about in this book. For example, and this is a barely/slightly there spoiler (so go to the next paragraph if you don’t want to know) but in his YouTube videos, you know early on, he was much skinnier and this book goes more into that. Furthermore, he talks about his parents which is something you never hear him talking about in his videos.

I’d like to add that although I took a month to read this, since I started college and had to focus on school, it was very easy to get back into and it’s not a book where you have to remember the plot since each chapter was about something different and it bounced around, in a way. Also, I believe the ending was very well fitting and if you read it, I think you might have to be forced to agree with me. The tone at the end of the book definitely felt like an ending. It was, and this is a slight spoiler, an end to his time in high school and the end of the book.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable read and I have no regrets buying it - I just absolutely loved the book. I may be biased but please don’t blame me.

[Caitlin Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ginger Kid is the remarkable coming of age memoir by YouTube personality and Stand-up comedian, Steve Hofstetter. The stories he relates of his high school years and growing up in New York City vary from the awkwardness of first crushes to the honesty of living with an eating disorder.

I found so much I could relate to in this book. Many of the stories within these pages were poignant reminders of situations I faced or people I knew as a teenager. It made me so nostalgic. This is not something that often happens to me with either memoirs or coming of age novels—growing up in South Africa is a vastly different cultural experience from growing up in the US. Hofstetter has a way of using wry humour to translate the fundamentals of teenage social hierarchy that’s both universally true and hilariously accurate. Ginger Kid is a book of adventure, the losses and triumphs of high school, and growing into oneself.

One day, I’m going to press this book into my son’s hands with the knowledge that it may help him understand the things a child refuses to hear from their parents.

[V, The Reading Turtle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought, 'Finally, a book I can relate to!' Boy, was I wrong. Steve was a cool student who has done a lot of cool things.

This book is a memoir of the stand-up comedian Steve Hofstetter, whose shows I don't watch. I never knew who the guy was; I just bought the book because it was on sale.

So anyway, this is a fun memoir that would take you back to your high school days. The writing is fine, which made the book readable. The only disappointing part was that it wasn't funny enough. It's hardly funny at all. Yes, the writing was witty at some instances, but overall, the comedy just fell flat.

If you're like me, with a damaged sense of humor and looking for a funny read, this book might not be for you. But if you're simply looking for a fun memoir, you might enjoy this one.

There are a lot of things you'd learn in this book, especially if you're struggling with being-a-loser kind of situation. It could inspire you. It didn't inspire me in any special way, but hey, we're different people.

[Jami · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to find words that I feel would do this book justice. Is it good? YES! Did I devour it in two days because it was so good? YES!

Yes, it also brought back some bad memories of my school years for me, I will admit. (Heck, even as an adult I still get bullied a lot. Lately by anti-vaxxers - but I digress.) But even though Steve is younger than me it was actually nice to be reminded that I'm not the only person to have ever been the victim of bullies.

I've never had the pleasure of seeing Steve live but I do have his Cure For The Cable Guy album, which I love, and enjoy greatly watching his videos on YouTube. Especially when he demolishes hecklers. Seeing a bit of the childhood that shaped him into the Awesome Comeback King he is now just makes me appreciate him all the more.

And I hope all the kids that ever bullied him read this book and think, "Man, was I ever a putz!"

[Noah Frye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I enjoyed reading it a lot. I loved how relatable it was. I felt like I was living in Steve's life. A lot of this book I could relate to my own experiences in high school. When Steve was super shy at the beginning of the book, I could relate to that. I could also somewhat relate to Steve's dating experiences. Me and Steve have a lot in common. This book really reminds me of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. This book has a similar plot as those books. As a kid I loved Diary of Wimpy, so this book is the perfect book for someone that loved those books as a kid and wants something like that to read as a teen/adult.

I couldn't recommend this book enough! If you love relatable books than this is the book for you period. Its such a fun, enjoyable book to read. I never wanted to put it down when I started reading. Oh, I forgot to mention this book is hilarious! It kept me smiling and giggling the whole time. You need to read this book!!!

[Georgie Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I was so much better than everyone expected me to be, I may as well have been Beyoncé. You know what? Still a strange sentence to write.”

Such an amazing book! There were some hilarious bits like the quote above, and of course some sad moments too. I loved the comedy written into the book as well though. I can’t remember the quote exactly, but it was such a good remark on a situation I simultaneously gasped and laughed.

“I didn’t have to be the ‘youngest Hofstetter’ - I could have my own thing. I could be the smart kid. Yeah- I liked that.”

It shows how a young smart quiet kid grew up to be a confident aspiring comedian. I related to this quite a bit and it was so amazing to read. The way it’s written I felt like I was a part of the scenes, that I was actually there. It’s definitely not like other biography’s I’ve read.

Absolutely loved this book, and recommend to any fans of Steve Hofstetter, lovers of biographies, and pretty much anyone who likes to read!