Wild Things: YA Grown-Up discussion

The Humour folder is lonely and needs a topic, so here I go.

Spanking Shakespeare is the hilarious debut novel from Jake Wizner. If you liked The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend or The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, you'll enjoy this. His next book is called Castration Celebration and comes out this month.

I didn't write a review when I read this, so I'm grabbing the GR description:
Shakespeare Shapiro has always hated his name. His parents bestowed it on him as some kind of sick joke when he was born, and his life has gone downhill from there, one embarrassing incident after another. Entering his senior year of high school, Shakespeare has never had a girlfriend, his younger brother is cooler than he is, and his best friend's favorite topic of conversation is his bowel movements.

But Shakespeare will have the last laugh. He is chronicling every mortifying detail in his memoir, the writing project each senior at Shakespeare's high school must complete. And he is doing it brilliantly. And, just maybe, a prize-winning memoir will bring him respect, admiration, and a girlfriend . . . or at least a prom date.

Has anyone read this? It's fantastic. Consider this an official PUSH.

I saw this book in the library the other day, but already had way too many books I was checking out. I'll have to get it next time as it sounds interesting and I needed a PUSH book ;)

I finally got around to reading this book. It is very funny, in that hyperaware-but missing so many things-way of teenagers. Shakespeare is a great character, and really, who can resist that name? I wish I had had the guts in highschool to write and submit the things he does.

I know no one's really commenting on this anymore, but I just have to say that I think this book deserves far more recognition than it gets. Along with Ned Vizzini's Be More Chill, I think Spanking Shakespeare should be required reading for all boys as they enter high school.

Shaun, I totally agree. I can also recommend listening to the audiobook, which was well done. This book has a universal appeal and should also be read by girls who are going through the "oh, he's so cool" stage of adolescence.