Holes

Product Description

Holes, Paperback Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys "build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes. It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment--and redemption. Grade Level: 4-8

Amazon.com

"If you take a bad boy and make him dig a hole every day in the hot sun, it will turn him into a good boy." Such is the reigning philosophy at Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention facility where there is no lake, and there are no happy campers. In place of what used to be "the largest lake in Texas" is now a dry, flat, sunburned wasteland, pocked with countless identical holes dug by boys improving their character. Stanley Yelnats, of palindromic name and ill-fated pedigree, has landed at Camp Green Lake because it seemed a better option than jail. No matter that his conviction was all a case of mistaken identity, the Yelnats family has become accustomed to a long history of bad luck, thanks to their "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather!" Despite his innocence, Stanley is quickly enmeshed in the Camp Green Lake routine: rising before dawn to dig a hole five feet deep and five feet in diameter; learning how to get along with the Lord of the Flies-styled pack of boys in Group D; and fearing the warden, who paints her fingernails with rattlesnake venom. But when Stanley realizes that the boys may not just be digging to build character--that in fact the warden is seeking something specific--the plot gets as thick as the irony.

It's a strange story, but strangely compelling and lovely too. Louis Sachar uses poker-faced understatement to create a bizarre but believable landscape--a place where Major Major Major Major of Catch-22 would feel right at home. But while there is humor and absurdity here, there is also a deep understanding of friendship and a searing compassion for society's underdogs. As Stanley unknowingly begins to fulfill his destiny--the dual plots coming together to reveal that fate has big plans in store--we can't help but cheer for the good guys, and all the Yelnats everywhere. (Ages 10 and older) --Brangien Davis

Customer Reviews:

Holes- fullfilling.......2007-09-22

I read this book at the urging of my 7 yr old grandson and didn't expect to be held captive by it. I read until 1 A.M. to finish it. A great read and now I want to see the movie. He has also read all the Harry Potter books and will probably talk me into reading them someday too.

Over 3200 reviews for this book. I would say it is well read.

A Terrific Story that Transcends the Genre.......2007-08-28

I came across Louis Sachar's HOLES recently while my daughter and I were browsing books. I hadn't seen the 2003 movie, but remembered the trailers and so, since my daughter had settled down with a book, I decided to read a bit of it. Nine chapters (okay, short chapters) later, I was still going strong when my daughter was ready to go. I was hooked. This is what they call "juvenile fiction," right? If you've ever read Lewis Carroll, you'd have to agree that the term "juvenile fiction" is a very elastic term. Put plainly, the fact that juvenile fiction is (usually?) about children doesn't mean that the style is any way immature or unsophisticated.

HOLES is a story about a middle school-aged boy, Stanley Yelnats, who is falsely charged with and convicted of stealing a pair of celebrity sneakers that had been donated to charity. Yelnats is sentenced to "Camp Lake Green," a boys' detention center and work camp located in the middle of a Texas desert. Camp Lake Green, as it turns out, is a cruel bizarro-world version of a normal summer camp. There is no lake; it dried up decades before. And there is only one activity to speak of: digging holes, one a day, five feet deep and five feet in diameter, ostensibly to build character. There is, however, a mystery behind the digging. The camp's vicious warden wants to be notified of anything "interesting" that's discovered by the boys while digging.

The mystery is literally and figuratively uncovered by Yelnats, whom the other "campers" call "Caveman." The narrator relates vignettes about Yelnats's ancestors; these stories, while interesting in themselves, are also critical to understanding the mystery of the warden's interest in the holes.

Sachar's prose is beautifully astringent; like Hemingway, Sachar rarely employs the unnecessary word. The story and the characters are likewise straightforward: I think that the lack of real ambiguity in the characters' behavior helps younger readers to relate more easily to the people and the events in the book.

As a parent, I would recommend reading the book yourself--if only for your own enjoyment--before encouraging your child to read it. The novel is very dark in some places; the warden, for instance, is particularly sadistic, and doesn't really get her full comeuppance by story's end. But I think HOLES is a terrific story, with memorable characters, and with wonderfully moving, poignant, funny passages. Children over the age of ten (and, well, adults) will, I think, love reading it.

Concerning the difference (or lack thereof) between the book and the film adaptation..........2007-08-22

I saw the movie first. I loved it. I laughed, I cried, it moved me. So I decided to read the book.

Of course, if I loved the movie, I had to love the book, because they are exactly the same. This, I must admit, is a little disappointing. I can't deny the exceptional quality of either medium, but, when a movie producer decides to take a really good book in hand and reproduce it for the screen, I like to se him or her take a few artistic liberties. I want to see some kind of significant difference between the original format and the reproduction.

Oh well. I suppose my advice to all is this: choose one or the other. There really isn't much of a point in seeing the movie and reading the book. Sure, there are a few differences (such as the fact that Sachar, in the book, describes Stanley as overweight, which Shia LeBeouf most certainly is not), but they're insignificant to the overall feel.

We Couldn't Put it Down.......2007-07-02

I read this book to my 9 and 7 year olds. By the middle - we couldn't stop. We were at the beach with several older cousins who had both read the book and seen the movie and they were all sitting around listening. It made them all want to re-read it.

The plot is not hard to follow but is very intertwined. Amazingly so.

Enjoy this book with your kids

Great entertainment.......2007-06-15

Holes
Have you ever been in a place that is super hot well in the book Holes by "Louis Sachar", young boy goes to a camp which is located in the desert. Stanley Yelnats is young boy whom goes to a camp of kids who don't want to go to jail but go to this camp instead. This camp makes all of them boys realize their mistakes. Stanley had to learn how to make friends without him making the wrong friends who might make him somebody he doesn't want. Stanley makes new friends and a lot of money. One dislike of this book is that I didn't really understand if when Madame Loiselle gets to go to the mountain. This book is really is interesting and really funny.

Girls, Delinquency, and Juvenile Justice (Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Series.)

Average customer rating:

A new and fresh look at a topic not truly examined until now

Girls, Delinquency, and Juvenile Justice (Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Series.)
Meda Chesney-Lind , and Randall G. Shelden
Manufacturer: Wadsworth Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Criminal Procedure | Criminal Law | Law | Subjects | Books

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Children's Studies | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0534557740

Book Description

This award-winning book was the first book devoted solely to the topic of female delinquency and the treatment of young girls by the juvenile justice system. It sheds new light on the special problems of delinquent girls by taking into account what it is like to grow up female in a patriarchal society. Based on extensive and original research, the book provides compelling firsthand accounts as well as solid research and theory.

Customer Reviews:

A new and fresh look at a topic not truly examined until now.......2001-07-21

This is a criminology text, but fairly easy to follow. Basic criminology theories are reviewed here, as well as the authors' theories as to why girls have been left out of past juvenile deviant studies. They go on to hypothesize why girls have been overlooked, and point out the crime rate for girls has not "exploded" just recently, but has remained relatively stable with their boy counterparts. A great book to help anyone who works with kids, especially girls, who seem to have few alternatives once within the system.

Average customer rating:

Holes
Louis Sachar
Manufacturer: Listening Library (Audio)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0739331760
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Book Description

Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys "build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes: five feet wide and five feet deep. It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption.

From the Paperback edition.

Average customer rating:

An Adult's Review
Great Book!!
THE CONTENDER - Number 1
The Contender
Brandon Frey, The Contender

The Contender
Robert Lipsyte
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Classics | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

General | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Fiction | School & Sports | Teens | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0064470393

Amazon.com

Alfred's life is going nowhere fast. He's a high-school dropout working at a grocery store. His best friend is drifting behind a haze of drugs and violence, and now some street punks are harassing him for something he didn't do. Feeling powerless and afraid, Alfred gathers up the courage to visit Donatelli's Gym, the neighborhood's boxing club. He wants to be a champion--on the streets and in his own life. Alfred doesn't quite understand when Mr. Donatelli tells him, "It's the climbing that makes the man. Getting to the top is an extra reward." In the end, he learns that a winner isn't necessarily the one standing when the fight is over. Teens and adults alike will be knocked out by this powerful story of how a frightened boy becomes a man.

Book Description

Before you can be a champion,
you have to be a contender.

Alfred Brooks is scared. He's a highschool dropout and his grocery store job is leading nowhere. His best friend is sinking further and further into drug addiction. Some street kids are after him for something he didn't even do. So Alfred begins going to Donatelli's Gym, a boxing club in Harlem that has trained champions. There he learns it's the effort, not the win, that makes the man -- that last desperate struggle to get back on your feet when you thought you were down for the count.

Customer Reviews:

An Adult's Review.......2007-05-18

Set in Harlem in the 1960s, The Contender is a moving story about a 16 year old named Alfred Brooks who lives with his aunt and cousins in a small, dingy apartment. His father has long since disappeared, his mother died of pneumonia, and Alfred, essentially a very good kid, has made some mistakes. He dropped out of high school and now works sweeping floors in a grocery store. His best friend James hangs out with thugs and drug users and is quickly becoming an addict himself. One evening when Alfred goes looking for James he finds him at the usual hangout of him and his thug buddies. While talking, Alfred lets it slip that the grocers he works for, the Epsteins, leave money in the cash register overnight on Fridays while they observe the Sabbath. The thugs, and Alfred's best friend James, decide to rob the grocery store. What Alfred forgot to tell them was about the new alarm system recently installed. So of course, after they are caught and arrested, and eventually bailed out, they come looking for Alfred. One night while they're chasing Alfred he runs into Donatelli's Gym, a boxing club where fighters train. And this begins Alfred's journey into fighting, not just boxing, but fighting to make something of himself when the odds are against him. Realistic and gritty, this novel is a wonderful book for young adults. I have read it many times with 7th and 8th grade language arts students and they love it, whether they are themselves from inner-city neighborhoods in Harlem or the Bronx, or from the suburbs. The consistent theme running through the story is the importance of striving to make something of yourself, to become a contributing member of society. It is extremely well written and a novel I enthusiastically recommend.

Great Book!!.......2007-04-22

This story is about a teenager named Alfred Brooks, and in the book he is simply trying to make a life for himself. He dropped out of High School, and he's working at a grocery store. To make things even worse, his friend is turning to drugs and he is getting harassed by a group of guys. Alfred decides to go to Donatelli's gym, because he wants to become a champion, a boxer.

My english class read this book, and I enjoyed it. I think you should read the book, and maybe it'll make you think about reaching the goals of becoming a champion.
[...]

THE CONTENDER - Number 1.......2006-12-23

Alfred Brooks, a teenager and a high-school dropout, knows that his life is going nowhere. He's had the same old job at a local grocery store, and there are no opportunities for advancement. He wants to be someone, someone special. When one of his best friends, James, starts hanging around with the wrong group of teens, and later is sent to prison for robbing Alfred's grocery store, Alfred knows that his friend's friends are not the kids to be with. To avoid being thrashed by James's possy, Major and Hollis, Alfred wants to defend himself. He doesn't want to be pushed around.

Alfred decides he wants to be a boxer, and begins his training at Donatelli's Gym, a gym that has turned out three champions. At first, Mr. Donatelli tried to dissuade Alfred from boxing, by telling him the many triffles he would have to go through to become a contender, but Alfred still wants to try. He runs in the morning, eats a select diet, and after work, he goes to the gym to work out.
For a long while, Alfred maintained his training. One night, however, Major and Hollis gang up on Alfred, and bring him to their clubroom. They keep Alfred there by telling him that James had just been let out of prison, and that he would stop by the club. While there, Alfred got drunk from vodka and got high from marijuanna, both of which he was unsuspectant of until James arrived. Before he blacked out, Alfred saw that James was fumbling with a bag of cocaine, and knew that his friend was sinking further and further in to drug addiction. Alfred was very spacey for the next few days.

Later, Alfred resumes his training, and then is fitted for a custom-mouthpiece. This is a sign that shows that Alfred is close to fighting. After three professional fights, Mr. Donatelli states that it is time for Alfred to stop. He has proved what he wanted, to be a fighter. Alfred then went back to night school to finish his education.

This novel is simply amazing! The book tells us that it is not the desire, but the effort to win that makes the man! This book is not just for sport lovers, but is for those who can comprehend the deep meaning of fighting and being a fighter!

ALSO RECOMMENDED - THE BRAVE - THE CHEIF - Both books in this order follow after The Contender

The Contender .......2006-12-05

This Contender is about an 18-year-old boy named Alfred, who is a high-school drop out and is growing up on the streets of Harlem, NY. While all his friends are out getting into trouble, Alfred wants to learn how to box because he wants to stick up for himself after he got beaten up by this huge guy named Major. When Alfred steps into the gym the trainer doesn't think he should box because he doesn't look like he's in good enough shape to be a boxer. Mr. Donatteli starts to train Alfred but he knows its going to take a very long time until Alfred will actually even be a Contender. In the next couple of months Alfred works out and trains really hard. Mr. Donatteli sees how bad Alfred wants to become a contender and a Champion. Alfred wins two matches and then he has to fight one of the best fighters, Elston Hubbard. They both fought their hearts out and both players did really good, but lost at the end from a unanimous decision. After this fight Alfred decides to stop boxing and help the inspired contenders train so that they can become good boxers too.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I would probably read this book again in the future. I would recommend this book to people who like to box or even just watch boxing. Most guys would probably like this book more than women.

Brandon Frey, The Contender.......2006-12-05

I chose this book because the title of it sounded interesting and I heard it was about boxing. I like sports and I thought it would be good to read about them. It was one of the only books that I actually enjoyed reading.

Alfred was a high school dropout that worked at a grocery store sweeping the floors and stocking the shelves. He grew up in Harlem with his aunt and two cousins because his parents died. He is best friends with James and friends with this ally gang with some older kids. Major wanted to rob the grocery store that Alfred worked at because he thought that he could get in easily if Alfred worked there. They all went but Alfred stayed behind. When they were about to break in, Alfred remembered that there is a silent alarm in the building and they would be caught. He tried to run over there to save them but it was too late. Cop cars came and James was caught but the others escaped. Major and his friends beat up Alfred in an ally. Alfred then stumbled into a dark basement and it turned out to be a boxing place owned by Mr. Donatelli. He trained James to be a contender. He worked everyday. He ran and worked out almost everyday and also went to the boxing place everyday to spar and punch the bags. He won his first three matches he boxed in. He was turning into a contender. He then had to face the champion. Mr. Donatelli told him he should retire now because he was going to get beat up really bad in this fight. He didn't listen and they boxed. Alfred fought well but he lost to the champ. James got into trouble by a gang and got hurt. Alfred helped him out and they became friends again after the whole thing was over. Alfred quit boxing after the fight he lost.

I recommend this book to anyone that likes sport books. It was a mix of a lot of things. I don't usually like reading but this book was entertaining and I wanted to read it more.

"Getting Paid": Youth Crime and Work in the Inner City (Anthropology of Contemporary Issues)

Average customer rating:

Comparative Ethnography Hits the Spot

"Getting Paid": Youth Crime and Work in the Inner City (Anthropology of Contemporary Issues)
Mercer L. Sullivan
Manufacturer: Cornell University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0801495989

Customer Reviews:

Comparative Ethnography Hits the Spot.......2003-01-24

Mercer Sullivan's text follows three youth cliques in the Brooklyn area (in neighborhoods he coins Projectville, La Barriada and Hamilton Park), and studies their involvement in, and desistance from, local youth crime. The study is largely ethnographic, and so Sullivan alternates between dialogue between his subjects and an analysis on their criminal patterns. Sullivan also discusses how the physical ecology of the neighborhood, the transiency of the residents, levels of education, economic opportunity, family values, and access to a network of human resources--a system of social capital--affects the youths' criminal careers, and whether or not these acts of criminality are for the purpose of entertainment or income-generation.

Book Description

When Rufus Henry gets out of work camp for Grand Theft Auto, he has only one place to go— back to Durango Street. Almost right away, he gets on the wrong side of the Gassers, has to join the rival Moors— and starts running for his life. Years ahead of its time, Durango Street, like The Outsiders, shows that gang violence is, sadly, nothing new— and nothing glamorous. "A starkly realistic, convincing, well-written teen novel." — School Library Journal

Customer Reviews:

Durango Street.......2006-12-01

This book is really good. At first it seems really boring and kind of a gangster book, but later on its really interesting. You see the character's personality change. You also find out how life is very hard in the gangster world because you have no where that is safe. The main character Rufus Henry, is the source that changes the group called Moors. It is an exicting novel that shows the rivalry between the different rival groups. (Moors, Gassers, Bloods etc.) If you pick up the book and it seems boring in the beginning, i advise you to continue reading it. The book in the middle is totally awesome. Don't let this oppurtunity to read a good book slip by. Frank Bonham is an excellent author. READ THIS BOOK!

Jennifer Wong

Durango Street.......2006-11-30

This book is really good. At first it seems really boring and kind of a gangster book, but later on its really intereseting. You see the character's personality change. You also find out how life is very hard in the gangster world because you have no where that is safe. The main character Rufus Henry, is the source that changes the group called Moors. It is an exicting novel that shows the rivalry between the different rival groups. (Moors, Gassers, Bloods etc.) If you pick up the book and it seems boring in the beginning, i advise you to continue reading it. The book in the middle is totally awesome. Don't let this oppurtunity to read a good book slip by. Frank Bonham is an excellent author. READ THIS BOOK!

From the author of Tales of Ancient Xenar.......2006-04-14

Yes, I read this book in high school 20 years ago during my sophomore year. I didn't read it because I wanted to. It was an assignment given by my english class. Now dramas like this aren't the genres enjoy reading. But Durango Street left an indellible imprint in me that lives on to this day. It taught me a lot about people who live on the wrong side of the law. The main character, Rufus is a young man fresh out of prison for Grand Theft Auto. He fins a lot has changed in his old neighborhood. For instance, a drug dealing gang called the Gassers rules Durango Street. So Rufus is forced to join a rival gang called the Moors. Throughout the story, we see Rufus make many choices based on morality. Sometimes he makes the right choices and sometimes the wrong ones. Personally, my favorite part of this book was towards the end when Rufus helps organize the school dance.
Now this book was a small contributing factor in my decision to be a writer. If any of my children ever wanted to follow my footsteps, I'd give them a copy of this book to read. This story will be with me for the rest of my life.

Teen Gang Violence.......2006-01-11

Rufus Henry was warned that if he joined another street gang he would end up in a real prison. But he had to have protection: In his neighborhood if you didn't belong to one gang, you'd be beaten up by another. This is a story about the sad, rowdy, and violent world of teenage gangs. Scary.

Durango Street .......2005-10-29

The author of Durango Street is Frank Bonham. This is a fiction book.I liked this book because it was athrilling adventures book about a kid named Rufus Henry who is 15 years old.Who was in the Cobras gang.For potection thats why many kids got involed in gangs.And after he got out of Fostery camp, because he had stolen a car and and a .12 rifle; and shooting at the stores.And after he got out he bumped into the the Gassers leader Jones.So he joins into the Moors a fighting crew know for its reputation.
I liked the parts when he was fighting with the Gassers.A couple of times.What I did'nt like was that in the story he meets Ernie Brown who is supposebly his father a holafamer.But does'nt say at all if he was his real father.
My favorite character was Rufus Henry who always stands his head up high for his family and crew.And he never let them get to his mind and try to make him go balistic.
I enjoyed this book and you will too with many action scenes and lots of suprises. I reccomend it to people that like thrilling stories. This has to be the most intresting story I've ever read in History.And it touches your heart and mind.
I have a question for the author Frank Bonham why does it say he has been scared his most life.But if you saw him you would'nt say that.

Renegade Kids, Suburban Outlaws: From Youth Culture to Delinquency (Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Series.)

Average customer rating:

Good Subject Matter With Outdated Statistics
For anyone studying adolescents, stay clear of this book
A LOOK INSIDE OUR YOUTH
Must read for anyone working with adolescents

Renegade Kids, Suburban Outlaws: From Youth Culture to Delinquency (Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Series.)
Wayne Wooden , and Randy Blazak
Manufacturer: Wadsworth Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Children's Studies | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Criminal Procedure | Criminal Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Social Issues | Teens | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Teens | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 053452754X

Book Description

Offering a unique look at subcategories of delinquent youth, primarily suburban youth, Wooden/Blazak use qualitative research strategies to explore how basically good kids can move from the fringes of society to delinquent activities. Accordingly, this text investigates everything from the harmless life of the mall rat to the volatile and dangerous world of skinheads, Satanists, and tagger crews, as well as the culture in the California Youth Authority. This new edition includes more information about girls and different races, as well as the latest information about group typologies. The author quotes from the popular media to highlight his points and make conceptual material relevant to students.

Customer Reviews:

Good Subject Matter With Outdated Statistics.......2005-05-09

This book contains a wealth of information on the deviant youth subculture. Unfortunately, it uses grossly outdated statistics and research. There is no excuse for claiming to discuss and explore the current youth subculture using research from the mid 1960s and statistics from the early 1980s.

For anyone studying adolescents, stay clear of this book.......1999-11-12

This book is grossly misinformed. Wooden makes no attempt to study his subject. Rather, he regurgitates things read from letters and pamphlets. He describes one stereotype after another and makes very broad generalizations that would get a professional in trouble. In particular, his chapters on Satanism and the Punk movement sound just like a Donahue episode. He never even speaks to a punk. Instead, in his chapter on Punks, he reads letters from parents and others who have been affected in some way by Punk, obviously biasing the research. That is only one chapter I could pick apart. In conclusion, Wooden is very out of touch with the real issues being presented. I am very angry I bought this book and am surprised he was even published. The fact that he is an award-winning author makes me want to become a writer.

A LOOK INSIDE OUR YOUTH.......1999-06-11

THIS BOOK IS VERY INFORMATIVE. ANYONE WHO WORKS, OR IS INTERESTED INWORKING WITH YOUTH SHOULD READ IT. WHEN I STARTED READING IT I COULD NOT STOP. INETERSTING. HOWEVER, IT IS SOMEWHAT BASIC AND COMMUN KNOLEDGE. WITH NO TRULY INSIGHT INTO THE REASONING.

Must read for anyone working with adolescents.......1998-07-16

I wanted to say that I am glad that I took this class with Dr. Wooden, the author, he gives a lot of insights into the world of the adolescents. He gives definitions that are clearly described so that you know the difference between a delinquent and one that does something because it is the "in thing" to do. Gives a great view and intensive study on the behavior of teenagers today compared to the past decade.

Average customer rating:

BAD
A Good Read
Bad
I liked this book..
When "bad" turns good

Bad (Aerial Fiction)
Jean Ferris
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Violence | Social Issues | Teens | Subjects | Books

General | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0374404755

Amazon.com

"I guess, if you have to, you can get used to anything--even to violence breaking out, like an attack of the hiccups or something, and then going away as suddenly as it started. But, like Shatasia said, you could never get all the way relaxed about it."

Such is the life of 16-year-old Dallas now that she's been confined for six months to a juvenile detention facility for girls. Dallas used to love "skating" with her rebellious friends--shoplifting, hot-wiring cars, and purse-snatching--but she never expected to be caught with a gun. After being peer pressured into holding up a convenience store (her pals promptly disappearing when the authorities show up), and abandoned by her father who refuses custody, Dallas's world changes forever. In the rehabilitation center she must adjust to shared living quarters, structured schedules, lectures on drugs and sex, and countless volatile personalities. But amid all the chaos and tension and rules, Dallas also finds nurture--perhaps more than she ever received from her cold dad and absent mom.

Author of Invincible Summer, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, Jean Ferris paints a vivid portrait of the girls' facility, complete with fiery adolescent tempers, lost souls, and small but precious hopes for different lives. Dallas's voice is particularly poignant--young, introspective, and honest about the likelihood of her rehabilitation. Rather than forcing a cheery ending, Ferris keeps it real, leaving Dallas standing in the doorway on the day of her release, suitcase in hand, wondering what's next. (Ages 13 to 16) --Brangien Davis

Book Description

Inspired by the author's work in a girls' rehabilitation center.

Ray called it skating when we did the crazy things . . . Hot-wiring a fancy car for a joyride after midnight. Boosting stuff from stores . . .

Sixteen-year-old Dallas loves the rush, the excitement of "skating." But then she and her friends decide to rob a convenience store and it's Dallas who gets caught while the others get away. Since it is her first offense, she thinks her father will help her out - but when the judge says she can go home on probation her father says no, he can't control her. So the judge gives Dallas six months in the Girls' Rehabilitation Center. Once there, Dallas meets an assortment of "bad" girls, many of whom don't expect to change, and those who do often don't make it. How Dallas comes to terms with herself - both the bad and the good - makes for a heartfelt and insightful novel about troubled teenagers and the odds they face in trying to turn their lives around.

Customer Reviews:

BAD.......2006-02-17

BAD Charlotte Cordell
My book was called BAD by Jean Ferris. This book is about a girl named Dallas. She lives with her father. Her mother had passed away when she was around 4 years old. She doesn't remember much of her mother, but from what her father says about her, she was not a good roll model. She was really irresponsible. She came home late and didn't care much for the family. When Dallas got her father mad by whom she hangs out with or what she does, he says that she is too much like her mother. Dallas was dating a boy named Ray. Ray and Dallas where friends with a girl named Pam and a boy named Sonny. Sonny was Pam's boyfriend. That was their group of friends. What they did to have fun was shoplift and break the law. They called it, "skating." One day they were really bored and they decided to do something that they had never done before. They were going to rob a small jiffy spot store. Pam had stolen a gun from her father and brought it along so they could get control of the cashier. They were sitting in a café one night and were deciding who would do what. They had come up with the plan that Ray, Pam, and Sonny would break an entry. So that leaves Dallas to be the one to hold the gun and threaten the cashier, even though she didn't want to. When it was time, they did as planned. Shortly after they had entered the store, police cars had showed up. Ray, Pam, and Sonny darted out the back door like there was no tomorrow. They left Dallas there for blame. They also made up a story that Dallas had stolen the gun from Pam's father so that Pam and the others wouldn't get in trouble. Pam got taken away and charged with robbery. She was sent to juvenile hall. Her father wouldn't bail her out knowing how much he didn't trust her. Since they had nothing to do with her there, they sent her to a rehab for people who committed crimes. It was like a school to teach them that it was bad and also teach them so they don't get behind. Dallas had to stay in rehab for at least 6 months. She could have visitors on weekends. Pam came to visit her after a couple weeks. Dallas was desperate to get out of there! Dallas's father had shown up one day. Does he take her home? Read the book to find out.
This book was a really good book. Every time I had to stop reading this book, I didn't want to. I could have just kept reading until I finished it. It was very exciting to read. The parts that got me most excited were the cliff hangers. They set me up for a big sensation to keep reading. The author definitely made me feel like I was in the book. Jean described every scene in the book very well so that I could just imagine in my head that I was there. The main conflict did interest me a lot. When I read the first 6 pages, I was already into the book. It reminded me of what not to do. Such as: Steal and break laws. The characters were definitely realistic. They reminded me of some people that I know. (Besides the whole breaking the law part) The book ending was very disappointing. It just had a very dead end. I wanted to keep reading. Nothing much happens at the end besides one thing that is very big. But if I were to tell you, you would know the whole ending.
The author wrote in the 3rd person. The book was read as if I was reading the persons life. The author used slang and regular everyday vocabulary. One of the characteristics in the author's writing is how accurate it is. She described exactly how it would have been in rehab. She also explained in graphic details of everything that was going on. Jean Ferris is a very good author. I got very involved with this book.
I rate this book a 9 out of 10. I loved everything about this book besides the ending. I wish the ending was more interesting, it just kind of stops. I definitely recommend this book to everyone. Age doesn't really matter. It's a really good book if you are interesting in this kind of book.
This book was amazingly written. It's a pretty easy book, but very interesting. It's interesting about how some teenagers may live their lives compared to others.

A Good Read.......2006-02-16

This book is great.
One night I was reading it late at night and my eyes were really heavy and I was extremely tired and I kept telling myself, "I'll go bed after this chapter," but I just couldn't! I had to keep reading to find out what the next chapter would say. It is a really good book though I prefer books with mystery and more details. If this book wasn't so predictable it would have gotten 5 stars. But then again what book about an individual in juvie or in a highly disciplined place isn't predictable?

Bad.......2006-02-05

Bad
The book I read was called, "Bad," by Jean Ferris. The story was about a girl named Dallas. Dallas had a really tough life because her mother died when she was four and she didn't get along with her dad. She was 16 years old and didn't know what to do with her life besides doing all of the wrong things. She started hanging out with the wrong kind of people who did something called skating for fun. Skating is basically just shoplifting but one time they had taken it way too far. Dallas was put under a lot of peer pressure to bring a gun into a store and rob the place so they could buy fake IDs. She did it because she knew that those people wouldn't be her "friends" anymore if she didn't do it. Dallas was caught and had to go to court. The judge said she could either be put on probation or sent to a girls rehab center. Her dad made her go to a Girls' Rehabilitation Center for six months because he thought Dallas needed that for better discipline. Along the way she made a ton of new friends that taught her so many things. When she was there she really learned a lot about herself. Dallas found many new things she could do besides skating. She found her interest in books, writing, and school. The rest of the book was about her journey through a Girls' Rehabilitation Center and all of the things she learned to help her.
I think this was one of my favorite books. It was really exciting because there was never a dull moment. She was either getting into trouble or learning something new. I did and didn't feel like I was in the book. I did because she goes through things that average teenagers go through. I didn't because she has a tough life and I can't really relate to doing any of the things she does like robbing a store at gunpoint. The main conflict did interest me a lot because it was different from the other books that I have read. The characters were very realistic because they were supposed to be. At the beginning of the book the author says that she was in a Girls' Rehabilitation Center so she basically wrote about what it was like for her. But it wasn't all coming from her life. The book's ending was pretty satisfying because it ended the way you thought it was. The only thing I didn't like was that it was really predictable and I thought she should have written a lot more about what Dallas was like after she went to the Girls' Rehabilitation Center.
The voice of this book was mainly coming from the author's point-of-view from what rehab is actually like. Not everything was really from her life though because Dallas and everything Dallas did was made up. Jean Ferris uses vocabulary in an interesting way because she uses some slang and a lot of cussing too. The words she used were pretty easy because I never had a hard time figuring out what they meant. The author has a unique writing style because she writes in a sadder tone but she didn't use as much description as I thought she would. The authors' ability to use dialogue was good because she could write some really intense conversations between the girls to make you feel like you were actually there. The use of description was OK, but at some parts it seemed like there could have been a little more. The tone was good because it followed the storyline. All together I like the way Jean Ferris writes.
I would give this book a rating of five out of five because it was amazing. Also, the ending wasn't as bad as some of the books I've read. I would recommend this book to teenagers mostly because we can relate to a lot of the things that Dallas goes through. This book could be for boys or girls but girls might like it better because it is from a girls' point-of-view and she talks about her boyfriend sometimes. This book definitely deserves a high rating in my opinion because of how different it was.
"Bad," was one of the best books I have ever read. I like how Dallas goes through things real teenagers actually go through such as peer pressure, family issues, and learning new things. It does get really sad in some parts. It will make you want to cry with her when she is having a hard time with life. Over all I think everyone should read this because they will learn something new from it.

I liked this book.........2005-12-17

Bad by Jean Ferris was actually more than I expected it to be. I had my school librarian consider buying this book so I could check it out and read it. After making her decision, she decided to buy this book for me and I got to read it... After looking at reviews for this book, I thought this book would be good, and now that I have read it, I still have that same opinion. This book opens up to young teenage girls who might be going through something that relates to one of the characters in it, even if it isn't Dallas. Dallas, is our main character in this book and it tells about her life and how she feels the rush of "skating," otherwise known as doing things such as stealing, robbing a Jiffy-Spot, etc. But when Dallas gets caught, she is sentenced to six months in the GRC (Girl's Rehab Center). Then she sees how others are living their lives as criminals and gets to meet new people, with new crimes. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. It gets sad, and does sometime talk about teenage girl things, so I would recommend being about 13-16 years old. And hopefully, you'll be just like me, and never put it down until it is finished.

When "bad" turns good.......2005-04-04

16 year old Dallas is sentenced 6 months to a Girls Rehab center after being caught with a gun. At first, i wasn't sure if i should read "bad" but when i picked up the book, i couldn't put it down! the story's plot really caught my attention and it also related to most teens who deal with peer pressure. after reading this book, i learned to do what i think is right, because if you don't, it could get you into trouble.

Changing Lives: Delinquency Prevention as Crime-Control Policy (Adolescent Development and Legal Policy)

Average customer rating:

Changing Lives: Delinquency Prevention as Crime-Control Policy (Adolescent Development and Legal Policy)
Peter W. Greenwood
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Social Policy | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Children's Studies | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

Jurisprudence | Perspectives on Law | Law | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0226307190

Book Description

One of the most astonishing aspects of juvenile crime is how little is known about the impact of the policies and programs put in place to fight it. The most commonly used strategies and programs for combating juvenile delinquency problems primarily rely on intuition and fads. Fortunately, as a result of the promising new research documented in Changing Lives, these deficiencies in our juvenile justice system might quickly be remedied.

Peter W. Greenwood here demonstrates here that as crimes rates have fallen, researchers have identified more connections between specific risk factors and criminal behavior, while program developers have discovered a wide array of innovative interventions. The result of all this activity, he reveals, has been the revelation of a few prevention models that reduce crime much more cost-effectively than popular approaches such as tougher sentencing, D.A.R.E., boot camps, and "scared straight" programs. Changing Lives expertly presents the most promising of these prevention programs, their histories, the quality of evidence to support their effectiveness, the public policy programs involved in bringing them into wider use, and the potential for investments and developmental research to increase the range and quality of programs.

Average customer rating:

Good Idea, Poor Vehicle
Very well done
Inside Out
Attempts to have young people understand schizophrenia
Sensational, really...

Inside Out
Terry Trueman
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Illness | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Being a Teen | Social Issues | Teens | Subjects | Books

General | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0064473767
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Book Description

In a busy coffee shop, a robbery goes wrong. Two gunmen hold seven hostages, including teenager Zach Wahhsted. What nobody realizes at first is that Zach is anything but ordinary and his troubled mind is more dangerous than any weapon. Terry Trueman has created a compelling character with the same shocking power and heartbreaking compassion as his Printz Honor Award debut novel, Stuck in Neutral.

Ages 12+

Customer Reviews:

Good Idea, Poor Vehicle.......2007-07-02

Terry Trueman's 117-page YA novel, INSIDE OUT, is a good idea in that it seeks to show young readers what the inside of a teenaged schizophrenic's mind might feel like; the bad idea is the vehicle he chooses to show it with -- an unrealistic hold-up of a coffee shop by 17 and 14-year-old brothers who just want to help their cancer-stricken mother with money.

In the fiction business, the term "suspension of disbelief" has to do with the reader's willingness to go along with the situation provided by the author, to give the fiction writer the benefit of the doubt if he pushes it a bit in the realism department. Trueman probably goes too far here, as the two kids seem too young and too nice to hold up a coffee joint (of all places) to "do good" for their dying mother.

Getting past that, the book is entertaining and interesting for its dialogue and insight into the brain of people tortured by the voices of such mental illnesses as schizophrenia. Zach seems nonplussed by all the gun brandishing of brothers Alan (a.k.a. "Frosty") and Joey (a.k.a. "Stormy). He just doesn't get it. And his steady stream of non sequiturs comes across as funny, only they're (of course) not.

Throughout the hostage situation we get to know the "criminals" a bit. Older brother Alan is a sympathetic sort who shows genuine compassion for Zach. Younger brother Joey is more of a hot-headed type -- the sort of kid who frequently refers to Zach as a "retard" (a term Zach is very familiar with from school).

The novella has its share of profanity, but it only lends a realistic touch to the dialogue in such a situation. High marks go to INSIDE OUT for shedding some light on a medical condition few young readers know about. Like Mark Haddon's more ambitious THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, Trueman's book provides a point of view seldom seen and thus much in need. It's too bad some readers will be put off by the "This could never happen with THESE characters in REAL life..." aspect of the plot.

Very well done.......2007-05-18

Trueman does an excellent job showing the world through the eyes of a boy with schizophrenia while simultaneously allowing the reader to see how his illness affects his thinking process and, in turn, his actions. Trueman takes his readers to a place they have never, and hopefully will never, be. It gives the reader a greater sensitivity to mental illness and its effects.

I didn't so much, "enjoy," this book as I truly appreciated it. I wouldn't say it was a fun read, - the tone was to serious for, "fun," - but it is absolutely a good read.

Very good.

Inside Out.......2006-10-10

My son thought this book was great. He especially enjoyed all the swearing.

Attempts to have young people understand schizophrenia.......2006-08-01

It's a quick read, only about a hour. It's fast paced so reluctant teen readers will probably finish it. I think the author did a good job making Zach likable and someone to have sympathy for having this horrible mental illness. I found myself just as interested or more so in Alan, the kindly older thief. I didn't want him tried as an adult since what he really wanted to do is help his mother buy medicine she needed. I wonder if Alan taken away the attention from the main character since Alan in some ways more interesting than Zach.

Sensational, really..........2006-07-27

I read the first three pages of "Inside Out" and knew I had to read the whole thing. The characterization is flawless, and the book gives an impeccable depiction of schizophrenia, and what's even more amazing is that the book is written in first person, giving you a more personal feel for what it might be like to not know what's real from what's fake. You finish this book with a new found empathy for people with schizophrenia, and what they have to endure.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books