What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this is for teens only. Though not
overly graphic or explicit, it is filled with references to
sex, drugs, and (have to say it) rock 'n' roll. The main teen
character experiences oral sex several times, as well as a
couple of heavy make-out sessions.
Families who read this book could discuss the depiction of high school life here. Is your school anything like this? Are hazing, sex, and drugs as prevalent as they are in the book? Why do teens treat each other this way? Do you and your friends share Tom's views of the Boomer generation? Also, there's the unresolved mystery. Based on the evidence in the book, what do you think really happened to Tom's dad?
Common Sense Media Review
This debut novel by East Bay punk rocker Dr. Frank has so
much going for it that it may be the literary find of the year.
First, it's laugh-out-loud, still-chuckling-10-minutes-later
funny, the kind of clever, sardonic, intelligent humor that
will have your teens calling up their friends to read passages
out loud.
Among the many hilarious joys here -- most especially the young narrator's voice and caustic cynicism -- are the 25 different rock band names (along with album, song, and performer names, all helpfully listed in the back) that Tom comes up with, as well as a witty glossary (with mispronunciations courtesy of an English teacher in the story).
The humor, though, is set in high relief by the story's depth, complexity, and sophistication. There's a realism here that goes far beyond most books, either for teens or for adults. All of the characters, major and minor, are more than meet the eye, the layers of their personalities don't always fit together as smoothly as they usually do in fiction. Their lives are as complex as their personalities.
The story itself isn't exactly linear: Tom is simultaneously involved in surviving school, trying to learn about his dead father, bonding with his stepfather, navigating new relationships, forming a rock band, tracking down a girl he met, and more. He's cynical yet endearingly innocent, goodhearted, and at the same time brilliant and clueless -- in fact far more like Holden Caulfield than he'd like to admit.
The mystery of Tom's father's death is never solved, and very few ends are neatly tied up. But unlike most books that try this, it isn't frustrating at all -- in fact it makes perfect sense.
Interspersed with all this are Tom's, and the author's, musings, bits of philosophy, rants, and outsider observations, often wickedly funny and always interesting and thought provoking. Together it all makes for a delightful read.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
