A Book for Teen Boys

Teenage middle school boys represent a real challenge for me in terms of picking books.  I tend to fall back on graphic novels and adventure series, but even they feel a little too juvenile at times.  Realistic fiction is a challenge because, as my oldest son says, the boys are often facing dead parents, abuse or bad friends, something that kids do occasionally deal with, but not most kids on a daily basis.

So what is book blogger to do?  Well, hope for a book like the one I am profiling today!  It was written by someone who spends their time with kids this age, and it shows.

Don't forget to Follow One Great Book on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and by email so that you won't miss a look into the actual thought process of a thirteen year old boy.  It's not always pretty but boy will it open your eyes.

Title: Breakout

Author: Kevin Emerson

Target: Grades 7 and up

Series; No

What this book is about: 

Anthony is a frustrated kid in middle school.  He feels that he is mature enough to manage his life, but  his parents and teachers just don’t seem to be able to treat him as anything more than a big kid.  Music is the one outlet where he feels he is taken seriously, and when inspiration and strikes and he writes a song that goes viral, he can’t believe the positive reaction he gets from his peers.  The one problem is that it contains the “f’ word and that means that the one song his band wants to sing at for his school’s Arts Night is off limits.  Will he stand up for his art, or respect the fact that it may not be appropriate for his audience.  

Why I love this book: 

I loved this book because I think it perfectly captures the absolute frustration of a teen boy.  Anthony is infuriated, he isn’t logical, he is ruled by emotion and he exemplifies the way so many teen boys feel on a daily basis.  He isn’t ready to take responsibility but he is riled up by all the perceived injustices which are placed on him.  He can see the frustration in the adults that are trying to empathize with him but he can’t quite get over the fact that they still treat him like a child.

While the book does deal with the issue of the “f” word, the word is never actually written and no other swear words are used in the book.  The word serves as a decision making point in the story over which adults cannot compromise and so it forces a decision for Anthony.  

Who this book is for: 

Wonderful book for middle school boys who are in that limbo phase between elementary and adult books.  Great for teen boys who are looking for realistic fiction that speaks to them.

Final thoughts:

This book was a great read for me, because with a teen son, it felt like a little glimpse into his thought process.

To purchase this book:

Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: Breakout  A portion of each purchase will go to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.