  | Full Text Reviews: Bulletin for the Center... - 09/01/2011 Starting a new school in the spring of your freshman year is no easy task. For Davis Delaware (who is not from Delaware, thank you very much), the confusion surrounding his name is only the beginning of his tribulations in high school, which he chronicles in humorously exaggerated comic-like spot illustrations, sarcastic, long-suffering narrative prose, and angry, witty song lyrics. He starts a band with beautiful Molly (his at-first-sight crush) and dweeby Edwin (her chatterbox best friend), and he’s targeted for severe intimidation by the school bully Gerald “The Butcher” Boggs; along with his sad but doggedly parental dad, he continues to deal with the ongoing grief of his mother’s death the previous year. The obvious comparison here is to Kinney’s Wimpy Kid series (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, BCCB 6/07), but Hannan adds a bit more domestic pathos and focuses more explicitly on that awkward place between cooties and crushes, resulting in a little less depth on the insight front. There is plenty to like here, though, from smartly developed relationships to absurd hijinks to subtly conveyed emotional beats (plus, for the observant, a backwards flip book in the lower right-hand corner that depicts an extreme dodgeball victory over Gerald). For readers who enjoyed Wimpy Kid but want a read-alike that is more than just a ripoff, this is just the ticket. CG - Copyright 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. School Library Journal - 09/01/2011 Gr 6–9—Hannan's abundant cartoons set the tone for the misadventures of Davis Delaware, the new kid in ninth grade. Davis's attempts to blend in quickly land him on the wrong side of school bully Gerald "the Butcher" when he forms a band with Gerald's cute girlfriend, Molly, and her dweeby friend, Edwin. Stock characters of clueless parents and hapless teachers will be familiar to most readers, as will scenes of typical high-school high jinks: cafeteria food-throwing, locker troubles, and gym-class peril. Occasionally, Hannan breaks the surface with welcome insights into Davis's feelings: the recent death of his mother gives him a mature perspective on coping with Gerald and how to face a challenge he would rather avoid. A disastrous father-son camping trip ends on a hopeful note when the two are able to share their grief in a comical manner completely in keeping with their characters. Hannan's edgy, exaggerated style suits the humor-driven narrative well. Give this to readers who enjoy light, entertaining realistic fiction.—M. Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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