King of the Screwups

Author: K.L. Going

ISBN:978-0547331669

Publication Information: Graphia

Plot Summary: Liam is handsome, athletic and popular. But despite being a "cool" kid, there is nothing Liam can do to get his father's approval. He always seems to screw things up. Finally, after one too many mistakes, Liam's father gets fed up and sends him away to live with his grandparents, until Liam's mother intervenes and sends him to bond with his Aunt Pete. Liam hasn't seen Aunt Pete in years (ever since Pete and Liam's father got into a huge blowout), so he isn't sure how the rest of the year is going to go. After a rocky start, Aunt Pete and Liam begin to become friends, understand each other, and eventually, help each other grow up and get over their family issues.

Critical Evaluation: K.L. Going consistently hits it out of the park when it comes to creating deep, empathetic characters that are extremely well written. It is no exception with King of the Screwups. What is different and unique about this particular protagonist is that instead of outcasts, like a fat kid, or a crack baby as a main character, Liam has the opposite problem. He is extremely popular, good looking and athletic. But despite the fact that Liam seems to have a charmed life, his problems with his father (and the way that Going portrays their relationship) immediately creates empathy for Liam from the reader, enticing the reader to read on from the first page. And, readers that are worried that Going has sacrificed her typical quirky characters will be relieved to be introduced to Aunt Pete, an aging gay glam rocker and late night DJ. He and his group of friends are delightful, and equal parts hilarious and deeply moving. Overall, this was a great book and can be recommended for both boy and girls.

Reader's Annotation: Liam seems to live a charmed life. He is popular, good looking and athletic. Unfortunately for Liam, his Dad thinks he is a total screw up.

Author Information: K.L. Going was born and raised in New York (the state, not the city), and currently lives in Glen Spey, NY with her husband and step-daughter. She is the author of seven YA titles. Going is the recipient of a Printz Honor for her debut novel, Fat Kid Rules the World. She is currently employed full time as an author, and has an unhealthy obsession with ketchup. (Information taken from author's website http://klgoing.com/bio.htm)

Curricular Ties: n/a

Genre:Contemporary Life

Book talking ideas:

• Why was it so important for Liam to have his father's approval?
• Why did Liam's mother give up her career as a model? Would you do the same if you were in her situation?
• What did you think of the relationship between Liam and Aunt Pete?
  

Challenge issues: Drugs, underage drinking, sex

• Familiarize yourself with the book and its contents.
• Check the library for specific policies on challenged books.
• Check the ALA website for advice on how to respond and react when a book has been challenged. (http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/index.cfm)
  
• Find positive reviews from reputable websites.
• Ask the challenger for their specific objections and try to address them using information from the above research.

Interest Age: Grades 9 and up

Why I selected this piece: I love every book that K.L. has written, I would recommend all of her books.