Reformed

Title:

Reformed

Author:

Summary:

Ian Hart has always been the kid most likely to be bullied, which is why he appreciates having agressive Devon as a friend--but when one of Devon's pranks goes terribly wrong Ian finds himself the youngest student in the Juvenile Academy for Noncompliant and Underachieving Students, otherwise know as reform school, and somehow he is going to have to learn how to stand up for himself.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

200 pages ; 22 cm

Subject Term:

Reformatories -- Juvenile fiction.

Bullying -- Juvenile fiction.

Practical jokes -- Juvenile fiction.

Friendship -- Juvenile fiction.

Self-confidence -- Juvenile fiction.

Publisher:

Scholastic Press,

Publication Date:

2017

ISBN:

9780545902526

9780545902533

9781338169959

Publication Information:

New York : Scholastic Press, [2017]

Call Number:

J WEINBER

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003237917	Juvenile Fiction	WEINBER	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

What's harder than surviving a school bully? Surviving a school full of bullies.Ian Hart has mastered the art of lying low. He might sometimes space out at the exact moment Mr. Dunford calls on him (it was field day!). And sure, he's a little clueless around the girls in his class. But Ian's nobody's fool. So how'd a kid like him get framed for pranking the new boy? Too bad he won't have the chance to find out. Tonight, Ian and his friends Ash and Alva will be sleeping with one eye open . . . at bully reform school, where the hijinks are rougher, the mean girls are meaner, and even the teachers refuse to play by the rules.It'll take all the schemes and wits Ian, Ash, and Alva can muster if they want to make it out of this nightmare and into middle school. But they're ready for action. Even if it means forging a secret alliance with a world-class hacker. Even if it means . . . wearing a tutu.Watch your back. Hide your underwear. In a place like this, only the fearless survive.

Author Notes

Zombie Season is Justin Weinberger's second novel, following his debut, Reformed . Justin has also contributed to numerous television dramas, including the FX on Hulu series, "The Patient", and FX's "The Americans", for which he shared in the Writers Guild of America's award for Outstanding Writing - Drama Series. Originally from Easton, Pennsylvania, Justin makes his home in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, Chelsea, and their dog, Penny.

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-7-Where do adolescent bullies go to turn their lives around? And what would it be like if they all went to school together? Those questions form the basis of Weinberger's debut, which follows wrongfully accused sixth grader Ian Hart as he and his friends Ash, Mark, and Devon attend a summer reform school for bullies called JANUS. Ian's inner monologue is frequently troubled by an entity he refers to as The Freak, a stand-in for his adolescent social awkwardness and, more important, his budding individuality. Weinberger gives Ian a self-deprecating voice that will appeal to "Wimpy Kid" fans who are interested in exploring the ethical questions facing middle schoolers. Vivid supporting characters, including a pair of feuding dancers and a renegade computer hacker, provide color and comic relief. But Ian's closer friends, especially Devon, the book's main antagonist and the party responsible for the group's summerlong detention, would have benefited from further development. Weinberger tries to work too many of Ian's fantasies into the story (in addition to The Freak, there's an imaginary ghost of Thomas Edison and a sort-of time-traveling toilet), which can be confusing. VERDICT An entertaining and quirky read, suitable for fans of Tom Angleberger, Jeff Kinney, and James Roy.-Abigail Garnett, Brooklyn Public Library © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

Twelve-year-old Ian has a set of rules designed to avoid being bullied, including "be quiet and fit in." Ian's friend Devon looks out for him, too, though Devon can be a bully himself. When Ian is an unwitting accessory to an allergic boy's exposure to peanut butter, Ian, Devon, and two other friends are sent to a summer school for bullies. There, Ian vents his frustrations to the spirit of Thomas Edison ("You were my age once.... How did you transform from a twelve-year-old dropout to a self-taught inventor guy?"), nurses an inner voice he thinks of as "the Freak" that longs to speak up, and confides in friends Ash and Alva. Weinberger's debut is filled with stunts and pranks that many readers will recognize, and when Devon goes too far, Ian is finally compelled to confront him. Ian's fears of being bullied and guilt at not standing up for himself and others are strongly felt, although his wry observations and joking relationship with Ash add layers of levity to this coming-of-age journey. Ages 8-12. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.