Copyright Date:
2007
Edition Date:
2007
Pages:
176
Availability:
Available
ISBN:
0-88995-399-6
ISBN 13:
978-0-88995-399-4
Dewey:
813
Language:
English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist
His full name is William James Reid, but everybody jeeringly calls him "Egghead," especially the school bully, Shane, who seems to be especially determined to make the new ninth-grader's life miserable. The only one who has a kind word for William is Katie, who has known him since junior high school, but then even she betrays him, and a bad situation is made unbearable. Canadian author Pignat's first novel is a sensitive examination of bullying and its psychological roots. Told from three alternating points of view at of William, Katie, and Shane's friend Devan e story is fast paced and absorbing, even without offering much in the way of surprises. The author does a nice job, however, of characterization and of charting the believable evolution of the relationships among the characters.
School Library Journal
Gr 710 Ninth-grader Will Reid, obsessed with ants and the science fair, wears a turtleneck dickie under his shirts. His only friend is Katie, a girl he has known since elementary school. Awkward and strange, he is the school bully's primary target. Shane has two lackeysBrad, who is equally as sinister, and Devan, who goes along with the crowd even though he knows deep inside that it is wrong. The book is filled with stories of tormenting Will, from smashing his prized ant farm, to locking him out of the locker room naked. Told from the perspectives of Will, Devan, and Katie, the book delves into the psychology of the characters from a realistic standpoint. Devan battles with both his crush on Katie and his need to disengage himself from Shane's aggressiveness, and Katie wants to protect Will but also to maintain her relationships with her other classmates. When one particular prank goes haywire, Will ends up in a coma. However, the book ends on a positive note, and the short chapters and high-paced drama are sure to engage even the most reluctant readers. Unfortunately, the story tends to generalize the reasoning behind Shane's behavior (he is abused by his father). There are also subplots, such as the deaths of most of the characters' parents, which draw away from the focus of the story. Still, teens will empathize with the characters and see the personality types inherent within themselves or in their schools. Marie C. Hansen, New York Public Library
Red Maple Book Award - Fiction Honour Book 2009
Snow Willow Award Nominee 2009
CLA Young Adult Canadian Book Award shortlist, 2009
Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice, 2009
Will Reid is a gawky kid who wears fake turtlenecks, is obsessed by his ant farm project, and is lousy at gym. In other words, he's the perfect target for Shane, the Grade 9 bully.
Katie has been Will's friend in elementary school, but defending him in the high school environment comes at an unforeseen cost - she dreads the rumours that link them in a boyfriend/girlfriend way she's never considered.
Devan has been part of Shane's bullyboy team until now, when he comes to realize that it's not so smart to mindlessly back up each nasty attack of Shane's.
Together the three young teens are struggling to find their way out of one of the classic dilemmas of life: how not to be a bystander to bullying, how to stand up for your friends, and how to deal with consuming rage.
Young readers will find lots to think about as they turn the pages of this crisp and compelling story by newcomer Caroline Pignat. Each character takes a turn at telling the story - through the spare blank verse of Will, wrapped up in the world of his single-parent father and his own eccentric preoccupations; through the clear-eyed accounts of Katie, wrestling with her own private demons; and in the sensitive narrative of the slowly awakening Devan, who comes to notice Katie as a spunky, attractive individual whom he'd like to know better but fears thinks he's a goof.
Note that Kids Help Phone's has included Egghead on their site as a book to help kids in their Get Information section under Bullying for Ages 13 and Up.
