The Boomerang Effect

by Gordon Jack

Overview

A hilariously subversive YA debut that explores the meaning of friendship and loyalty, and also why you should avoid being trapped in a small space with an angry chicken. Perfect for fans of Andrew Smith’s Winger and Frank Portman’s King Dork.

It all started with a harmless prank. But now high school junior Lawrence Barry is one step away from reform school unless he participates in a mentorship program. His mentee? Spencer Knudsen, a Norwegian exchange student with Spock-like intelligence but the social skills of the periodic table.

Then disaster strikes. Homecoming Week. When someone dressed as the school Viking mascot starts destroying the fairytale-inspired floats, all suspicion falls on Lawrence. Add to the mix a demon Goth girl, a Renaissance LARPing group, an overzealous yearbook editor, and three vindictive chickens, and Lawrence soon realizes that his situation may be a little out of control. But Spencer seems to have some answers. In fact, Spencer may be the one friend Lawrence never knew he needed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062399410
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	11/08/2016
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	368
File size:	914 KB
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Gordon Jack always wanted to be a writer. In third grade, he put that on his “What I Want to Be When I Grow Up” list, just behind astronaut and professional dog walker. While working toward this goal, he had jobs as an advertising copywriter, English teacher, librarian, and semiprofessional dog walker. The Boomerang Effect is his first novel. He lives in San Francisco with his family. Visit him online at www.gordon-jack.com or on Twitter @gordojack.

Editorial Reviews

Jack’s impeccable comedic timing and ear for dialogue make this an irresistible, absurdist romp with a lovable Ferris Bueller–type raconteur. Jack manages to explore serious topics like drug abuse, sex, racism, sexism, and ableism through an honest and multidimensional lens that teen readers will appreciate. — ALA Booklist

This laugh-out-loud YA debut offers a profound meditation on the narrow definitions of “normal,” how “to stand out and simultaneously blend in,” and how growing up means valuing difference and looking at the world with more self-aware eyes. Highly recommended. — School Library Journal

“Lawrence’s back story feels genuine, and readers will feel sympathy for him. His self-conscious humor is funny. The upbeat ending fits well.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Action-packed and often hilarious. The large, diverse cast of supporting characters is wonderfully drawn and adds to the depth and humor of this debut novel. This is a great read that fans of humorous stories, misfits of all stripes, and teenage boys especially will enjoy.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

From the Publisher

Jack’s impeccable comedic timing and ear for dialogue make this an irresistible, absurdist romp with a lovable Ferris Bueller–type raconteur. Jack manages to explore serious topics like drug abuse, sex, racism, sexism, and ableism through an honest and multidimensional lens that teen readers will appreciate.

ALA Booklist

Action-packed and often hilarious. The large, diverse cast of supporting characters is wonderfully drawn and adds to the depth and humor of this debut novel. This is a great read that fans of humorous stories, misfits of all stripes, and teenage boys especially will enjoy.

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

11/01/2016
Gr 9 Up—After getting stoned and causing a ruckus at a school assembly, Lawrence Barry avoids expulsion by cutting a deal with his guidance counselor to mentor Spencer, a Norwegian freshman transfer student. Up to this point, Lawrence's life's aim had been "to sit around [with his friends], smoke pot, and play video games." Now he has to focus, change his habits, and become "a man with a purpose." That's easier said than done, especially when the whole school thinks he's out to sabotage homecoming and his on-again, off-again ex wants to take him to the dance in a dog collar. This laugh-out-loud YA debut offers a profound meditation on the narrow definitions of "normal," how "to stand out and simultaneously blend in," and how growing up means valuing difference and looking at the world with more self-aware eyes. Some of the funniest scenes include a battle for the ages between vampires and LARPers (live action role-players). VERDICT Highly recommended for YA readers looking for a novel with large doses of humor and a narrative rooted in personal growth and self-awareness.—Ted McCoy, Leeds Elementary and Ryan Road Elementary, MA

School Library Journal

2016-08-17
A stoner in the process of reforming is pressured to act as a mentor for a new, younger student at his high school in this comedic novel. First-person narrator Lawrence is the privileged son of two successful but neglectful parents who can't even be bothered to attend a meeting about his possible expulsion from school. His lawyer father does, however, write a threatening letter to the principal, which keeps Lawrence enrolled. He’s assigned by his school counselor to help Spencer, who’s from Norway, as a means to show his good faith to follow the rules. Lawrence is also newly sober, after using pot constantly for years, and begins to somewhat reluctantly fall for a girl who marches to her own drum. Lawrence's back story—he fell in with friends who valued getting high more than they valued him in an effort to shed an earlier geeky image—feels genuine, and readers will feel sympathy for him. A fair amount of his self-conscious humor is funny. However, many other elements played for laughs fall flat—such as Lawrence’s mild unease with gayness, a glaringly stereotyped Latina housekeeper, and a Vietnamese-American villain who accuses others of racial profiling when she's caught out. Characters of color are specified, leaving readers to infer that Lawrence and the rest are white. The upbeat ending that resolves many of Lawrence's struggles is unsurprising and fits well, but there are major flaws here that will turn readers off. (Fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews