As John Green, "New York Times" bestselling author of "The Fault in Our Stars" said, ""King Dork" will rock your world." The cult favorite from Frank Portman, aka Dr. Frank of the Mr. T. Experience, is a book like nothing ever done before--"King Dork" literally has something for everyone: At least a half-dozen mysteries, love, mistaken identity, girls, monks, books, blood, bubblegum, and rock and roll. This book is based on music--a passion most kids have--and it has original (hilarious) songs and song lyrics throughout. ...
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As John Green, "New York Times" bestselling author of "The Fault in Our Stars" said, ""King Dork" will rock your world." The cult favorite from Frank Portman, aka Dr. Frank of the Mr. T. Experience, is a book like nothing ever done before--"King Dork" literally has something for everyone: At least a half-dozen mysteries, love, mistaken identity, girls, monks, books, blood, bubblegum, and rock and roll. This book is based on music--a passion most kids have--and it has original (hilarious) songs and song lyrics throughout. When Tom Henderson finds his deceased father's copy of J. D. Salinger's "The""Catcher in the Rye," his world is turned upside down. Suddenly high school gets more complicated: Tom (aka King Dork) is in the middle of at least half a dozen mysteries involving dead people, naked people, fake people, a secret code, girls, and rock and roll. As he goes through sophomore year, he finds clues that may very well solve the puzzle of his father's death and--oddly--reveal the secret to attracting semi-hot girls (the secret might be being in a band, if he can find a drummer who can count to four. A brilliant story told in first person, "King Dork" includes a glossary and a bandography, which readers will find helpful and hilarious. Praise for "King Dork: " "Basically, if you are a human being with even a vague grasp of the English language, "King Dork," will rock your world."--John Green, author of "The Fault in Our Stars" "[No account of high school] has made me laugh more than "King Dork." . . . Grade A."--"Entertainment Weekly" "Impossibly brilliant."--"Time " "Provides a window into what it would be like if Holden Caulfield read The Catcher in the Rye."--"New York Post "[STAR] "Original, heartfelt, and sparkling with wit and intelligence. This novel will linger long in readers' memories."--"School Library Journal, " Starred [STAR] "A biting and witty high-school satire."--"Kirkus Reviews, " Starred [STAR] "Tom's narration is piercingly satirical and acidly witty."--"The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, " Starred "Loaded with sharp and offbeat humor."--"USA Today" "King Dork is smart, funny, occasionally raunchy and refreshingly clear about what it's like to be in high school."--"San Francisco Chronicle" ""King Dork" Best Punk Rock Book Ever."--"The Village Voice" "I love this book as much as I hated high school, and that's some of the highest praise I can possibly give."--Bookslut.com
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Add this copy of King Dork to cart. $9.77, good condition, Sold by The Yard Sale Store rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Narrowsburg, NY, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by Listening Library.
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Good. 10 AUDIO CDs withdrawn from the library collection. Some library marking. We will polish the Audio CDs for smooth listening. You will receive a good set. Enjoy this reliable AUDIO CD performance.
My library had this book in the "young adult" section but changed it and put it in the adult section. I'm an adult without children, so I won't tell you whether or not your kids should read this. I will tell you however that the content is a little shocking. I don't think that teens themselves would be shocked at the content of girls giving oral sex to random relative strangers, prescription drug abuse, and of a high school pornography ring, but parents might.
The story centers on tenth grader Tom Henderson. He finds "clues" in the copy of Catcher in the Rye that his deceased father left boxed in the basement, and from these notes his high-school dad penciled in the margins Tom tries to find clues to the death of his adult police officer father. He tries to get to know his father by reading the books he did, and deciphering the clues. What Tom ends up learning is that his dad was much like he is.
The plot is secondary to the real value of the book, which is in skewering The Catcher in the Rye and giving us a peek into what high schools are like today. Tom is a high school nobody...he has one friend (Sam Hellerman) that he acquired by being placed with him alphabetically for years, he gets picked on and beaten up, as much at the mercy of the teachers as he is to the other students. Not to mention the trouble at home in dealing with a depressed mom and a hippie step-father.
The amazing thing is how lovable Tom is. He is smart and witty. He shows us how ridiculous the high school curriculum is, and how high school is basically a four year long gauntlet that kids are lucky to survive, especially if they're unique and not part of the cool kids clique.
Tom and Sam have a band, whose name changes every few weeks regularly. They aren't very good at all, and at a talent show in school they end up inadvertently blowing open a school sex scandal, which is almost the death of Tom.
I highly recommend this book; it gives a true impression of what high school life is today, and it's also very, very funny while also being quite touching.
