Publishers Weekly
Nine years after Stoner & Spaz (2002), Koertge picks up where the first installment left off, with Ben (a rich kid with cerebral palsy) and Colleen (a drug addict with no functioning parent) alternatively in love and at odds. Before Ben, 16, met Colleen, he'd lived vicariously through film, and her interest in him shook him out of his stupor. "I was for sure headed for Hermitville. Odd-Duck Town. Weirdo City," he admits. But Colleen is a lot of work—she relapses frequently, his grandmother disapproves of her, she kisses him passionately then leaves a party with someone else. "You just wear me out," he tells her. Ben has made one well-received student film; now he's searching for a second subject. Is it Colleen? Is it his mother, who left him on his grandmother's doorstep 12 years earlier? There's scant plot, but Koertge writes sharp dialogue and vivid scenes. Little is resolved for either character except that they seem better off with each other than without, which is likely how many readers will feel about these companionable misfits, too. Ages 14–up. (Aug.)
From the Publisher
The repartee between Ben and Colleen — funny, suggestive, and intense — is spot-on, and readers will easily sympathize with both teens and their frustrating choices, while the adult characters and their problems are equally unique and well-developed. A rollercoaster of authentic emotions, Koertge's novel offers readers a fast, furious, and satisfyingly upbeat view of the world.
—Booklist (starred review)
Koertge writes crisp dialogue and ably captures both Ben’s bewilderment as he moves from loser recluse to Mr. Popularity and his complex feelings toward A.J. and Colleen....Movie buffs will appreciate the references to films, a hallmark of Ben’s first outing. Readers familiar with the first book will be glad to see Ben’s return; newcomers will be glad they finally met him.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Kirkus Reviews
In this darkly humorous sequel, Koertge continues the adventures of 16-year-old Ben Bancroft, "the Spaz," the kid with cerebral palsy readers met in the insightful and engaging Stoner & Spaz (2001).
At the close of the first book, Ben was enjoying the sweet smell of success with the premiere of his first documentary,High School Confidential, and a beautiful girl, A.J., had just hit on him. His happiness is short-lived, because Colleen, Ben's sharp-tongued friend who is in rehab, leaves the premiere to hook up with some random guy to get stoned. This book picks up a few days later, with Ben still confused about his feelings about Colleen. He loves her beauty and wit and the fact that she totally gets him, but he knows Grandma will never approve. A.J. represents everything his grandmother wants for him, but why does Ben feel like her project rather than a friend whenever they're together? Koertge writes crisp dialogue and ably captures both Ben's bewilderment as he moves from loser recluse to Mr. Popularity and his complex feelings toward A.J. and Colleen. Ben's long-absent mother's appearance offers an opportunity to recognize the value of his grandmother.Movie buffs will appreciate the references to films, a hallmark of Ben's first outing.
Readers familiar with the first book will be glad to see Ben's return; newcomers will be glad they finally met him.(Fiction. 14 & up)
