Book Reviews by Title

Twerp

by Mark Goldblatt
  • Five stars
    Read this book right now & tell all your friends!
    I think if you like books about troublemakers, you should read this book. Julian Twerski is a character from the book Twerp by Mark Goldblatt. It takes place in the city with a 12-year-old in 1968. This is what I think his diary would be like. In the story, Julian is 13 writing about his life when he was 12. February 8, 1968. I am the fastest kid in school. But the way I see things, small things like that won’t matter in 1000 years. I am in 6th grade, the last grade at my school. It is summer right now, and I am writing a journal for an assignment. The place I hang out with all my friends is a place my friends and I call Ponzini. It is named after someone in our neighborhood called Victor Ponzini. February 16, 1968. I am so fast, I like to race cars. When I see a car in my neighborhood, I start running the same time they do. After about a block, I cut in front of them. If I am so far in front of them that they don’t have to stop, I count that as a win. If they have to slam on the brakes, I count that as a loss. One time, I was racing a car and when I ran in front of it, it spun out of control and onto its side. The police came and realized that the man inside broke out of prison and stole the car. After that, I never raced a car again because I was scared. February 27, 1968. This other time, my best friend Lonnie said today was national egg dope day. We all wanted to know what that was, but he wouldn’t tell us. He went to the store and used all his allowance on eggs. He told me to get a lonely 8th grader named Anthony. When I got to his house, he was on the porch like always and he asked me to play “battle.” I asked him what that was and he said: “Didn’t your dad teach you the game and play it with you? You both draw a card and whatever card is higher wins.” So I said: “Isn’t that called war?” But he insisted that it was called battle. I got him to meet us at Ponzini and my friends all started throwing eggs at Anthony! One hit him in the mouth, causing him to get a bloody nose, and he needed braces because his teeth got pushed back and damaged. March 6, 1968. My friends and I later apologized to Anthony and we became friends. This other time, I got a girl to come to an amusement park with me as a date. It cost me $28. But later on a ride, a park worker teenager asked her to come on a ride with him, and so he stole my date! But again, the way I see it, in 1000 years, nobody will care. Note: The reason the book is called “Twerp” is because his last name is Twerski, so whenever people get frustrated with him, they call him Twerp. Also suggested: The False Prince
    Isaac W. 11 , TLC
    07/23/2016