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Bucking the Sarge
CCBC Review:
Like many 15-year olds, Luther Farrell of Flint, Michigan can’t wait to get out on his own. He has long-term dreams of becoming the greatest living American Philosopher and short-term dreams of beating his nemesis, Shayna Patrick, in the science fair. He’s a typical teenager going through typical changes, but living under the thumb of an anything but typical mother. Known as “The Sarge,” she’s a woman feared by everyone in Flint. At times Luther is just a regular kid, goofing around with his friend Sparky and negotiating his changing feelings for Shayna. At other times, he must navigate through adult-like situations as he works to run the Happy Neighbor Group Home for Men, one of his mother’s questionable business ventures. He does everything from changing bedpans to distributing medications to the elderly clients. At first, Luther complies with his mother’s money-saving schemes, such as when she makes him buy “new” clothing for the men at the Goodwill while pocketing the extra money from the government’s contribution. But Luther becomes increasingly uncomfortable with The Sarge’s unethical if not illegal business practices . Through his friendship with one of the clients at Happy Neighbor, 80-year-old Chester X, Luther realizes that he has to do something to escape the future his mother has planned for him. Amidst the humor, the juxtaposition of Luther and Chester X’s lives, as both face major transitions, is a fascinating theme of this noteworthy novel. They have nothing and everything in common. Their destinies become one as Luther discovers a way to escape the course handed to them. The best part? He does so by following his mother’s own advice to “stay off the sucker path,” and bending the rules as he sees fit. ©2004 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 12 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
African Americans
Ethical/Moral Choices
Friendship
Humor
Mothers
Older Adults
Diversity subject:
Black/African
Publishers:
Random House, Wendy Lamb Books
Publish Year: 2004
Pages: 259
ISBN: 0385323077
CCBC Location: Fiction, Curtis