Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Boy fights to move beyond abusive family in compelling tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
The family of REALITY BOY Gerald was on a reality-TV \"nanny from hell\" show back when he was 5, and even with cameras everywhere in the house, the abuse he suffered at his oldest sister's hands failed to come to light. His coping mechanism at the time was to defecate in inappropriate places, earning him the infamous nickname the Crapper. Now Gerald's a 17-year-old junior whose schoolmates continue to make sure he never lives down his past. The abuse at home continues, and as he's gotten older Gerald's mechanism for coping has shifted to an almost-unstoppable violent temper. Despite all the dysfunction, the girl he likes, Hannah, is also interested in him. Little by little they forge a romance and learn from each other how to carve a safe place in this world for themselves and their future.
Is It Any Good?
Award-winning author A.S. King impressively conveys the sad circumstances of Gerald's life without becoming overwrought or maudlin. King carefully reveals Gerald's tremendous depth of character in his continuing insistence that he shouldn't have to live the way he has, and readers will really start rooting for this troubled teen. Some of the circumstances, especially the spectacularly inept parenting, might seem over the top to adults. But older teens will easily relate to Gerald's emotional honesty in the face of his struggle into adulthood.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about reality TV. Do you think those shows are really made the way Reality Boy shows they are? Would you want to be on a reality show?
Do you think Gerald's parents didn't know what Tasha was really like as a kid or knew but didn't do anything about her behavior? Which would be worse?
Have you or a friend been tormented like Gerald and Lisi were by Tasha? How did you or your friend cope?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , School ( High School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown and Company
- Publication date : October 22, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 15 - 17
- Number of pages : 368
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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