Give a Boy a Gun

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Realistic Book
Review: I read this book over the summer and couldn't put it down until I finished it. It is a very realistic book and really makes you think about the issue of school shootings. It gives you a look into the mind of the kids that did this. Awesome book!

Rating:
Summary: It's about time
Review: What an excellent book. Mr. Strasser takes you into the minds and lives of the realistic characters in his book. Not only does he do this, but he cites real information, quotes, and stats throughout the book. At the end of the book, he gives a timeline of a history of school shootings (like in the book) as well as a bibliography of other material to read on this subject matter. PLUS-a portion of the profits from the book are being donated to organizations dedicated to the struggle for gun control. Need I say more? Thank you for an excellent book that will get it's readers thinking.

Rating:
Summary: Oh, my goodness!
Review: Good fiction encourages the reader to think hard about theissues that affect our lives. The very best fiction does that andmore - it encourages us to act on those issues. In this powerful,honest, and disturbing novel about guns and school violence, ToddStrasser gives voice to the victims, classmates, neighbors, parents,and students who held the guns - both fictional and real - and asksthe reader what he can do to make a difference. Strasser goes beyondjust the issue of gun control by presenting a compelling look at theintolerance that pervades our schools. He implores our educators andchildren to celebrate the differences that make us human, to valueaccomplishments beyond those on the athletic fields, and to recognizethat marching to a different drummer is not cause for ridicule. Iapplaud Strasser, a fiction author, who uses his craft and his gift toencourage readers to be part of the solution to violence that isunnecessarily costing young lives.

Rating:
Summary: Oh, my goodness!
Review: Good fiction encourages the reader to think hard about the issues that affect our lives. The very best fiction does that and more - it encourages us to act on those issues. In this powerful, honest, and disturbing novel about guns and school violence, Todd Strasser gives voice to the victims, classmates, neighbors, parents, and students who held the guns - both fictional and real - and asks the reader what he can do to make a difference. Strasser goes beyond just the issue of gun control by presenting a compelling look at the intolerance that pervades our schools. He implores our educators and children to celebrate the differences that make us human, to value accomplishments beyond those on the athletic fields, and to recognize that marching to a different drummer is not cause for ridicule. I applaud Strasser, a fiction author, who uses his craft and his gift to encourage readers to be part of the solution to violence that is unnecessarily costing young lives.

Rating:
Summary: Give a boy a gun
Review: Taking today's headlines and combining them with fictional faces and more than enough quotes and statistics to terrify his readers, Todd Strasser presents his newest YA novel, Give A Boy A Gun (2000). The novel is a combination of statements given by witnesses to a well thought out gun attack by 2 teens against their peers and teachers at a school dance. The book is similar to Making up Megaboy (Virginia Walter, 1998) in that the story is presented from multiple perspectives versus narrative form. But unlike Megaboy, this book takes you inside the lives of its killers and gives their rationale for their actions as well as their intimate suicide letters. This is an incredibly well researched and thought out book. It will definitely raise the eyebrows of many parents because of its violence level and subject matter. It was written for YA's and will make them think long and hard about gun control, but I feel that librarians and teachers alike would be remiss if they did not read it for themselves. Includes further sources for information. Partial proceeds from the book will go to gun control charities. Highly recommended for older teens and adults. Not for the weak of stomach. A definite best book candidate. Controversy will follow this book wherever it goes.

Rating:
Summary: GIVE A BOY A GUN
Review: Give a boy a gun is a great story about two kids who get picke d on in high school and then get so fed up they go crazy and hold the school up and threaten them. The way the book is written is really unique, it is written with like different passages from people who knew the kids. The characters were very unique as well; The characters are Brendan and Gary.
The story starts off when they were in 7th grade and words its way up to there high school years. Throughout the story you can see how they get more and more angry and crazy. Until that one day when they finally snap and hold the school hostage in the gym and start shooting everything.
The book is written in this weird style that tells a story though a series of passages by a bunch of different people that knew the boys. One was from his teacher one even from a football player who beat them up. There is a name for the type of style that this book is written in but I'm not sure what it is called.
The characters are what make this book. There are two main characters and there names are Brendan and Gary. Brendan is a boy who was popular at one time but then once he moved he became and outcast. Gary was always an outcast but never new how to deal with it until he met Brendan. Thought the book you can see how school makes these two boys miserable.
This is a great book, for anyone who is going through this situation. This book has one of the best plots ever. It also has some great characters to pull the story together, the way this book is written is so weird but works for this story.

Rating:
Summary: Give a Boy a Gun
Review: "I don't know if I can really explain why I did this. I guess its because I know that ill never be happy. I know that every day of my life will hurt and be a lot more bad than good. Its entirely a matter of, what's the point of living?" Have you ever been picked on so much in school you feel like killing everyone including yourself? Or do you see kids getting picked on and you can tell that it's killing them inside but you keep walking? If so, you should definitely think about reading this book. This realistic fiction novel takes place in Middletown High School. Brendan and Gary have been getting teases and harassed by some of the football players in school. I really enjoyed reading Give A Boy A Gun by Todd Strasser because I could relate to the book and the events that where going on, there was never a dull moment, and I loved the end of this book.
Give A Boy A Gun was one of the few books that I could relate to. In fact, I think most teenagers could relate to this book. It takes place in a high school and kids get picked on every single day from the older or cooler kids. This same situation takes place right here in my high school! People teased for the way they look or what there wearing and nobody does anything about. Everybody just acts like nothings even going on and totally ignores it or joins right in with the crowd so they don't get picked on themselves. Have you ever wondered what they are saying to themselves while they are being mocked and humiliated?
There was never one part in Give A Boy A Gun when I got bored reading it. Right when I opened up to the first page, there was excitement from beginning to end. In the beginning of the book, Brendan and Gary would always get picked on and hit from the other kids. No one did anything about it. Not even the teachers! During the middle of the book, they both where getting really sick of it and couldn't take it. They talking about doing something about it but they did. At the end of the book, Brendan and Gary don't just sit around and let the other kids make fun of them. Its unexpected what they do because they are always talking about what they want to do and how they are going to do it, but never go through with it. But not this time!
My favorite part of the book was the ending because it was the most exciting. I couldn't put the book down it was so good! I really enjoyed reading the end because that's when Brendan and Gary start to take action and it's so real. Nobody ever thinks that somebody will one day crack and start hurting people physically.
I can really understand what is going on in this book, it caught my attention right from the beginning, and the ending of the book was my favorite. You may think you are in a safe school; everybody gets along, nothings going to happen to you. But until you know what others are really thinking, anything can happen.

Rating:
Summary: Give a Boy a Gun
Review: "Everyone being teased and picked on, Pushed against lockers, just the general feeling of fear in the school and you either respond to a fear by having fear, or you take action and have hate." - Brooks Brown. Gary Searle and Brendan Lawlor were the kind of students who were not like the others. They both went to Middletown high school and were both best of friends. Gary's parents went through a divorce; they were the kind of people who were protective of their kids. Brendan moved from Springfield, he wasn't much like Gary, but they still were friends. He was popular, athletic, and intelligent. Soon after he moved he was picked on. Gary and Brendan turned their social life into a life of hatred by using violence. By reading this book, Give a Boy a Gun, by Todd Strasser, you will understand more about violence and bullying in school, how little things like being teased and taunted can mean so much to someone and soon turn into violence, and family issues including divorce and moving.
"Anyone who wasn't big and strong and on a team got it." Brendan and Gary went to a big school. It wasn't like they could tell a teacher if one of them got pushed or shoved into a locker. Whose there to see? Your peers and people you hang out with can come out in your personality. They way you look, act, or feel about something a different way then the popular crew, you are known as an outcast or you don't fit in. Eventually people do something about other people bullying them. They attack the problem not the result.
Brendan and Gary had each other to talk to about the people who picked and bullied them. The littlest things can mean a lot to one person; it can impact on them and make them feel even worse about their self image. In the book they get made fun of They expressed their feelings in the end with violence and pay back is returned to the people who made their lives miserable.
Gary's parents went through a divorce which added to his level of hatred. Brendan moved to Middletown. At first he was popular and fit in. He was the same way at his old town until he moved to Middletown were he was bullied and taunted. Both these things added to both Gary's and Brendan's life and made it much harder.
This book expresses bullying and being tormented by students in the school and in the end leading into violence. It makes you realize that the small comments and actions you give your peers, has a big impact on someone's life. Family can also ass to this problem. Bullying isn't the only thing. Overall the book was very chilling. It caught my eye at the first sentence. If you are feeling the same way like Brendan and Gary, I would suggest you read this book; violence isn't the answer to everything. Think of the lives you can take away. Push through al the hatred bullies make you feel and be yourself!

Rating:
Summary: Give a boy a gun
Review:
Bullying is a everyday occurrence but one day at Middletown high Gary and Brendan got pushed too far. "Give a boy a gun" by Todd Strasser us a book that shows just how serious the outcome of bullying can be. This book is a type of realistic fiction. Gay and Brendan get bullied non-stop from the jocks and popular kids at their school. Someone who likes shocks, violence and action should read this book. Because this book is realistic, no boring parts, and full of surprises it's a great read.
This book is very realistic. While reading this book it brought back flashbacks of news reports of the night of columbine. Two boys sick of being tormented and made fun of, steak a small arsenal of guns and hold classmates hostage at a school dance. The people involved in Columbine and Give a Boy a Gun are very similar, just a few boys who cant take being made fun of anymore. This book is so realistic to real events.
This book has no boring parts from the first sentence to the last sentence it is filled with scenes that catch your attention. Brendan and Gary do things that will make your stomach turn but at the same time, you will not want to put the book down.
" Give a boy a Gun " is filled with many surprises. Every page you read is filled with twists and things that will happen that you don't expect. This book is different from all other books I have read. At parts it can be gory and graphic but that is what makes it the kind of book that it is.
This book is realistic, full of surprises and not boring. This is a quick read that is filled with many things that make it great! The best part is the ending. Things that I would change about this book is that instead of having people tell about what happened, actually make it a story with plot, and tell the story like it actually happened. Someone who likes shocks and thrills that is in their teens and up should read this book. Give a boy is great!


Rating:
Summary: Become a reader
Review: Have you ever been bullied just because of your interests or personality? Teenagers Brandon and Gary are bullied at school and get even, turning their enemies into their victims of fear. You should absolutely read this book due to its realistic situation, the plot progresses slowly allowing suspensions making you not want to put this book down, and the genius way the book is written. All this in Todd Strasser's "Give a Boy a Gun".
The realistic situation is so real you can actually feel Brendan and Gary's anger slowly progressing through this mind-blowing book. Read quotes of seemingly real characters that depicted the plot perfectly. Like a quote from Gary's suicide note "Dear Mom, by the time you read this, I'll be gone, I just wanted you to know there is nothing you could have done to stop this. I know you have always tried your best for me, and if anyone doubts you, just show them this letter. I don't know if I can really explain why I did this. I guess it's a matter because I know I will never bee happy, I know that every day of my life will hurt and be a lot more bad than good. Its entirely a matter of, what's the point of living?" The fact that this book is based on real situations in schools today that most kids can relate to seeing or feeling creates spine-tingling thoughts and suspicions who could be first to go.
The fact that I could not put this book down was amazing. I didn't think I would like this book from the cover but I was entirely wrong. People who hate reading finished the book the first day shocked me when they told me how fast they read it, but I soon realized that I too had trouble pitting the book down. Every page got me more and more interested into each quote or piece of suicide note. Every page was filled with wonder and mystery of each twist in the plot.
I think the key to this book's success was the perspective of it. Instead of having the point of view from one main character, there was only a compilation of quotes from every one of their fears on each part of the story. Their exact thoughts and worries for the main characters, Brandon and Gary are heard.
Concluding, the book is a marvelous must reader because of the realistic plot, the suspension, and the perspective that allow owed you to feel all of the emotions of many characters at once. My favorite part was the middle of the book where Gary and Brendan just started to sink into actual planning because it showed how they decisively made bombs and thought about what to do. I liked the book throughout and there was no least favorite part of the story. I would not change anything about this book. This is a true must reader for everyone ages twelve to twenty because bullying happens all throughout a teenager's life at school and anything is possible. Even if you don't like to read, take my word that you will become a reader from this novel.