Reality Boy
by A.S. King
King, A.S. (2013). Reality boy. New York, NY: Little Brown Books for Young Readers.
With his family’s feature in a “Supernanny” type reality
show when he was only 5, Gerald Faust is somewhat of a reality star and a local
celebrity. However, considering the fact
that what he’s famous for is some rather unusual bathroom habits, he’s been
nicknamed “The Crapper” for the last 12 years, and it’s definitely something he’d
like to be able to escape. Now that
Gerald is all grown up, he’s come to realize that even though he’s been labeled
the problem child with the expectation that he has no option but to end up in
jail, the true problem lies in his completely dysfunctional family. His oldest sister is literally a psychopath
and has been attempting to kill Gerald and his middle sister for as long as he
can remember. The parents are either
completely oblivious to this fact or choose to turn a blind eye. Mom seems to have nothing but hatred for
Gerald and babies her oldest daughter who has dropped out of college and is
back living at home in the basement having offensively loud sex with her
boyfriend constantly. Dad just seems to
be over it all and at the point of not caring.
Gerald’s only escape is his work at the concession stand at the local
arena and an interesting girl named Hannah whom he has difficulty even speaking
to. Eventually the ice gets broken and
the two discover that they are both looking for a way out of their troubled
homes and they make a plan to run away.
Told in alternating present time and flashbacks, this book would be an
excellent addition to a lesson on the use of flashbacks in writing. It’s a real eye-opener to the not so
publicized life of reality stars.
Recommended for ages 15 and up.
A.S. King answers questions on Reality Boy
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