• ISBN13: 9780689852268

• Condition: New

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This book is about a "Special ed" student who goes through a rough period of time in his life. His name is Nick Swansen and he knows that he is special ed student. One day he decides to ask out a fellow classmate Shana to the prom. The thing is special ed kids don't go to proms. Shana had recently graduated from being in the class with Nick to a regular high school ciriculum. Nick asks out Shana anyways. Nick does a lot to make everything work out for the prom but that night everything went downhill from there. Shana doesn't show up the whole night or even call Nick to let him know she wouldn't make it. Nick started to have bad dreams again of his sister's death nine years ago and doesn't go to school for a few days. Nick was doing a report on amphibians for his end of the year project. After a while, he feels up to talking to Shana again after she stood him up. She puts a few things together on how Nick likes amphibians and knows so much about them. You'll soon see how everything comes together with Nick and he can finally put all his thoughts troubling him to rest.

Some literly elements used in the book were:

Suspense-the book kept you waiting for more and willing to know what will happen next.

Mood-the book really expresses on how charcters feel throughout the story.

Personification-Nick sometimes gives certain human attributes to things that are not human.

Overall I'd say this book was a great book. I liked it because it related a lot on how teens deal with problems today and how some overcome their differences to figure out solutions. There was only one flaw and that was there were intentional spelling and grammar errors that corresponded to Nick's vocabulary. The book isn't in his pint of view. You should read this book because it's easy reading and it's a good book to learn a lot from and relate to a lot of your own experiances.

5 of 7 found the following review helpful:


I would make it assigned reading!  Dec 10, 2000 By Julia Walter
But I'm not a teacher, not yet, only a teaching assistant and in graduate school to get a teaching credential in special ed. A few things have changed in the field since Wolff published this in 1988, but the fundamental truth is there. However, if I were a teacher I would assign this book to struggling readers in a heartbeat. In fact, it'd probably even be more useful for "regular" kids. The cover of my copy reads: "Nick has a problem./ No... problems." How he deals with his problems should be instructive to everybody. Much more instructive than To Kill a Mockingbird, in my opinion.


Realistic portrayal of young adult problems  Sep 20, 1999
Provides a very real view of the world associated with special education and how the problems faced by these children are no different then any other adolesent. Only the way to the solution is somewhat different.


Nick brings understanding  Jun 30, 1998
I thought this was a really good book. I felt like I actually knew what it was like to be learning disabled. This book has everything from death of a sibling to being stood up for the prom.

3 of 5 found the following review helpful:


Very thoughtful  Apr 22, 2001
I was reading this for the second time because of my homework. I was asked to find a story that's about a teenager having trouble with emotions and learned to deal with it effectively. I think this is a really good book for YA.

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