Scrawl: A Novel

Brief Description: When eighth-grade school bully Tod and his friends get caught committing a crime on school property, his penalty--staying after school and writing in a journal under the eye of the school guidance counselor--reveals aspects of himself that he prefers to keep hidden. Review Quotes:"'Scrawl' is the rare novel written from the bully's point of view... It's useful to point out that much can hide under a hardened exterior."--"Los Angeles Times""" "There's something special about this book...it's all put together so pleasingly, with punch and wit and smarts, and in such a way that the events and characters stay with you."--PW.com "Shelf Talker" blog """A memorable debut." --"Kirkus Reviews" "With the potential to occupy the rarified air of titles like S. E. Hinton's "The Outsiders" and Chris Crutcher's "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes" (Greenwillow Books, 1993/VOYA October 1993), Scrawl paints the stereotypical school bully in a different, poignant light." --"VOYA" "Readers seeking an unflinching look at high-school politics from the perspective of the disenfranchised will find in Tod an illuminating guide." --"BCCB" "Tod has a real way with words (the way he crashes, then dominates the spelling bee is priceless)... Shulman establishes a nBiographical Note: Mark Shulman has been a camp counselor, a radio announcer, a maitre d' in a fancy restaurant, a New York City tour guide, and a creative advertising guy. He's written many books about many things--sharks, storms, robots, palindromes, gorillas, dodo birds, "Star Wars," Ben Franklin, how to hide stuff, how to voodoo your enemies, and how to make a video from start to finish. He's written picture books for Oscar de la Hoya (the boxer) and Shamu (the whale). Mark is from Rochester and Buffalo, New York, but he has lived in New York City for so very long that he tawks like he's from da Bronx. So do his kids. His wife, Kara, a grade school reading specialist, has perfect diction. Brief Description: O"Scrawl" is a fabulous, riveting read. Tod Munn is probably the most interesting bad boy I've ever met in young adult fiction, and Mark Shulman is certainly one of its best new voices. ONNancy Werlin ("Impossible"). Illustrations. Brief Description: Originally published: New York: Neal Porter Books/Roaring Brook Press, c2010. Brief Description: "Bonus materials inside"--P. [4] of cover. Review Quotes:""Scrawl" is the rare novel written from the bully's point of view. . . . It's useful to point out that much can hide under a hardened exterior." --"Los Angeles Times" "There's something special about this book. . . . It's all put together so pleasingly, with punch and wit and smarts, and in such a way that the events and characters stay with you." --PW.com "Shelf Talker" blog "A memorable debut." --"Kirkus Reviews" "With the potential to occupy the rarified air of titles like S. E. Hinton's "The Outsiders" and Chris Crutcher's "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes," "Scrawl" paints the stereotypical school bully in a different, poignant light." --"VOYA" "Readers seeking an unflinching look at high-school politics from the perspective of the disenfranchised will find in Tod an illuminating guide." --"BCCB" "Tod has a real way with words (the way he crashes, then dominates the spelling bee is priceless). . . . Shulman establishes a nice voice for him, as Tod rips jokes so dry they can float away and shows some real heart dealing with his less-than-desirable lot in life. . . . An unusual sort of bully redemption story." --"Booklist" "In a unique version of a story told in journal format, the writing Tod does in detention becomes this book. . . . Through his own words, the reader grows to love this hard-edged character. . . . Tod's voice is natural and consistent. Shulman captures the viewpoint of a believable eighth grader, while conveying Tod's maturity and sharp sense of humor. Tod's backstory is seamlessly woven into his narrative. This book will engage a wide audience, but it will appeal most strongly to junior high school boys, particularly those who may be bored by schoolwork or have trouble finding books that interest them." "--Children's Literature" "This is a different take on the bully story. It lets the readers inside the mind of a bully and see the reasoning for his actions. The story is true to life, funny, and shows that people who are seen as troublemakers can change. . . . Highly recommended." --"Library Media Connection"Marc Notes: Originally published: New York: Neal Porter Books/Roaring Brook Press, c2010.; Bonus materials inside--P. [4] of cover.; When eighth-grade school bully Tod and his friends get caught committing a crime on school property, his penalty--staying after school and writing in a journal under the eye of the school guidance counselor--reveals aspects of himself that he prefers to keep hidden. Publisher Marketing: Tod Munn is a bully. He's tough, but times are even tougher. The wimps have stopped coughing up their lunch money. The administration is cracking down. Then to make things worse, Tod and his friends get busted doing something bad. Something "really "bad. Lucky Tod must spend his daily detention in a hot, empty room with Mrs. Woodrow, a no-nonsense guidance counselor. He doesn't know why he's there, but she does. Tod's punishment: to scrawl his story in a beat-up notebook. He can be painfully funny and he can be brutally honest. But can Mrs. Woodrow help Tod stop playing the bad guy before he actually turns into one . . . for real? Read Tod's notebook for yourself. Review Citations:

School Library Journal 01/01/2012 pg. 63 (EAN 9780307942418, Compact Disc)

Kirkus Reviews 07/15/2010 (EAN 9781596434172, Hardcover)

Publishers Weekly 09/13/2010 (EAN 9781596434172, Hardcover)

Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 10/01/2010 (EAN 9781596434172, Hardcover)

Voice of Youth Advocates 10/01/2010 (EAN 9781596434172, Hardcover)

School Library Journal 11/01/2010 pg. 127 (EAN 9781596434172, Hardcover)

Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2011 pg. 112 (EAN 9781596434172, Hardcover)

Wilson Middle/Junior Hi Catalo 01/01/2011 pg. 212 (EAN 9781596434172, Hardcover)

Wilson Senior High Core Col 01/01/2011 pg. 1056 (EAN 9781596434172, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:  Shulman, Mark by Mark Shulman and Hazlitt Krog, illustrated by Martha Newbigging