weekend read: King of the Screwups

Some of my students saw me reading this book in class and asked to have it when I was done.  They didn’t even know what it was about or if I would recommend it, they just saw the title and it called to them.

That’s the power of a good book.  Or maybe just a good cover and title.

But this one holds up once you start reading it too.

King of the Screwups by K.L Going is about seventeen year old professional screwup Liam Geller.  His dad is a Bill Gates type genius, his mom is a world famous supermodel, he’s good at sports, popular, and beautiful.  But everything he does is wrong according to his dad.  And when Liam gets kicked out of the house before the start of his senior year, he moves in with his cross-dressing, glam-rock DJ uncle.  Who his father just happens to hate.

Things are going downhill fast for Liam. 

As a reader, I hated his father.  Seriously, he’s a douche.  And it’s obvious why, but Liam (like most kids) can’t see their parents as flawed.  And this dad has many. 

It’s through living with his uncle and having a fresh start that Liam finally begins to understand and love himself. He starts to see himself as more than just a screwup.
King of the Screwups by K.L Going is probably too intense for middle school students.  There is some language and scenes that I wouldn’t want my middle schooler reading.  But it’s definitely good for a high schooler. It’s technically a young adult book, but I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to those of you who are not young adults.

I can see many of my students relating to this character: Liam trying to please his father who is too busy to take notice of him.  I have quite a few students with similar lives.  But I won’t book talk this one like I do so many others.  I’ll just quietly slip it on my shelf and the right student will pick it up when he/she needs it.  They always do.