Storky: How I Lost My Nickname and Won the Girl

Storky:  How I Lost My Nickname and Won the Girl, by D.L. Garfinkle

ISBN:  0399242848
New York:  G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2005

Plot - Mike Pomerantz has been called Storky for as long as he can remember because of his long, skinny legs, unusual height, and dark, wiry hair.  On the day of high school he starts keeping a journal because surely Gina, his long time Scrabble buddy and now focus of all his love and desire, will notice and realize that he is, as ever, the one for her.  But Gina is off and running in a new popular crowd, the up-and-coming version of his sister, Amanda's, posse of popularity.  The ploy doesn't work, Gina begins to date a football star named Hunk, and Mike is left to fend for himself as his own body betrays and embarrasses him constantly in public.  But Mike's hardships don't stop there, at home things are worse, or not at home, as is the case with his divorced father who rejects him consistently for his latest bombshell girlfriend.  And to top it all off, Mike's mother begins dating the overweight family dentist, Dr. Berman.  Things get distinctly not fun or funny for Mike, but silver linings appear and as the year draws to a close, he does get the girl, a new friend, and a realization that sometimes having someone important in your life is better than having who you thought you needed.

Critical Evaluation - Garfinkle creates a totally believable and endearing character in Mike.  He's hilarious, especially dealing with "Rex," his completely out of control penis, but he also encounters and has to handle truly difficult and painful times that many teenagers will identify with.  The tone of the book is full-on 15 year old boy narration, with all of his cripplingly funny observations and decidedly tender, child-like wishful moments.  Minor characters are sketched full enough to ring true, but not with the deepest strokes.

Reader's annotation - Mike has a lot to deal with--the love of his life doesn't know he exists, his father seems to be forgetting as well, his mother's dating his dentist, and he's not in control of his...well, freshman year of high school can be pretty rough at first.
Information about the author - D.L. Garfinkle worked at Denny's, became a lawyer, then a mom, and now she's a successful children's and YA author.  She grew up in L.A. and has always loved writing.  She really got her chops up as a writer when she worked at a large insurance firm before going to law school; she spent much more time writing short stories than delving deep into the piles of paper she was supposed to be pushing around, according to her website. 

Curriculum Ties - None.  Pure pleasure reading
Booktalk ideas - 

1. Talk about how this book is pretty much exactly a slice of high school life--complete with embarrassment, bad choices, obsession with...well, girls, and some pretty intense stuff with a friend.  But it's also hilarious.
2. Introduce Mike's relationship with his dad beginning on pg. 3 with "Sunday, September 5" and ending at the end of the chapter.

Reading level -15+  This book will be offensive to grown ups who aren't privy to the minds of many 15 year old books, and it may be equally offensive to some girls and boys that same age.  I would recommend it for at least 15 especially because of the scenes with alcohol.

Challenge issues - Many:  sex, drinking, endless references to sexual body parts, father seen in a very negative light

Challenge defense ideas:

• Librarian must read the book carefully and include it as a resource intended for older teens.
• Librarian greets students and regularly discusses their reading choices; she provides individualized, age-appropriate guidance in book choice.
• Explain the ways in which the librarian accompanies and guides younger students looking for books, and knows students well as individuals. 

Why I included this book - I've included it because it's real.  It's totally hilarious and it's exactly what all of us mom's hope our sweet boys will never grow into, but it's what's happening.  And the writing is so well crafted to capture Mike's internal and external experiences.  It'll be one passed around from giggling boy to boy, but the serious issues are there and are dealt with in a way that can show boys alternatives to just sweeping things under the rug to protect us, the grown ups from knowing what they're really going through.