The Downside of Being Up by Alan Lawrence Sitomer
Review by Chris Singer
About the author (from the author's website):
Alan Sitomer is California’s 2007 Teacher of the Year. In addition to being an inner-city high school English teacher and former professor in the Graduate School of Education at Loyola Marymount University, Mr. Sitomer is a nationally renowned speaker specializing in engaging reluctant readers who received the 2004 award for Classroom Excellence from the Southern California Teachers of English and the 2003 Teacher of the Year honor from California Literacy. In April 2007, Alan was named Educator of the Year by Loyola Marymount University and in February 2008 The Insight Education Group named Alan Sitomer the Innovative Educator of the Year.
Mr. Sitomer has also authored 11 books to date for esteemed publishers such as Disney, Scholastic, Penguin/Putnam, and RB Education. These include six young adult novels, three children’s picture books, two teacher methodology books, and a classroom curriculum series for secondary English Language Arts instruction called The Alan Sitomer BookJam. In the past he’s been honored by the American Library Association (the A.L.A. named Homeboyz a Top Ten Book of the Year 2008, receiving the prestigious ALA Quick Pick Recognition for young adult novel which best engages reluctant readers) and within the next 18 months Alan will have four new titles hitting the shelves.
Mr. Sitomer is currently on sabbatical from the classroom as he works to re-shape literacy education through policy dialogue, professional development workshops, and authoring new materials for classroom use. His next release, NERD GIRLS, will be available from Disney in June.
About the book (from the publisher):
Thirteen-year-old Bobby Connor is a normal adolescent boy - at least he hopes he is - just trying to survive middle school. But it seems he's being foiled at every turn, and even his own body is conspiring against him. And when his math teacher is seriously injured from the shock and fright of witnessing just how out of control Bobby's changing adolescent body is getting, he starts to worry he's anything but normal.
Faced with expulsion from school for violating the student handbook code, Bobby opts for therapy - Correctional Erectional Therapy. It's official: Bobby Connor is not normal. But in this uproarious and heartfelt novel, he's going to do his darndest to make it seem that he is . . . or maybe just try to make it through middle school.
My take on the book:
When I learned what "The Downside of Being Up" was about, I knew it either could be a disaster or incredible. Luckily and happily, it was the latter. This is a really well written book and extremely hilarious. And in hilarious, I mean that it's laugh out loud hilarious. I read it in one sitting during my daughter's nap-time one afternoon. It's a quick and fun read that is will truly engage teen readers.
The situations in which 13-year-old Bobby Connor finds himself are just too funny. From being expelled from school for "Flaunting his erection" to then being forced to undergo Correctional Erectional Therapy with the school counselor, Bobby also has to deal with parents who are a bit too concerned what the neighbors will think when they learn of Bobby's "problems" at school.
My favorite character though was Bobby's grandfather. For me, the grandfather made the story. He reminded me in a way of Frank Barone from the Everybody Loves Raymond television series. Rude, crass, and always inappropriate, Bobby's grandfather adds quite a bit of levity to the Connor home, much to the angst of Bobby's straight-laced mother and father. I would say a bit more but I don't want to spoil the big role Bobby's grandfather plays near the end of the book.
All in all, an excellent read from an author I had never had the opportunity to read before. I've become a fan though and hope to read more from Alan Lawrence Stomer soon.
