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Overview
The Shadow Club starts simply enough: the kids who are tired of being second-best get together and, for the first time, talk about how they feel. But soon the members decide to play practical jokes on the first-place winners they envy, and things begin to spin dangerously out of control.
"This is a provocative novel . . . The plot is ingeniously simple and the course of events compelling. Brisk enough to snag a popular audience, but forceful in impact, it will leave readers thinking." (Booklist, starred review)
When a junior high school boy and his friends decide to form a club of "second bests" and play anonymous tricks on each other's arch rivals, the harmless pranks escalate until they become life-threatening.
Synopsis
The Shadow Club starts simply enough: the kids who are tired of being second-best get together and, for the first time, talk about how they feel. But soon the members decide to play practical jokes on the first-place winners they envy, and things begin to spin dangerously out of control.
"This is a provocative novel . . . The plot is ingeniously simple and the course of events compelling. Brisk enough to snag a popular audience, but forceful in impact, it will leave readers thinking." (Booklist, starred review)
Publishers Weekly
This engrossing book portrays how easily even ``good'' kids can lose control of themselves and do cruel and horrible things. Seven junior-high-school students (all ``second-bests'') led by narrator Jared and best friend Cheryl form the Shadow Club to get back at the ``unbeatables'' who make their lives miserable. Revenge tastes very sweet when they play humiliating practical jokes on all the school's first-bests, including track star Austin, Jared's nemesis. Any qualms that Jared has about the club get tossed aside when he's acknowledged as president. And, though he calls a temporary halt to the pranks, someone starts playing really dangerous tricks. Events come to a head when Austin is seriously injured. Sure that school weirdo Tyson is the culprit, the Shadow Club captures him. Jared leads the others in beating him up, then almost causes the boy's death. In the thrilling denouement, Jared learns where the blame really lies. Shusterman vividly conveys the overwhelming qualities of violent emotions and chillingly shows how a group of ``nice'' people can become an ugly, vengeful mob. Ages 12-up. (May)
Editorials
Publishers Weekly -
This engrossing book portrays how easily even ``good'' kids can lose control of themselves and do cruel and horrible things. Seven junior-high-school students (all ``second-bests'') led by narrator Jared and best friend Cheryl form the Shadow Club to get back at the ``unbeatables'' who make their lives miserable. Revenge tastes very sweet when they play humiliating practical jokes on all the school's first-bests, including track star Austin, Jared's nemesis. Any qualms that Jared has about the club get tossed aside when he's acknowledged as president. And, though he calls a temporary halt to the pranks, someone starts playing really dangerous tricks. Events come to a head when Austin is seriously injured. Sure that school weirdo Tyson is the culprit, the Shadow Club captures him. Jared leads the others in beating him up, then almost causes the boy's death. In the thrilling denouement, Jared learns where the blame really lies. Shusterman vividly conveys the overwhelming qualities of violent emotions and chillingly shows how a group of ``nice'' people can become an ugly, vengeful mob. Ages 12-up. (May)Children's Literature
Jared Mercer is a good kid in high school who runs track. Also on the track team is Jared's worst enemy, Austin Pace (whom Jared calls "L'Austin Space"). Every year Austin humiliates Jared by beating him in lots of races. One afternoon, Jared and his best friend Cheryl are sitting in their tree house talking about the person they hate the most. Cheryl says the person she hates the most is her cousin Rebecca because Rebecca gets to sing at all the weddings and acts like Miss Perfect. Jared, of course, says he hates Austin because he always shows off his shoes that never seem to get dirty. When Cheryl asks Jared "Do you wish Austin had never been born?" Jared answers, "Yes." Jared asks Cheryl "Do you wish Rebecca had never been born?" to which she also answers affirmatively. As a result, Jared and Cheryl talk about forming a club for second bests only—the Shadow Club. To overcome boredom, the Shadow Club members decide to pull pranks on the "unbeatables." Soon the pranks escalate. Who's really doing what? Is the wrong person blamed? This is the first of the "Shadow Club" series. Written as a mystery, it keeps the reader searching for "who dunit?" This is an easy book to read, but since the characters are in high school, they sometimes use language not suitable for elementary children. 2002 (orig. 1988), Dutton Children's Books/Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers,— Elliott Cash