"Lately I've been thinking a lot about the female body. Not in a weird or sick way but not in an artistic or medical way either. These thoughts aren't intentional. And they happen at the strangest times. I'll be sitting there, thinking of almost nothing, maybe about tightening my loose bicycle pedal and there it will be, bang! Stuck in my mind: part of a woman's body."
At twelve, Duane knows puberty is on its way, and that it will attack without much warning and MESS him up. It is unavoidable. Gary Paulsen will have his readers laughing aloud as they journey through the twenty days in the pages of Duane’s puberty journal. In it he describes his dreams, his obsession with ELBOWS (otherwise known as breasts), giant zits and a constantly changing reality, including voice and other body parts. He trips over his own feet, blathers at girls and constantly embarrasses himself while in public. Luckily he can talk to his grandmother, a friend and confidante. Luckily he knows that this, too, shall pass. After all, he is a normal adolescent. Great format, fast pacing and burgeoning sympathy for his plight make this a quick read. As he gains confidence in himself and accepts the inevitable, he also realizes that he will survive, despite his initial doubts. Light and amusing, this novel is a great way to spend a happy evening.
The dedication is worthy of note and much discussion.
'To my son, James, in gratitude.
Having missed my own puberty,
because I lived through it,
watching you go through yours provided
a wealth of research material.
Thank you."
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