Beauty and the Bully [Hardcover]

Andy Behrens (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 14, 2008

What wouldn’t a guy do to get the girl?

How will garage band front man Duncan ever get the attention of his goddess like classmate Carly, who’s so busy trying to save the world that she won’t even look in his direction? An idea hits him, literally: when Duncan accidentally bruises himself, Carly wants to know who punched him, and vows to take care of “poor widdle Dunky.” But as his black eye fades, so does Carly’s devotion. Duncan needs a plan. He needs impending danger. He needs a BULLY. The search is on.

This hilarious novel plays with the certainty that teenage boys will do just about anything to get a girl’s attention.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7–9—Duncan Boone is hopelessly in love with Carly Garfield, his high school's resident perfect girl and do-gooder, who has no idea he exists. He talks about her constantly with his two best friends and fellow musicians. Though their band has yet to book a gig, possibly due to its identity crisis and subsequent stylistic and name changes, they have fun hanging out. When Duncan slips during practice and gets walloped with a speaker, leaving his face a black-and-blue mess, things unexpectedly begin to look up with Carly. She misunderstands his bruises and decides that he is her next underdog in need of protection. But to keep her attention, Duncan needs to find a bully to help him play the part of victim. While it's refreshing to see a girl in the white-knight role, this novel falls flat. The dialogue tries too hard to be hip and funny, constantly dropping references to music and pop culture that feel out of place and forced. The characters are never fully fleshed out. Duncan is unlikable and it is difficult to care if he attains his goals. Although filled with potentially humorous moments, the book's weaknesses drag it down.—Jessie Spalding, Tempe Public Library, AZ
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About the Author

Andy Behrens is the author of All the Way, which Kirkus Reviews called a “giggle-out-loud first novel.” He lives in Chicago.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (August 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525478981
• ISBN-13: 978-0525478980
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,672,294 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, January 6, 2009

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beauty and the Bully (Hardcover)

Duncan Boone is non-existent as far as Carly Garfield is concerned. Duncan has been pining over Carly for years. He has even gone so far as to manage an intricate locker swap to wind up next to Carly. But it isn't until his friend, Jess, throws something at him in his garage that causes stuff on the shelving unit above him to come crashing down on him, does Carly notice Duncan.

Carly likes causes. Her current cause is TARTS (Teens Against Rodent Test Studies) and she's heading up a rally, the afternoon of Homecoming. So when Duncan comes to school the next day, bloodied and battered, Carly drops everything to care for him. She walks him to all his classes and has him sit at her lunch table.

When his bruises start to fade, so too does Carly's interest in Duncan. Duncan, along with his friends Stew and Jess, devises a plan to renew Carly's interest. They need to find a bully who is willing to rough up Duncan enough to keep Carly interested in him. No one at their school is acceptable, and the meanest bully at Maple Grove, Sloth, isn't mean at all...just misunderstood. With hope waning, enter Freddie Wambaugh. Freddie is new at school, and just what they have been looking for.

At first Freddie says no to their proposal, but after thinking it over, Freddie agrees to bully Duncan, on the condition that Freddie's sister, Syd, can join Duncan's band. Without clearing it with Stew and Jess, Duncan readily agrees.

Over the next few weeks, the bully plan works brilliantly. At least it works on the Carly front. The rest of Duncan's life isn't going so well. Syd can't play the guitar. His friends are angry at him. His mom got Freddie suspended. And, oh yeah, he somehow agreed to streak at the rally for Carly.

Andy Behrens writes a quirky novel of how far a guy will go to get the girl. It was entertaining to read because usually these books are written from the perspective of the girl trying to get the guy. Duncan gets in over his head quickly and with surprising outcomes.

Does he get the girl in the end? You'll just have to read BEAUTY AND THE BULLY to find out!

Reviewed by: Jaglvr

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's great, May 25, 2009

By 

Hunter Newcomer Jr. - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beauty and the Bully (Hardcover)

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