Confessions of a Teenage Baboon [Library Binding]

Paul Zindel (Author)

Book Description

A young boy becomes caught in the struggle between good witches and bad witches.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Zindel has a caustic comic touch...and a talent  for spotlighting bizarre and dramatic  scenes."--Kirkus Reviews. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

Sixteen-year-old misfit Chris Boyd moves with his mother, a practical nurse, from one live-in job to another. Lloyd Dipardi, himself a misfit, points the way to manhood for Chris by teaching him to take responsibility for his own life.

"Zindel has a caustic comic touch...and a talent for spotlighting bizarre and dramatic scenes."--Kirkus Reviews.

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Library Binding: 154 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (October 1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060268441
• ISBN-13: 978-0060268442
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,064,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They don't make books like this any more, May 30, 2002

By 

Anthony Rupert "shut up, Shut Up, SHUT UP!!!" (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Confessions of a Teenage Baboon (Paperback)

If you read my other two book reviews, you'll notice that I am a fan of Paul Zindel's writing. And after reading The Pigman and The Pigman's Legacy, I wanted to get my hands on anything the man's written. I picked up Confessions Of A Teenage Baboon one day, and I haven't put it down since.

Basically the book revolves around fifteen-year-old Chris Boyd and his struggles with his dysfunctional mother and the memories of his late father. His mother is a nurse, and whenever she gets a new patient, she and Chris move into the patient's home to take care of him/her. This time around the patient is an elderly woman named Carmelita Dipardi. And the members of the Dipardi household make the families in the movie "American Beauty" look normal. There's Carmelita's drunk son Lloyd and her disturbed husband, as well as Harold, a kid from the neighborhood that always seems to be around.

Here Chris battles love, hate, pain, violence, and especially depression, while temporarily living in the madhouse that is the Dipardi residence. The book can be shocking at times, but all the way through it's very enjoyable. It's filed under YOUNG ADULT, but adults can enjoy it just as much as teens...even more so, I think. I'm 21 and I enjoy it. In fact, I literally read it almost every day and I still never get tired of it. Do yourself a favor and pick it up.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Can Relate!, March 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Confessions of a Teenage Baboon (Paperback)

In Confessions Of A Teenage Baboon I alone with other teenagers knows how it feels to be moved around from place to place. Leaving friends, best friends, loved ones and neighbors just because of your parent(s) jobs! My mom was also a live-in nurse so I know how it feels. This book is full of depression! Feelings are expressed emotionally and violently. Alot of times it is hard to admit you are getting close to somebody and you lie to yourself until it torments you. Chris was in alot of tough situations between stress, deceit, and love! I feel the same way towards some things and I would suggest this book to anyone who feels alone or needs advice or maybe someone who is tired of their own problems and wants to read about someone else's for a change! This book deserves a four. The only reason I did not give it a five was because it took too long to actually get to the point!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of drama and really lifelike., November 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Confessions of a Teenage Baboon (Paperback)

I thought that this book was really good. When I picked it up I did not know what it was going to be like but when I started to read it I really liked it. I also thought it was a very exiting book because I did not know what was going to happen next. I just started reading Paul Zindel books, and now he one of my favorite authors.