Guy Time (Regular Guy) [Library Binding]

Sarah Weeks (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Regular Guy

It's bad enough that thirteen-year-old Guy Strang's parents are getting divorced and his middle-aged mother is suddenly acting like a rebellious teenager. But to top that off Autumn Hockney asks him out to the movies. A year ago he would have known just what to say--"No!"--but for reasons that even he doesn't understand, he says "Maybe."

That's when Guy's troubles begin. Everybody's mad at him. Autumn's larger-than-life best friend, Lana Zuckerman, will stop at nothing in her campaign to squeeze a definite "Yes" out of Guy, while Guy's best friend, Buzz, threatens to desert him forever if he goes soft.

Guy can't afford to lose Buzz now, not when their brilliant plan to reunite his parent isn't going exactly as planned.

In this sequel to her hilarious Regular Guy Sarah Weeks explored the very essence of early adolescence with sensitivity and her trademark sense of humor.

Books for the Teen Age 2001 (NYPL)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this simultaneously funny and poignant sequel to Regular Guy, Weeks returns to the life of 13-year-old Guy Strang. His parents have now separatedAhis father has moved to California, and his mother has been dating "geeky types," including his science teacher and a fellow who can play three kazoos at one time ("one in his mouth and one in each nostril"). Worse yet, she has begun painting her fingernails green ("Looks like you stuck your fingers into something nasty, like a giant's nose," quips Guy) and is threatening to pierce her navel. When Guy's best friend, Buzz, urges him "to quit moaning about your dad being gone and do something about it," together they type a letter on his mother's stationery, in which she apologizes to her husband and asks him to come home. The boys sign it with a lipstick kiss (after a hilarious scene in which they coat their lips and practice on scratch paper), then fax it to Guy's father. The missive does not, of course, produce the desired results, but sends a clear message nonetheless. Better grounded than its predecessor, this novel is similarly outr? in its humor but contains a number of genuinely affecting passagesAincluding Guy's reflections on his parents' split and his father's absence. Its deft balance of comedy and pathos and its credible characters will hit home. Ages 8-12. (June)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-In this sequel to Regular Guy (HarperCollins, 1999), Guy Strang's life has been turned upside down by his parents' separation and his father's subsequent move across the country. When his mother decides it is time to start dating, he decides to take action to reunite his parents. Encouraged by best friend Buzz, the seventh grader poses as his mother and writes a letter to his father, urging him to come home. Then a classmate, Autumn, invites him to the movies. He sort of likes her, but doesn't know how to tell Buzz, who thinks that girls are an alien species. Embarrassed, Guy denies that he likes her and inadvertently hurts her feelings, after which her best friend extracts a merciless revenge. All is realistically resolved-Guy's parents remain separated with no reconciliation in sight, but his father does plan to move back to be closer to his son. And it turns out that Buzz just might like girls after all. Weeks captures the intense feeling of a 13-year-old who is trying to deal with the process of growing up-which is bad enough-and then is thrown into turmoil by the actions of his parents. Readers who like Betsy Byars's "Bingo Brown" books (Viking) will enjoy Guy Time.
Terrie Dorio, Santa Monica Public Library, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Library Binding: 176 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (May 31, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060283661
• ISBN-13: 978-0060283667
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,992,387 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sarah Weeks is the author of Oggie Cooder, So B. It, Jumping the Scratch, and the Guy series. She lives in New York City, where she practices charving at least once a fortnight.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thirteen again...., June 6, 2000

By 

Xeneri - See all my reviews

This review is from: Guy Time (Regular Guy) (Hardcover)

Thirteen-year-old Guy Strang is not having an easy time of it. His parents have split up and his mom has begun dating. Guy himself starts to ponder the dating scene when a fellow classmate asks him to the movies. And so begins the comic, poignant tale of GUY TIME.

This is a book that made me remember what it was like to be 13 again. Sarah Weeks recounts every painful detail, embarrassing act and awkwardness of becoming a teenager for the first time. I especially enjoyed the subtle insulting humor that is so much part of the laguage of being a teen. And Guy himself is a smart, funny and sometimes painfully aware hero who somehow makes teen angst funny and sweet all at the same time. I have not had a chance to read any of Ms wek's other books, but now I'll just have to read them all.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guy Time, November 12, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Guy Time (Regular Guy) (Paperback)

Thirteen year old Guy Strang's life seems to be totally turned upside down. His parents got a divorce, and Guy thinks his mom is weird by wearing coffee cans to straighten her hair! Guy tries to find a way to get his parents back together. I'm 11years old, and I liked this book because it was funny. What makes this book funny to me is how the characters act, and the crazy things they do. This book is the sequiel to Reguliar Guy! I like all the characters in this book because the author has given each one of them a unique personality!

4.0 out of 5 stars 13 year old Guy Time!, February 22, 2011

By 

Sylviastel - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Guy Time (Regular Guy) (Paperback)

Guy Strang was thirteen years old when his parents separated. His father moved to California for work. His mother is dating again even his teacher. Guy is like any 13 year old boy who is coming of age and learns that girls can be fun too.

Ironically, his first date with a girl is about the same time that his mother is dating regularly to men who aren't his father. Guy and Buzz hatches a plan to get his parents back together. It's good plan for 13 year olds but not for adults. Even Buzz and Guy have issues as well.

The author does a good job writing this book. I would have liked to have seen some illustrations within in the novel. Kids will like it since that is it's primary audience.