Stetson [Hardcover]

Susan Rottman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 2002

There are only two things that 17-year-old Stetson cares about. His car . . . and his art. For the past two years, he's been rebuilding an old Civic in the shed behind his father's trailer; his work at the salvage yard and the T-shirts he airbrushes and sells at school help pay for food and parts. As long as Stet avoids his father-who, since Stet's mother left years ago, has become both abusive and alcoholic-he considers himself lucky. The Civic and his art are his ticket out of their small factory town.

Then a girl named Kayla blows it all apart. She's waiting for him in the trailer one day after school. Almost gleefully, his father explains: Kayla is Stet's sister. Their mother was pregnant when she left, and no one knew-until she died, and no one wanted to take Kayla in. Now the two wary siblings have to live together, eat together, go to school together, and get to know each other. Responsible Stet and rebellious Kayla.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 & Up--Stetson is living a life on the edge. He places bets at school in order to buy food because his alcoholic father spends all of his money at the local bar. His mother has been gone for years. The teen is on the verge of being suspended from school. Then he arrives home one day to find a 14-year-old inside, explaining that she has nowhere else to go because their mother has just died. It turns out that his mother was pregnant when she left, and that he has a sister. Stetson must now teach her how to fend for herself in a trailer with a verbally abusive, often-absent father. Rottman tackles many social issues from the perspective of a socially outcast 17-year-old who has raised himself and has only one real friend. The writing can be repetitive, but this may be a consequence of the narrator's humdrum attitude toward life. The story is told mainly through dialogue, and readers may sometimes find themselves confused about who is speaking. Also, the author repeats that Stetson is an artist, though there is little evidence of this. Rottman leaves readers with the hope that her protagonist will be able to succeed on his own but also with the nagging feeling that he just may psych himself out of his success. Nevertheless, teens will be cheering him on to the end.
Delia Fritz, Mercersburg Academy, PA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-12. Despite a mother who abandoned him and a bitter, alcoholic father, Stetson still dreams of becoming the first in his family to finish high school. When a sister he didn't even know about unexpectedly moves in, Stetson finds his troubles compounded by her drinking and her knowledge about his mother, whose loss Stetson has never dealt with. In chapter one, Stetson's prank against a likable teacher is so cruel (and implausible) that it will take readers a while to buy into the boy's subsequent good intentions and general integrity. Over time, however, Stetson proves himself to be a stellar character whose friendship with crusty salvage yard boss Jason allows him to face some truths about his shortcomings and determine a direction for his life. Emphasis on dialogue carries the reader quickly through those chapters that lack dramatic punch, and an interesting twist concerning a minor character adds spark to the steadily paced story line. Roger Leslie
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 222 pages
• Publisher: Viking Juvenile (April 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670035424
• ISBN-13: 978-0670035427
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #445,399 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In first grade, I made my mother very nervous when I told her that I was never going to learn to read because reading was stupid! Fortunately for me, my mother was determined to change my mind. She took the time to read with me every night until she got me addicted. By the time I was in fourth grade, I was the kid in the back of the class, trying to hide my book under the table so I could read instead of listening to the teacher! I believe that anyone can become an avid reader; it just takes the right book at the right time to light that fire.

Although I was born in Georgia, my parents moved back to CO when I was two, so I don't remember much about Georgia and I consider myself a Coloradan. I attended Colorado State University, and earned an English degree with teaching certification. I taught for seven years before taking time off to stay home with my children. My first novel, Hero, was written specifically for my students who hated reading. I love spending time with teens, and that's why I write for and about them. To an extent, I'm technologically challenged, which makes writing for teens harder each year--I haven't figured out how to text and the IM slang still sometimes messes me up. But I try! This year, I added teaching internet classes and virtual classroom visits to my list of activities. Rafting, skiing, reading, swimming, throwing pots, watching movies, and camping are just a few of my other interests.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars KCS Stetson book reveiw Look! Mrs Watanabe!!!!, May 8, 2008

By 

leatherface - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stetson (Hardcover)

Stetson
S.L. Rottman
The Penguin Group 2002
222pp $16.99
ISBN 0-670-3542-4

"The falcon was totaled. The front end had rammed into a large tree, and the whole left side had collapsed. You couldn't see any of the Falcon's eye's or beak. The left front wheel stuck out at a cock eye angel. In the windshield there were two stars, the bigger one on the driver's side. Both of then were blood stained."

Stetson or Stet as he likes to be called, is 17 year old delinquent living a small hick town that he wants desperately to leave. But first he needs to graduate, and rebuild his car, that's why he got a job at the scrap yard working on cars, and in addition does dares for money. Then one day he goes to far and gets suspended but when comes home from his after school job, he's suprised to find that his alcoholic father picked up his long lost sister. She was born a little after their mom left the house, now she's dead and Kayla has to stay with Stet and his father in a beat up old trailer.

I really loved this book! It's realistic fiction about one week in the lives of two teenagers. I love the way the author describes the events and the people, because the whole story is old from the point of view of Stet who has to be the responsible one in the family and take care of both his dad and kayla. It also has teaches moral lessons about the dangers of alcohol and peer presure. Even thought it's not from a christain perspective (they swear sometimes) I still think it was a pretty good book. I rate this 4.5/5 stars.

3.0 out of 5 stars Stetson, June 1, 2006

By 

Stetson "EKVK" (Hudsonville, Michgan USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stetson (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is about a teenager that had grown up in rough time. His father isn't the kind of person that would anyone would rely on. So he's been doing it almost all by his own. Then one day, his life would change forever. His sister that he never met before were before his door.
Stetson is the teens name. And his sister's name is Kayla (a fourteen-year-old). whenhis mother left him and his father, his mother was pregnant. Until now, he has never met is sister. Stetson is an very good artist and he could build or fix an motored vehicle. All he needs to do is get a passing grade then he his set.
Now read the book and find who the will live there life from now on!!!

4.0 out of 5 stars great book..., October 26, 2005

By 

A Writer "JZ" (UT, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stetson (Mass Market Paperback)

You have a drunk dad and you work a lot you have this car you really like. One day after work you find this girl in your house turns out she is your sister and your mom died. this is what happened to Stetson (the main character) in this book.

This was a great book it had a little bit of everything drama, action, hate, love, and cars. I liked that the author put the car in this book. Stetson really likes that car and I think it symbolizes that one thing you cherish. Something I didn't like was that once or twice the author emphasizes some things a little too much. I would recommend this book the author writes i very well. Overall this was a great book this is only my opinion you maybe agree or disagree but in my case I thought it was a great book...