Wart, Son of Toad [Paperback]

Alden R. Carter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1986

It’s not Steve’s fault that his dad is the most hated teacher at school, nicknamed the Toad. What the kids at school don’t know is that Steve’s dad is even harder on Steve than he is on his students. And that his dad has been miserable ever since Steve’s mom and sister died in a car crash three years ago. Most of the kids don’t even know Steve’s real name – they just call him Wart, Son of Toad. Steve’s failing most of his classes, and the auto mechanics program he wants to get into is looking like an impossible dream. Not that it matters, anyway: the Toad would never sign off on his son fixing cars. Steve and his dad may live in the same house, but they exist on completely different planets. And then there’s Trish, the one person who actually understands Steve – but she’s in love with someone else.

First published in 1985, Alden R. Carter’s Wart, Son of Toad is a powerful, acclaimed story about love, loss, and taking control of your own destiny.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-10 Steve Michaels (Wart) is the unhappy son of an unhappy, unpopular science teacher whom the students have christened "Toad." The two live together in great tension three years following the accidental death of the boy's mother and younger sister. "The Toad" vents his frustrations onto his students, who in turn taunt his son. But Steve has other problems. He's the non-academic son of a demanding father. He wants to follow his natural bent and become a mechanic, the sole area where he is both happy and successful. Neither father nor son seems able to help the other. As Steve puts it, "We were connected by blood and the past, but no real lines of communication." The resolution of this problem, as well as several connecting story lines including a romantic angle, is nicely done. Carter is strong on characterizationreaders can connect with any of his readily recognizable peopleand Steve is a refreshing protagonist. Bewildered, afraid and sometimes angry, he comes far closer to reality than some of the overly-wise, sophisticated teenagers of many of today's novels and TV programs. Steve's first-person narrative is sprinkled with profanities; he is an unhappy young man expressing his frustrations realistically and in tune with his character. The father, with his faults uncovered, is nonetheless presented with empathy. In all, a good performance. Robert Unsworth, Scarsdale Junior School High Library, N.Y.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Alden R. Carter lives in Marshfield, Wisconsin. Visit him on the web at www.aldencarter.com --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Pacer Books (September 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425088855
• ISBN-13: 978-0425088852
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,698,988 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alden Carter's thirty-year career includes publication of novels for young adults and adults, nonfiction books on a wide range of topics, and picture books for and about special needs children. Among numerous awards, his novels have been named six times to the American Library Association's list of Best Books of the Year. His adult novel of the Civil War, Bright Starry Banner, was awarded the prestigious John Esten Cooke Fiction Award. A popular speaker, he has given over 600 presentations in schools and at conferences for writers and educators. A former teacher and naval officer, he lives in Marshfield, Wisconsin, with his wife, Carol. They have two adult children: Brian, an architect, and Siri, a college student.