Give a Boy a Gun

Todd Strasser

Oct 2012 · Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

Todd Strasser’s acclaimed account of school violence that Kirkus Reviews calls “vivid, distressing, and all too real.”

For as long as they can remember, Brendan and Gary have been mercilessly teased and harassed by the jocks who rule Middletown High. But not anymore. Stealing a small arsenal of guns from a neighbor, they take their classmates hostage at a school dance. In the panic of this desperate situation, it soon becomes clear that only one thing matters to Bendan and Gary: revenge.

Ratings and reviews

I remember reading this in seventh grade like 4 years ago and loving it for its sheer truth. It hits close to home and gives you a glimpse into how cruel kids can be to each other and how powerless our schools' anti-bullying programs currently are.

This book was amazing. Not only was it informing, but it really opened my eyes to the problems among youth today. As a highschool student, I will try to share the messages created in this book.

This book is so detailed it inspires me to write my own book about deadly shootings in school and, suicide. This is so amazing I read it in a day in a half.

About the author

Todd Strasser has written many critically acclaimed novels for adults, teenagers, and children, including the award-winning Can’t Get There from Here, Give a Boy a Gun, Boot Camp, If I Grow Up, Famous, and How I Created My Perfect Prom Date, which became the Fox feature film Drive Me Crazy. Todd lives in a suburb of New York and speaks frequently at schools. Visit him at ToddStrasser.com.