Word Nerd

Product Information

Word Nerd is possibly the most heart-warming story I've read this year, and made me remember why I loved middle-grade books in the first place. Daarnaast was de moeder van Ambrose ontzettend beschermend naar hem toe en dat hoorde wel bij het boek, maar op een gegeven moment begon ik mij daar alleen maar meer aan te storen. Aan de andere kant is zij dus wel goed uitgewerkt ;) Vancouver’s Susin Nielsen writes for the TV series “Robson Arms” and “Alice, I Think,” and you can tell. She’s good … You know it’s going to be good when he imagines the headline, “Friendless nerd killed by peanut.” It’s local and hilarious.” The Georgia Straight Ambrose is one of the most delightful nerds I have ever read about in fiction. He nearly dies when a trio of bullies slip a peanut into his sandwich, is switched to correspondence school and befriends Cosmos, the recently returned ex-con son of their Greek landlords who live upstairs. With some fun, almost-only-in-y/a middle-rade fiction, scenes, they become allies and form a rather delightful friendship. There are many great voices in YA fiction, but Susin Nielsen manages to give us TWO in the same book. I defy you not to fall in love with this book.' Phil Earle

Alone in the evenings when Irene goes to work, Ambrose pesters Cosmo, the twenty-five-year-old son of the Greek landlords who live upstairs. Cosmo has just been released from jail for breaking and entering to support a drug habit. Quite by accident, Ambrose discovers that they share a love of Scrabble and coerces Cosmo into taking him to the West Side Scrabble Club, where Cosmo falls for Amanda, the club director. Posing as Ambrose’s Big Brother to impress her, Cosmo is motivated to take Ambrose to the weekly meetings and to give him lessons in self-defense. Cosmo, Amanda, and Ambrose soon form an unlikely alliance and, for the first time in his life, Ambrose blossoms. The characters at the Scrabble Club come to embrace Ambrose for who he is and for their shared love of words. There’s only one Irene has no idea what Ambrose is up to. Het boek leest als een trein, het verhaal is origineel en leuk uitgewerkt. Een boek met het onderwerp scrabble op de voorgrond ben ik nog nooit tegengekomen en ook de hoofdstuktitels zijn erg passend. There's so much to love about this story, but what grabbed me most is the humour. Who do I write to to join the Susin Nielsen fan club?' -- Christopher Paul Curtis This is a tender, often funny story with some really interesting characters. It will appeal to word nerds, but even more to anyone who has ever longed for acceptance or had to fight unreasonable parental restrictions.” School Library Journal, Starred Review A wry and wise novel about a most unlikely friendship between two Scrabble freaks – a nerdy kid with a peanut allergy and a tough but loveable ex-con – is one of the most delightful reading experiences of the year. Susin Nielsen writes with an understated, mordant wit that draws the reader into the quirky story right from the start.” Phyllis Simon, Vancouver KidsbooksAuch "Peanuts..." beginnt in einem Schul-Setting, das jedoch abrupt endet als Ambrosius - der unter einer starken Erdnussallergie leidet - eben genau so eine in sein Pausenbrot geschmuggelt bekommt von seinen blöden Mitschülern, die ihn für ein leichtes Mobbingopfer halten. Leider ist Ambrosius wirklich stark allergisch, überlebt den Vorfall aber und wird nun nur noch zu Hause unterrichtet. Heutzutage, nach Corona, für uns alle gar nicht mehr so ungewöhnlich. Das Buch ist allerdings schon von 2008, aber auch da war es in Nordamerika durchaus üblich. Ambrosius findet die soziale Abschottung aber gar nicht gut. Und findet sich schon bald heimlich neue Freunde. Ambrose Bukowski is a twelve-year-old with a talent for mismatching his clothes, for saying the wrong thing at the worst possible time, and for words. In short, he's a self-described nerd. Making friends is especially hard because he and his overprotective mother, Irene, have had to move so often. And when bullies at his latest school almost kill him by deliberately slipping a peanut into his sandwich to set off his allergy, it's his mother who has the extreme reaction. From now on, Ambrose has to be home-schooled. Then Ambrose strikes up an unlikely friendship with the landlord's son, Cosmo, an ex-con who's been in prison. They have nothing in common except for Scrabble. But a small deception grows out of control when Ambrose convinces a reluctant Cosmo to take him to a Scrabble club. Could this spell disaster for Ambrose? About This Edition ISBN: In creating Ambrose Bukowski, Susin Nielsen has done a fine job in bringing to life a first-class nerd whose very limitations make him a most extraordinary person …” Canadian Children’s Book News Hetgeen wat ik storend vond in dit boek was de seksuele ontwikkeling van Ambrose, naar mijn idee hoefde dit niet eens in het boek verwerkt te worden. Ambrose Bukowski is the titular nerd and it's in his delightful, disarming voice that Word Nerd unfolds ... a funny, wry tale' Globe and Mail

Meet Ambrose – a twelve-year-old with a talent for mismatching his clothes, for saying the wrong thing at the worst possible time, and for words. In short, he’s a self-described nerd. Making friends is especially hard because he and his overprotective mother, Irene, have had to move so often. When bullies at his latest school almost kill him by deliberately slipping a peanut into his sandwich, Ambrose is philosophical. Irene, however, is not, and decides that Ambrose will take correspondence classes from home. Ambroise is a 12 year old with many issues - fatherless, severe peanut allergy, and basically socially awkward. His mother moves them around a lot but the story takes place in Vancouver where they are renting a basement from a nice Greek couple. This is where the fun starts. Ambroise befriends their recently paroled son and they end up joining a scrabble club. Of course, mom does not know so there is a lot of sneaking around. Ambroise learns a lot about himself through this new friendship as well as through the scrabble club.Irresistible characters, this is set to become one of the most popular books of the year’ Lovereading This is a tender, often funny story with some really interesting characters. It will appeal to word nerds, but even more to anyone who has ever longed for acceptance or had to fight unreasonable parental restrictions' School Library Journal, starred review Twelve-year-old Ambrose is a glass-half-full kind of guy. A self-described “friendless nerd,” he moves from place to place every couple of years with his overprotective mother, Irene. When some bullies at his new school almost kill him by slipping a peanut into his sandwich — even though they know he has a deathly allergy — Ambrose is philosophical. Irene, however, is not and decides that Ambrose will be home-schooled. In addition, the book is set in my neighbourhood, which was hilariously fun. Like seeing someone you know in a movie, and you can't stop giggling.

Susin Nielsen’s depiction of grief was pitch perfect. A sweet, funny, touching and incredibly important book’I don't usually enjoy realistic YA, but I found this utterly charming. It was the voice, frankly. I know this kid. I've BEEN this kid. Socially awkward, lying to spare mom's feelings, thinking my too-small purple pants are awesome. Funny, and occasionally lightly mortifying. Overall: Another charming and heartwarming book from Nielsen. I adored the characters, their dynamic, and all the Scrabble. This story was about the importance of standing up for yourself, being a better person, finding your “people”, and allowing for second chances. It was wonderfully told and warmed my heart. One of the best YA books I’ve read. It pulled me from the depths of a month-long reading slump... It made me excited to read again’ Wondrous Reads His struggles at school and the bullying he endured were heartbreaking. Though I understood his mother’s choices, I did find her to be a bit over-the-top overprotective. As the story played out, I do think I understood her actions came from a place of fear, pain, and love, and were also a result of some of her own unresolved personal issues.