Title: The Gospel According to Larry
Author: Janet Tasjian
Publish Date: May 2003
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Pages: 256pp
IBSN: 0440237920
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Range: 13 and up
Price: $16.95
Annotation: Josh Swensen is a bored seventeen-year-old genius who creates a website, "The Gospel According To Larry," where he posts all of his rants about our celebrity-obsessed culture, anti-communism, and any other random thing that he thinks of.
Summary: Seventeen-year-old Josh Swensen is highly intelligent, bored, and dealing with the average teenage issues of fitting in, developing secret crushes and worrying about social placements in the hierarchy of high school. Out of boredom, Josh decides to create a website where he write about all his thoughts about the world. He names his website “The Gospel According to Larry.” He used the name Larry in irony to being the least likely holy name.
Evaluation: This is an intelligent and humorous book that details the thoughts and feelings of a seventeen-year-old boy. I really enjoyed everything about this book. From the writing style, to the the visual presentation, this was an all around enjoyable book that provided humor and provoked thought on ones own beliefs.
Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness:
- Unexpected success.
- Losing a parent.
- Having a crush on your best friend (and they don’t know).
- Not wanting to be known when everybody wants to know you.
- Going after things you feel passionate about.
Reason this book was chosen: A seventeen-year creates a website where he post his opinions about consumerism, religion, & politics in America—need I say more. I am down with “Larry” and so is Bono from U2!
Similar Titles:
Series:
The Gospel According to Larry (2003)
Vote for Larry (2008)
Larry and the Meaning of Life (2008)
Author’s Website: Click HERE
Awards:
ALA Popular Paperbacks, 2005
ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 2002
Awards:
ALA Popular Paperbacks, 2005
ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 2002
