“Stoner & Spaz” is a story about two possibly-but-not-likely average teens living in the L.A. suburbs. It is a great story, and Ron Koertge has terrific timing. Ben is sixteen-year-old boy with cerebral palsy who one day holds an extended conversation with one of his classmates, a girl who loves drugs. They have almost nothing in common, but become interesting events in each other’s lives. Despite, or perhaps because of, his grandmother’s disapproval, Ben falls for Colleen. But can he handle? Side plot: Ben is a film aficionado and his new divorcee neighbor is a free spirit that has dabbled in film-making with a documentary on heart-donor recipients. Ben decides to create his own. Some of the story are cliché and predictable. And the story plot is one expected from an after-school special. However, the details and dialogue Koertge levers are quite honest and real. He writes an interesting commentary on adolescent life today. ( )

Lib notes: Swear words sprinkled throughout, regular mention of drug use, scene of Ben about to lose virginity with Colleen. ( )

This awkwardly-covered book follows a teenager with cerebral palsy around while he attempts to break free a bit from the strict rules his grandmother enforces. He befriends a popular girl at school who exposes him to the wonderful worlds of dance clubs, drugs, and making out. I liked the book as a character study and I wasn't expecting more to happen but the author adds in a storyline about Ben's interest in filmmaking that overwhelms the second half of the book and changed the flow for me. (though there is a second book and it looks to be more about filmmaking) The dialogue is funny and Ben's addiction to going to the movies (where no one judges him) was endearing, but I lost all my attachment to this book as the story went on. It went from a 4 star book to a 2.5/5 stars.

This mini-review was part of a series of 7 mini-reviews of short YA books I wrote for a post over at our blog, The Readventurer. ( )

Stoner and Spaz is a great story that highlights Ben's journey into adulthood. Ben thinks he is so different from everyone else, but Colleen teaches him that everyone as their problems. Through Colleen, Ben is able to see a different side of life and eventually he is strong enough to realize that Colleen can not be saved. Ben is able to look at his future and smile for once. This book is great for young adults, but does contain graphic content. ( )

I enjoyed the snappy dialogue and realistic portrayal of these two teens. Ben is a convincing handicapped character in that he is invisible to most people on campus. He's a film buff, and I liked his thoughts of film and why it moves us. I also appreciated that Colleen, the druggie girl character, was scuzzy and not too precious. She wasn't portrayed as the 'addict with a heart of gold', merely an interesting human with some very real addiction problems. Ben strikes up a friendship with his neighbor that is the same age as his missing mother. I would have liked to see more depth and detail to that relationship. One thing I found endearing was how much Ben was moved by simply being touched by another human being. I would guess having a handicap makes you 'untouchable' in a lot of ways, and a fleeting touch on the arm meant more to Ben than most people would understand. Overall, I found this quirky book enjoyable, and a good choice for someone looking for a short, offbeat novel. ( )