Stoner and Spaz

Fiction by Ron Koertge
Reviewed by Mayae L.
Not in the NVHS Collection as of this post

Sometimes people don’t look beyond what’s in front of them. They don’t go after their dreams. But sometimes, others do. In the book, Stoner and Spaz, by Ron Koertge, Ben Bancroft, a boy with cerebral palsy, didn’t have much in stock for him. He wasn’t popular, didn’t have any friends besides his grandmother who he lived with, and was kind of like a ghost in his school. But even though Ben didn’t have much going for him, a few things along the way got a little better in his life.

Ben was a boy who absolutely loved movies. He knew every movie, every character in them, and every scene coming up. But one day, he met a girl at the movies, who changed his whole life. This girl wasn’t any normal girl, but a girl who cared mostly about drugs and boys. But even though she wasn’t the best influence on him, she gave Ben the encouragement he needed, and helped Ben to realize that even though he is disabled, he can make any dream come true, if only he would believe. For Ben, that dream was making movies, starting off small and building bigger. And Ben had faith in himself greatly.

This book was a very good book, and made me realize anything is possible. And if the disabled can full-fill their dreams, then so can anyone else out there. I recommend this book to anyone who wants some encouragement to go after their dreams, or to anyone who has an interest in reading fiction. Always believe in yourself like Ben, and anything is possible.