Sophomores and Other Oxymorons

Gr 7 Up—Scott's freshman year is over. The mistakes he made in Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie (Dutton, 2005) are over and remedied. Now that he is a sophomore, he is confident—and less endearing than he was in the previous volume. The narrative plays out as Scott goes from one class to another throughout the school year. Scott's crush on the Sphinx-like Lee and his worries about his dad's business are underdeveloped adjuncts to the larger, less appealing story of the teen's mean-spirited commitment to one-upping his English teacher. When the teacher instructs Scott to write a 2,000 word essay on arrogance, he writes in favor of it. The rapport between student and teacher continues to deteriorate and Scott turns in a clever but cruel essay ridiculing the educator. Still, there are many moments of humor. Word-lovers will appreciate Zenger Zingers and Scott's advisory comments to his baby brother, Sean. In the end, Scott acknowledges his wrongdoings, but given the intensity of his pride, his remorse lacks conviction.