Tales of the Madman Underground

This Printz Honor book is a classic in the making. September 1973: The beginning of Karl Shoemaker's senior year in stifling Lightsburg, Ohio. For years, Karl's been part of "the Madman Underground"-kids forced to attend group therapy during school. Karl has decided that he is going to get out of the Madman Underground for good. He is going to act-and be-Normal. But Normal, of course, is relative. Karl has two after-school jobs, one dead father, one seriously unhinged drunk mother...and a huge attitude. Welcome to a gritty, uncensored roller-coaster ride, narrated by the singular Karl Shoemaker.

This is the acclaimed novelist John Barnes's first book for teenagers.