Paranoid Park - Hardcover

Nelson, Blake

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0670061182 ISBN 13: 9780670061181

Publisher: Viking Juvenile, 2006

Synopsis

When he accidentally kills a security guard in self-defense, a scared teenager, realizing that no one even knows he was at Paranoid Park, wonders if he should confess, even though he has no alibi or witnesses--or pretend it never happened.

About this title

About the Author:

Blake Nelson lives and works in New York City. He is the author of several young adult novels—including the ALA Best Book for Young Adults Rock Star Superstar, as well as the cult hit Girl.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

My first connection to Paranoid was through Jared Fitch. He’s a senior at my school. He’s pretty insane, but cool, though, and one of the best skaters at our school. He does stuff like skating off the back of a delivery truck going forty miles an hour while someone videotapes it.

That’s how we became friends. I was just getting good at skateboarding, and he would show me stuff. He had videos of things he’d done. He also had other skate videos-- stuff you couldn’t find at the local mall. He just knew what was up, so the two of us became friends.

Last summer we skated every day. We’d go downtown to different places, like this old parking garage that was condemned that everyone snuck into and partied in. That’s when we really became friends. And other spots, like the famous "Suicide Stairwell" by the river where everybody used to go. Places like that.

Like I said, I wasn’t on Jared’s level yet, but I was learning. And he liked that I was young and eager. He liked being the teacher and showing me stuff.

Anyway, during the last week of summer, we were downtown one day and Jared said we should check out Paranoid Park. I didn’t say anything at first. I had heard of it, of course, but had never thought of going there. I had assumed it was out of my league. But when I said I didn’t think I was ready, Jared laughed and said something like: "Nobody’s ever ready for Paranoid Park."

So we went. I was nervous, naturally, but I was also kinda psyched. Skating Paranoid. That was an accomplishment. That was something you could tell people about.

About this edition

• Publisher: Viking Juvenile
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0670061182
• ISBN 13: 9780670061181
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 176