Weirdo's War (Older Fiction Paperbacks) - Softcover

Michael Coleman

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1860392318 ISBN 13: 9781860392313

Publisher: Orchard Books, 1996

Synopsis

Daniel prefers his own company, as it gives him more time to explore the near magical world of math and physics which so fascinates him. He certainly didn't want to go on a school camping trip with other boys in his class, but his father gives him no choice. "It'll do you good", he said. Daniel can see little good in being stuck in a cabin with three boys who have long tormented him. Especially Tozer, who has terrorized him for years. Things couldn't get any worse than being paired with Tozer for an all orienteering competition, or so Daniel thinks. But when the two of them end up trapped in a cave, along with their mutual enemy, Mr. Axelman, things do get worse. Daniel must find a way to rescue the three of them, before the water rapidly flooding the cave drowns them all.

About this title

About the Author

Michael Coleman was born in Forest Gate, East London and has been a full-time writer since 2003. Michael Coleman's other older novels for Orchard Books include The Cure, The Bear Kingdom trilogy, The Snog Log, Going Straight and Tag.

From Publishers Weekly

When likable egghead Daniel Edwards (otherwise known as "Weirdo") is thrown together with a group of brawnier guys and a sadistic P.E. teacher named Axelmann at a survival camp, the result is predictably disastrous. Daniel weathers routine taunts and various forms of humiliation before one particularly cruel prank puts him in real danger: one of the kids tampers with their map, and when Daniel and his partner "Monkey" (another outcast and one of Daniel's chief taunters) follow the wrong course during a hike, they fall into a cave and cannot find a way out. As their hope for rescue grows as dim as their flashlight beams, they begin talking honestly for the first time, sharing their fears and vulnerabilities. The bond of trust formed in the cavern ultimately becomes a lifeline; by setting aside their animosities and working together cooperatively, Daniel and Monkey not only manage to save themselves but also the unconscious Axelmann, who also has stumbled into the trap. Juxtaposing Daniel's memories of ridicule with his more immediate problem of finding an escape route from the cave, Coleman (the Internet Detectives series) produces a story well suited for adventure lovers. His water and rock metaphors, symbolizing Daniel's conflicts with his tormentors, prove to be more compelling than the somewhat stereotyped characters. There is little doubt that the protagonist will find a solution to both his internal and external conflicts, but readers will be eager to witness the hatching of his brilliant scheme and the emergence of his courage. Ages 9-13.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Orchard Books
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1860392318
• ISBN 13: 9781860392313
• Binding: Paperback