#29--Ironman

Bibliographic Information

Ironman by Chris Crutcher. Perfection Learning. (2004).

$18.45 for hardcover; $8.99 for paperback

Pages: 288 for paperback

Note: This was originally published in 1995.

Plot Summary

When Bo Brewster mouths off to a teacher he is told he has two options—attend Mr. Nak’s anger management group sessions or homeschool with scary Mrs. Conroy. Although Bo is worried about getting along with Nak’s pack the choice is easy as no one would ever choose to work with Mrs. Conroy. Soon, however, he learns that the students that attend anger management are not so bad. There is even an extremely attractive girl who is just as into working out as he is. Initially, Bo wants to leave anger management as soon as possible but he quickly learns that it is one of the best things that has ever happened to him. Finally, he is meeting people who are going through equally difficult things like living with abusive parents or caring for their brothers and sisters by themselves. Everyone in the group has secrets that, when they slowly reveal them, make Bo feel like he can finally start facing his own.

However, while anger management helps him better understand himself it does not fix all his problems. He still needs to find a way to beat bully Ian Wyrack in the Yukon Jack Ironman race, a task that won’t be easy when Bo’s dad buys Wyrack’s team a top of the line bicycle hoping that they will beat Bo. Bo must also figure out where he stands with his abusive father and whether or not their relationship can be saved. But while these obstacles sometimes seem insurmountable Bo soon learns he is not alone in facing them as Nak’s pack comes together to help him face his fears.

Critical Evaluation

*Spoilers Ahead*

Chris Crutcher’s books are never easy to read and Ironman is no exception. Readers will cry and laugh over Bo’s journal entries as he revisits the horrors of his past while relating his hopes for his future. The novel is sure to deeply affect readers as Bo slowly discovers why each member of Nak’s pack is in anger management—Shelly’s multiple foster homes, Elvis’ child molesting father, Hudge’s abusive father. While these situations are partly what makes Ironman so difficult to read the most disturbing element within the book is that of abusive and/or irresponsible adults. Mr. Nak, Mr. Serbousek, and Dr. Stevens serve as counterparts to these adults but even with their caring hearts they cannot offset the damage other adults cause. Because of union contracts, teacher Mr. Redmond is free to belittle and humiliate students for years to come while fear and misunderstanding allow Bo’s father, Mr. Brewster, to continually hurt his son. Even the law cannot protect teens as Hudge’s father is free to shoot Hudge’s dog as long as he doesn’t do it within city limits. These and other injustices cause readers to question their assumptions about adults and the roles they play.

However, while it is clear that there are plenty of evil adults in the world Crutcher never condemns them outright. Fascinatingly, while many readers (including myself) will loathe Bo’s father, Crutcher allows him his say. Mr. Brewster argues that he is just trying to be a good father and when readers learn that Mr. Brewster was abused as a child, they begin to understand his warped reasoning. Crutcher leaves readers with an unresolved ending as Bo does not know if his relationship will ever be mended with his father but hopes that perhaps one day it will. Overall, Crutcher does an excellent job realistically portraying what it is like for teens who live within abusive families. Pair this with Crutcher’s Ironman subplot and he has created a wonderful novel that is sure to inspire and please many readers.

Reader’s Annotation

As Bo trains for a triathlon he must first survive anger management group sessions and interactions with his father.

About the Author

Yet another Margaret A. Edwards award winner (2000) Crutcher’s books seem too unbelievably dark to be true and yet teens still tell him that his books mirror their situations. Happily, Crutcher continues to write the books that are so needed by struggling teens. Currently he has published thirteen books, one of which is an autobiography. His newest novel, Period 8, is due to be published in March 2013.Visit his website here.

Genre

Realistic fiction; School story; Sports story

Readalikes

Stotan! By Chris Crutcher

·         This story is referred to in Ironman & one of the main characters in Ironman is a main character in this book.

Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher

·         Six short stories, one of which includes a character from Ironman

Slam by Walter Dean Myers

·         Also about a teen who dedicates himself to sports while he deals with other troubles in his life.

Tags

Abusive parents, American Gladiators, anger management, Clark Fork, Idaho, Epistolary novel, Ironman, Larry King, triathlons

Awards Won/Lists On

Some but not all awards and lists:

1996 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

1996 Best Books for Young Adults

2003 Mock Printz Survey for 1996

New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age

American Bookseller Pick of the List

California Young Reader Medalist

Professional Reviews

Booklist
 Publishers' Weekly

School Library Journal

The New York Times Book Review

Booktalk Ideas

Bo’s Thoughts & Other Ideas

·         “I used to ask you this all the time when I was being sent home, but how come teachers never get in trouble? How come it’s always the kid who eats it?...The kid doesn’t have a union…” (p. 10)

·         “Are you ever embarrassed to be an adult just because of the way other adults act?” (143)

·         “But it’s okay, Mom. I mean, I forgave you a long time ago. It wasn’t your fault. There was nothing you could—…Stop it…don’t ever say there’s nothing I could have done. That diminishes me” (120)

·         “I’m kind of glad I couldn’t really get to you, because I’m afraid you might have said what most adults say: that teenagers aren’t quite done yet, that we’re impulsive and adults intervene because  we aren’t ready to manage our lives” (p. 38-39).

Dark Secrets

·         Elvis—missing father leaving him to care for siblings

·         Hudge—abusive father

·         Shelly—abusive uncle & cruel teacher

·         Joey—abusive parents

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness

This book can be used to discuss father/son relationships, the complexity of blame, and how to overcome the cards dealt to you in life.

Reading Level/Interest Level

Reading Level: 5^th grade

Interest Level: 9^th-12^th grade

These levels are according to AR Bookfinder

Challenge Issues

This book includes the following potentially controversial elements:

·         Abusive father

·         Anger issues

·         Bullying

·         Divorced parents

·         Father burns cigarettes on his son’s skin

·         Father shoots son’s dog

·         Parental favoritism

·         Plagiarism

·         Profanity

·         Pro-homosexuality

·         Racist & sexist slurs

·         Rape

·         Sexually abusive father

·         Sexually abusive uncle

·         Slurs against homosexual people

·         Taking the Lord’s name in vain

·         Vandalism

·         Verbally abusive teacher

Librarians can point out that while this is a gritty book Crutcher spends a lot of time examining issues that are real for many people. He also tries to present a fair perspective of almost all the characters. This book can be a healing book for anyone struggling to manage their anger or get along with abusive parents.

Why Was This Included?

After reading Whale Talk two summers ago (2011) I’ve always meant to read more of Crutcher’s novels. I chose Ironman because I was interested in exploring the topic of anger management and boy, oh, boy! After reading Ironman I want to read everything Chris Crutcher has written!