Carter's Unfocused, One-Track Mind

by Brent Crawford

Overview

After an eventful freshman year and disastrous summer, fifteen-year-old Will Carter returns to Merrian High none the wiser. His sophomore year will present a host of new problems: the return of Scary Terry from juvie, the pregnant presence of Amber Lee, friends-with-benefits negotiations with Abby, prom night expectations, and the ever-constant harassment from his boys. When Abby announces that she might be transferring to a New York arts school, Carter's world is turned upside down and he'll be forced to make the biggest decision of his life. In his signature voice, author Brent Crawford details young Will Carter's high school struggles, this time focusing on Carter's discovery of his true passion and the sacrifices he'll need to make.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781423147305
Publisher:	Disney Press
Publication date:	08/07/2012
Series:	Carter Novel
Sold by:	DISNEY PUBLISHING WORLDWIDE -EBKS
Format:	eBook
File size:	436 KB
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Brent Crawford (www.brent-crawford.com) is the author of the critically-acclaimed Carter Finally Gets It, Carter's Big Break, and Carter's Unfocused, One-Track Mind. Born in Kansas, he moved to Los Angeles and then New York to pursue an acting career. He has worked in theater, film, TV, and commercials and has written numerous plays and screenplays. He lives in Kansas City, Kansas.

Editorial Reviews

Will Carter, fifteen, an athletic and gifted actor who is wildly, yet sweetly, horny, funny, and insecure, is now a sophomore at Merrian High. He and his equally goofy posse of devoted "boys" are involved in many of the same hi-jinks that saw them all through the first two entries in this series (Carter Finally Gets It [Hyperion, 2009], and Carter's Big Break [Hyperion, 2010/VOYA June 2010]). Hormones and bloodletting rule the day. They participate in a fight club, improving dramatically when a fellow thespian, who is grateful for Carter's defense of his sexual orientation, shares some of his martial arts secrets. Carter renews wooing gorgeous Abby, who is on her way to the prestigious New York Drama School and wants Carter to come with her, a slim possibility due to his wretched grades. There is also the matter of the murderous Scary Terry, from the first book in the series, who seems determined to break every bone in Carter's body. By turns laugh-out-loud hilarious, groan-out-loud gross, and head-shakingly appalling due to the utter lack of responsibility in some of the actions (binge drinking, unprotected sex, and oh yes, a near-forest fire), Crawford nevertheless adds an appealing level of self-examination and tender insight into Carter's unexpectedly courageous efforts to turn his life around. Crawford nails his intended audience's world with a book that will make parents cringe, even as they will be surprised by the decency of the adults portrayed in Carter's world.-Beth E. Andersen—VOYA

When it comes to hilarious, hormone-addled series from a boy's POV, the two leaders are Don Calame's books, beginning with Swim the Fly (2009), and Crawford's Carter novels. Calame's may be more uproarious, but Crawford has all the heart, continuing in this third volume the travails of goofy, optimistic, boob-obsessed Carter as he founds a 15-year-olds' fight club, geeks out over auditioning for the school play, and tries to score with his girlfriend before she moves. It's a PG-13 blur of parties and oh-so-close make-out sessions, with Carter as our irrepressible guide. Pretty dang fun. - Daniel Kraus—Booklist

From the Publisher

Will Carter, fifteen, an athletic and gifted actor who is wildly, yet sweetly, horny, funny, and insecure, is now a sophomore at Merrian High. He and his equally goofy posse of devoted “boys” are involved in many of the same hi-jinks that saw them all through the first two entries in this series (Carter Finally Gets It [Hyperion, 2009], and Carter’s Big Break [Hyperion, 2010/Voya June 2010]). Hormones and bloodletting rule the day. They participate in a fight club, improving dramatically when a fellow thespian, who is grateful for Carter’s defense of his sexual orientation, shares some of his martial arts secrets. Carter renews wooing gorgeous Abby, who is on her way to the prestigious New York Drama School and wants Carter to come with her, a slim possibility due to his wretched grades. There is also the matter of the murderous Scary Terry, from the first book in the series, who seems determined to break every bone in Carter’s body. By turns laugh-out-loud hilarious, groan-out-loud gross, and head-shakingly appalling due to the utter lack of responsibility in some of the actions (binge drinking, unprotected sex, and oh yes, a near-forest fire), Crawford nevertheless adds an appealing level of self-examination and tender insight into Carter’s unexpectedly courageous efforts to turn his life around. Crawford nails his intended audience’s world with a book that will make parents cringe, even as they will be surprised by the decency of the adults portrayed in Carter’s world. Ages 12 to 18.

VOYA - Beth E. Andersen

In the third book of the "Carter" series, fifteen-year-old sophomore Will Carter is back at Merrian High School. He keeps himself busy as a member of the football team, the fight club that he and his friends started to defend themselves against Scary Terry, and the drama club. He has a girlfriend named Abby, who is also in the drama club. She is thinking of attending New York Drama School, and she wants Carter to apply and attend. A conundrum indeed as this would mean leaving family and friends. Not to mention he has unfinished business with Scary Terry, whom Carter allegedly put in jail, and now Scary Terry is out and back for revenge. Will things ever go right for Carter? Written for high school boys, this book teaches readers life lessons while maintaining humor throughout. Carter attempts to be macho in front of his friends, but on the inside, he is sensitive, independent, and has a good heart. It is not necessary to read the first two "Carter" books, Carter Finally Gets It and Carter's Big Break, to understand this book. The author does a fine job of summarizing prior incidents. Reviewer: Tina Chan

Children's Literature - Tina Chan