Underdogs
Scholastic Inc | ISBN 9780545542593 Paperback
512 Pages | 5.28" x 8.03" | Ages 12 & Up
Scholastic Inc | ISBN 9780545354424 Hardcover
512 Pages | 5.87" x 8.53" | Ages 12 & Up
Scholastic Inc | ISBN 9780545388351 Ebook
512 Pages | Ages 12 & Up
From the bestselling author of The Book Thief.
Before The Book Thief, Markus Zusak wrote a trilogy of novels about the Wolfe brothers: The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, and Getting the Girl. Gritty, funny, and at times heartbreaking, these novels form the early work of an author who would go on to receive worldwide acclaim as an exciting new voice in young adult literature. We're proud to present these novels together for the first time, and to be introducing American readers to The Underdog, never before published in the United States. Fans of The Book Thief won't want to miss reading the novels that started Markus Zusak's career.
Raves & reviews:
Praise for Markus Zusak:
"The Book Thief will be appreciated for Mr. Zusak's audacity, also on display in his earlier I Am the Messenger. It will be widely read and admired because it tells a story in which books become treasures. And because there's no arguing with a sentiment like that." — The New York Times Book Review
"Zusak doesn't sugarcoat anything, but he makes his ostensibly gloomy subject bearable the same way Kurt Vonnegut did in Slaughterhouse-Five: with grim, darkly consoling humor." — Time Magazine
Praise for Fighting Ruben Wolfe:
"Zusak debuts with an intense tale about boxing, brotherly solidarity, and searching for self-respect...Engrossing." — Kirkus Reviews
"Zusak's first-person narrative is electrifying... Coarse and poetic at the same time, the power of Zusak's prose and vivid imagery will continue to reverberate long after the last punch is thrown." — Teenreads.com
Praise for Getting the Girl:
"Zusak uses simple but poetically poignant language to convey Cam's inner teenage turmoil, confusion, and heartache. This highly recommended novel is a sad, funny, loving, and ultimately heartwarming coming-of-age story." — Voice of Youth Advocates
"The extravagant prose does work well in describing the relationship between Cam and Octavia, demonstrating the often-ignored fact that teenage boys also fall breathlessly and heartstoppingly in love." — The Horn Book