33 Minutes

A lot can happen in 33 minutes… just ask Sam Lewis, who is going to get his butt kicked in 33 minutes by his former best friend, Morgan Sturtz.  Written in a span of time that takes only 33 minutes, Todd Hasak-Lowy creates a typical middle school environment where anything can happen.  The reader catches up with Sam, with a few short minutes left of Social Studies before the lunch bell rings.  As you read, Hasak-Lowy gives you more and more details to help you piece together the back story of how Sam came to be in the position he’s in.  What the reader doesn’t see coming is everything that happens between the lunch bell ringing and the end of recess.

Told from the point of view of a smart alecky middle school student, kids will easily relate to losing your best friend and not truly understanding what happened.  Middle school can be difficult for just about everyone and without a  best friend, kids can feel absolutely lost.  But kids also need to realize that standing up for themselves is just as important.  This is a book definitely, conversation starting about bullying, friends, middle school, girls/guys, and everything in between!

For more information about the author, check out his website!

Title: 33 Minutes
Author: Todd Hasak-Lowy
Publisher: Aladdin
Publication Date: 2013
Page Number: 210 pgs.