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Stoner & Spaz Audiobook
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(3.61) - 1,679 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
For sixteen-year-old Ben Bancroft – a kid with cerebral palsy, no parents, and an overprotective grandmother – the closest thing to happiness is hunkering alone in the back of the Rialto Theatre and watching Bride of Frankenstein for the umpteenth time. The last person he wants to run into is drugged-up Colleen Minou, resplendent in ripped tights, neon miniskirt, and an impressive array of tattoos. But when Colleen climbs into the seat beside him and rests a woozy head on his shoulder, Ben has that unmistakable feeling that his life is about to change. With unsparing humor and a keen flair for dialogue, Ron Koertge captures the rare repartee between two lonely teenagers on opposite sides of the social divide. His smart, self-deprecating protagonist learns that kindred spirits may be found for the looking – and that the resolve to follow your passion can be strengthened by something as simple as a human touch.
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"This a young adult novel. I liked it a lot. It plunges me into the life of two quite different characters in a believable manner. Drugs and disability---a contrast of lifestyles, two youths damaged in different ways. The plot unfolds nicely. I liked it, to repeat."
— Lorin (4 out of 5 stars)
Stoner & Spaz Listener Reviews
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" I thought it was good and I can't wate to read the next one. "
— Lindsey, 2/8/2014 -
" The characters are interesting and real. The story doesn't have an easy happy ending, which is how life is. I don't get the picture on the cover, though. "
— Marian, 2/5/2014 -
" Not amazing, but it was good! "
— Alexis, 2/5/2014 -
" This is three and a half stars. I really related to the main character, a sarcastic boy with CP. (huh.) The narrative voices were authentic and funny, the book wasn't didactic at all. But there was some racism, and the main character seemed younger than he was supposed to be. Also, the main character says, "No one who is disabled wants to be with someone who is disabled" and occasionally lets his non-disabled (but addicted, so that's arguable under the ADA) love interest treat him like crap. But I still liked it. It wasn't sappy or condescending and seemed pretty realistic. "
— Colin, 1/30/2014 -
" ..Meh. Whoever wrote this book probably never smoked weed, because it would never put anyone in a hospital. It could've been a touch more realistic. As a film enthusiast, I did enjoy reading this novel (novelette? Super short). As much as I didn't like the ending, that's just how things happen sometimes. *Shrug* "
— Chantell, 1/27/2014 -
" WHOA. WHOA. Ron Koertge wrote this?! This is one of favorite books! Now I am even MORE pumped to read "Where The Kissing Never Stops"! :) "
— Cloud, 1/27/2014 -
" Love love love this book I will put it in my collection. "
— Annette, 1/26/2014 -
" My mom picked this one up at a thrift store and gave it to me when she was done. It's definitely a book meant for a younger crowd (tween/teen). It's short, so I blew through it in no time. Overall, I thought it was predictable and uninteresting. I did find the main character endearing, but that was the only redeeming quality of the book. "
— Rachel, 1/23/2014 -
" 16 yr old Ben has CP (Spaz) befriends Colleen a stoner. 2 lonely people become friends. "
— Vicki, 1/20/2014 -
" I can read this book over and over again... great book :D "
— Anni, 1/14/2014 -
" i thought it was good it might have not been all my section but i loved it it was good. it had alot of wierd comments and other innapropriate stuff but if you are mature this is a real good book...!!! "
— Amy, 11/27/2013 -
" very realistic and interesting "
— Evan, 11/7/2013 -
" Eh. It was very shallow, especially given that the moral was to look deeper. "
— alicatstrut, 5/15/2013 -
" Quick, light read, which is exactly what I was looking for. Not sure when/why the protagonists had to have a sexual relationship, as that whole part seemed a bit contrived. "
— Axydlbaaxr, 2/12/2013 -
" Who would have thought that a love story between a boy with cerebral palsy and a manic pixie drug addict would make me sigh, "Aww!" in my head at least 20,000 times? This book is so damn cute. "
— Very, 12/20/2012 -
" Ben's voice, though a little too wry and self-knowing for his age--even for a brainy kid who has had a lot of time and cause to self-assess--carries this somewhat unlikely story along. The characters ring true, mostly. "
— Lisbeth, 8/20/2012 -
" Unimaginative and doesn't really go anywhere. No better or worse than the average mundane teen novel. "
— Adam, 7/19/2012 -
" Realistic of a boy breaking out of his shell with the help of a mifit. "
— Colleen, 5/21/2011 -
" importsnt, funny, witty, touching "
— Sonya, 4/16/2010 -
" I read this as a teen and remember liking that the characters weren't the generic teen characters. "
— Brittanie, 3/25/2010 -
" At first I didn't like the ending but after I mulled it over I thought it was the best way to end it. You decide what happens next! "
— Brendaz890, 3/15/2010 -
" I have a special place in my heart for this book. I'll always love this book. "
— Chelsea, 4/16/2009
About Ron Koertge
Ron Koertge is the author of many award-winning novels, including Shakespeare Bats Cleanup; Strays; Deadville; Margaux with an X; The Brimstone Journals; and The Arizona Kid. A two-time winner of the PEN Literary Award for Children’s Literature, he lives in South Pasadena, California.
About Josh Hamilton
Josh Hamilton was born in New York City, New York. His Broadway credits include Proof, The Cider House Rules, and The Coast of Utopia, and his films include Kicking and Screaming, The House of Yes, Alive, Online, and Outsourced. Josh has narrated several audiobooks, including Lando by Louis L’Amour and Stoner & Spaz by Ron Koertge. He and his wife Lily have one child.