All three boys are serving time in juvenile detention centers until they get a second chance. Douglas Healy, a former juvenile delinquent himself, is running an experimental halfway house in New York City, where he wants to make a difference in the lives of kids like Gecko, Terence, and Arjay.
Things are going well until one night Healy is accidentally knocked unconscious while trying to break up a scuffle among the boys. Terrified of the consequences, they drop him off at a hospital and run away. When Healy wakes up, he has no memory of them or the halfway house. Afraid of being sent back to Juvie, the guys hatch a crazy scheme to continue on as if the group leader never left.
But if the boys are discovered, their second chance will be their last. . . .
An ALSCA Notable Book, 2009
"Korman's reworking of The Great Gatsby places the action in a modern framework, which makes it more recognizable for today's readers and may lead them to the classic. Teens will find deeper issues to consider about popularity, being true to one's self, and taking responsibility for one's actions as they relate to the setting and characters."
--Booklist"Laugh-out-loud funny, honest, hot and sweet."
--Kirkus ReviewsAn ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults
An ALA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year* "This one . . . has the goods to go platinum."
--Publishers Weekly, starred review"Funny and unexpectedly affecting."
--Publishers Weekly"A fast-paced, tightly focused story."
--The Horn Book"[An] expertly plotted escapade."
--Booklist"A compelling investigation of the transience of charisma and the flimsy underpinnings of popularity."
--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books* "Another wild, funny adventure from Korman, who knows how to please his YA audience."
--Kliatt, starred review