2001 $14.95
132p pbk
ISBN: 0-7022-3223-8
Alex Jackson: Grommet
is a story that relates to a teenager's life. Its about a 13 year old boy who
has a crush on a new girl, faces a tough challenge from his worst enemy and
above all has to face the challenge of learning new tricks on his skateboard.
Basically it's a typical teenagers story that your life could relate to.
The book is for teenagers as the
storyline talks about girlfriends and is set in a high school. The story is
neither boring nor exciting, making it just right
for people who like peaceful books. Surprisingly, there are no swearing
words in the book, which are replaced by words more appropriate. The writing is
easy to read and understand, with approximately 270 words per page. The book is
certainly not a read- along but definitely a read-alone book. This book is not
one of those that make you want to know what happens on the next page. The only
action is the main characters skateboarding and a fight with an enemy. Alex
Jackson: Grommet sounds suspiciously like a daytime soap opera. I would give
it 6 out of 10
Gordon, aged 14, Canberra, ACT
Alex Jackson: Grommet, is about a
young and fantastic skate boarder. He can pull off anything on a skateboard, but
when it comes to girls, Alex doesn't stand a chance, especially when the school
bully likes the same girl as Alex does, Becky.
This is a very appealing book and easy to
read and to follow. It has the classic cliché of boy meets girl who
eventually fall in love. But what Becky doesn't know is that Alex has been
pretending to be a girl named Juliette who Becky met over the Internet!
It's a sports story within a love story and is an exciting and enjoyable
story for all people from Years 5 to 7 to read. The story line is easy to
follow and holds together pretty well. The print is easy to read, not too large
and is well laid out.
Personally, I think Alex Jackson:
Grommet is a very good story but is a bit too easy for my age group. I
would, however, recommend it to younger children who want to sit back and have
the opportunity to read an enjoyable book.
I rate the novel about eight out of ten, and I can't compare it to any
other Pat Flynn stories because I haven't read any!
Sam, aged 12, Canberra, ACT
Alex is a fourteen-year-old boy who
attends St Josephs College. He enjoys skateboarding above all else.
He has a schoolyard crush on a girl named Becky Tonella and a bone to
pick with the school bully, Billy Johnstone. He gets entangled in his crush
until he decides to talk to her. Alex finds out that this girl has a mysterious
past and to find out more he and his friend hatch a scheme.
This book is intended for teenage boys or
someone who likes skateboarding, romance or a realistic schoolyard theme and
being a teenage boy I found it very appealing. It was very well suited to the
intended age group and its choice of topic was ideal to capture the mind of the
reader. The storyline was a romance mingled together with a lot of reality and
had a technical computer and skateboarding side as well. The readability was
excellent for the intended age group, was very easy to read with the layout
assisting the reader to understand its context, but should be read alone to let
the reader enjoy the emotions and dwell on the problems mentally. I personally
found this book very enjoyable and recommend this book to any teenage boy liking
or disliking skateboarding or to any youth that likes a good romance with the
twists and turns of any relationship.
James,
aged 12, Canberra, ACT
Alex Jackson
Grommet is about a young teenage boy who is discovering the difficulties of high
school life. He is a fairly popular kid, as he skateboards, doesn't let anyone
push him around, gains a girlfriend and gets into school fights. When he finds
out Becky's secret he tries desperately to make sure it doesn't get out. As he
slightly holds on to his relationship, while trying to conquer the school bully,
he must not also forget the lesson his Dad has told him.
I think this book is very similar to high school life as I have seen these events occur. I think this book is suitable for older readers as the language and activities are not appropriate for younger readers. I give it ten out of ten as it is a very exciting book and hard to put down!
Ross, Luddenham, NSW
A young boy in yr 8 has a dream of being a pro
skateboarder. This boy, called Alex, meets a girl who steals his heart. But,
greater tasks are ahead of him including facing the schoolyard bully to save his
girl.
The main
characters in this story are Becky Tonella (girlfriend), Billy Johnston (bully),
Sarah Sceney and Jimmy - Alex's best mate.
This book is
suitable for Young Adults who enjoy reading teenage books about love and
skateboarding. The size of the print is large which makes it easy to read. The
cover picture is eye catching. There are pictures on the back and front covers.
I personally
thought the book was fantastic and I would rate it 10/10. I think everyone else
who reads it would think the same as I did.
Pat Flynn has a
great perspective of bringing the characters to life and it seems accurate to
what a boy in Year 8 would be doing. I hope there will be more Alex Jackson
books to come because I loved Grommet. This is a book you cannot close!
Marcus, aged 12, rural Victoria
This book is about a teenager who loves to skateboard.
He's just come to high school and he's already falling in love.
The main
characters are Alex Jackson, Becky Tonella, Sarah Sceney, Jimmy, Billy Johnstone
and Casey. Sarah Sceney has liked Alex for 5 years and is consistently
embarrassing him in front of everyone. Jimmy is Alex's best friend and hangs
around him everyday. Billy Johnstone is a popular kid and a bully but he is very
embarrassed when Becky refuses to go out with him. Billy gets into a couple of
fights with Alex. Casey is Alex's idol and shows Alex how to do skateboard
tricks and gives him advice along the way. Becky Tonella is a shy, new girl who
is very pretty. Alex falls in love with her. Alex is the main character of the
book. He can pull off tricks that no other Year 8 ever could.
The size of print
is just right so I didn't have to strain my eyes to see the writing. The cover
is appealing and it looked good. There are no pictures in the book which didn't
matter because I could picture it in my mind.
I loved this
book. It's my favourite - maybe because I like skateboarding but I just wanted
to keep reading. I could've read for hours. Some bits were annoying - like how
Alex pretends to be Juliette.
Overall, I loved this book.
Sherman, aged 12, rural Victoria
Alex Jackson, Grommet is a thirteen year old boy stuck
within a mode of romance and skateboarding.
Alex is a great
skateboarder, but when it comes to girls, he is hopeless. All he can do is
stare. He, and his best friend Jimmy, plan a scam to find out his one and
only love, Becky Tonella. Along the way he gets into a couple of fights
with Billy Johnstone, the school bully, plus he has to deal with Sarah Sceney
who has loved him for five years and written it everywhere. She has even
told the teachers!
I recommend this
book for children in Years 5 to 8 because the language in this book is not for
primary ages because of the occasional swear words and skateboarding terms.
I give this book nine out of ten. IT is a wonderful romantic book and is based on an everyday ordinary life. So if you like romance and everyday life, this is the book for you.
Brook, aged 10, Luddehanm, NSW
Alex Jackson Grommet is about a 13 year old boy named Alex
who loves to skateboard. At first, he is just a normal boy in Year 8 going
to a Catholic school in Queensland. But all that soon changes after
Alex has the guts to face the school's biggest bully, Billy Johnstone.
He then wins the
love of his life, Becky Tonella. But Becky has a dark secret, and together with
his best friend Jimmy, Alex tries to find out what it is that Becky is hiding.
Alex Jackson,
Grommet is suitable for children in Year 5 and 6. It has a bit of coarse
language so it is more suitable for older readers. It is good that there
is a glossary included to explain the skateboarding terms.
You are hooked
from the beginning and it is great for both boys and girls. It is a book
about the ups and downs of teenage life and I would rate it 10 out of 10 because
it is so realistic. It is suitable to read alone of out loud. I
really enjoyed reading it.
Emma, aged 12, Luddenham, NSW
Alex Jackson is a 13 year old boy who goes to St Josephs
School In Queensland. Alex gets in fights against the bully Billy
Johnstone. He has a crush on Becky Tonella and he is a good skateboarder.
The book is
interesting and easy to follow. It is based on a teenager's life and tells
of everything that teenage boys enjoy - skating, bullying and girls. This
book is very interesting and hard to put down. The language that the
author uses appeals to older readers and the skateboarding terms may not be
understood by younger readers.
I recommend this book for ages 11 and up because it is about teenagers and what they like. I think teachers should read this book to their class because they will want to use their free time to read it for themselves because it is so interesting. I rate this book 9/10 because overall this book is absolutely great and is so interesting.
Daniel, aged 11, Luddenham, NSW
Alex
Jackson: Grommet is a story that relates to any modern 14 year old boy. This
story is perfect for any person of the age 12-15 years. Alex
Jackson: Grommet is an excellent book for anyone interested in romance,
skateboards and morals. It is about a boy – Alex Jackson, who has a crush on
the new girl at school, Becky Tenello. Alex can perform skate tricks no eleven
year old can do and year eight’s only dream of. Alex’s father, Chief, was
once a boxer, his mum, Sharon, is a worry wart who likes to have deep meaningful
conversations. His sister, Sam, is a busy body who can’t keep secrets.
The bully at St Joseph’s College is
Billy Johnstone. He plans a fight and, with tips from his dad, Alex gives him a
bleeding lip. Jimmy, Alex’s best friend, meets Becky in a chat room. Jimmy
disguises himself as a girl and finds out about Becky and what she likes. Alex
will soon find out Becky Tenello’s painful secret.
I recommend Alex
Jackson: Grommet to students of years five to seven as the book is not
suitable for anyone younger as it discusses girls and skateboarding. I think any
sex would enjoy it as girls will like the romance and the boys will like what
Alex says about Becky and the skateboarding. I think this book is excellent and
you really don’t want to put it down. You will always want to know what is on
the next page. I rate it 10/10. I suggest teachers should read it to their
classes because most students will want to go into their recess and lunch to
keep reading.
Denise, aged 11, NSW
This book is about a Year 9 kid called Alex who is a
skateboarding fanatic and the way he copes in the real world. His girlfriend has
moved to Italy and he is being pressured by a group of skateboarders called SWA:
Skateboarders With Attitude. They are a group that skateboard in restricted
areas and break all the rules. Soon Alex joins the group and must choose to
either run from the law or stay with his friends.
I found this book interesting but it may not appeal to every
one. If you love skateboarding or just reading about people’s lives, then this
is a definite yes. It talks a lot about skateboarding and the realities of life.
This book never stops with the surprises which keep you entertained through the
whole book. It skips straight into the action and never slows down. Older
readers would probably enjoy this book more than the younger ones. This book
contains 157 pages of pure entertainment and leaves you wanting more. Everything
ends up explained and every thing fits together nicely. It is a very well
written book.
Alex
Jackson is a seemingly normal guy. He really likes to skateboard at the
local skate park and he really likes girls. Only this guy has come up with
a pretty original way of getting to know the girl he likes. Alex wants to
find out what’s going on in Becky’s life. Pretending to be a girl
called Juliette, he starts emailing Becky, gains her trust and find out her dark
family secrets. However when the secrets start to get out on their own,
Alex starts to wonder whether deception and betraying someone’s trust are the
best start to a real relationship.
Alex Jackson: Grommet was an enjoyable read. Its strength was it characters. Pat Flynn has created characters who were funny, flawed but most of all very real and easy to relate to. However I found the ending a little unsatisfying. It seemed the book asked many questions but gave few answers to the issues it raised regarding relationships and betrayal.
Georgie,
Year 9, Canberra, ACT