Young Adult Book Review: Firecracker

Title:  Firecracker

Author:  David Iserson

Publisher:  Razorbill, 2013

336 pp.

Grades 9 and up

If I could write a novel with a quirky and awesome title character, it would be Astrid Krieger.  Calling her a Firecracker would be an understatement.  Calling her a pain in the @$$ would probably be more appropriate.  She comes from an incredibly wealthy family, and has always attended fancy private schools.  She has always caused enough problems to become expelled from said private schools.  The latest expulsion is the final straw for her father who gives her the worst punishment she could imagine--she has to attend public school..... with.. like... the public.  Part of her punishment is to continue to speak with the dean of the private school who is also a psychologist to "make her normal."  In one of their sessions, she strikes a deal:  If Astrid follows through with the Dean's orders, he has to allow her back in to private school.  To find out if she succeeds and the hilarious LOL moments en route, pick up Firecracker, written by New Girl and SNL writer David Iserson.

My rating:  3.5/5 stars

Summary from goodreads:

Being Astrid Krieger is absolutely all it's cracked up to be.

She lives in a rocket ship in the backyard of her parents' estate.

She was kicked out of the elite Bristol Academy and she's intent on her own special kind of revenge to whomever betrayed her.

She only loves her grandfather, an incredibly rich politician who makes his money building nuclear warheads.

It's all good until...

"We think you should go to the public school," Dad said.
This was just a horrible, mean thing to say. Just hearing the words "public school" out loud made my mouth taste like urine (which, not coincidentally, is exactly how the public school smells).

Will Astrid finally meet her match in the form of public school? Will she find out who betrayed her and got her expelled from Bristol? Is Noah, the sweet and awkward boy she just met, hiding something?

Find out in this hilarious tragicomedy from New Girl and SNL writer David Iserson!