"Denton" is a wry romp for teens |Audio Pick

dentonlittledeathdateRUBIN, Lance. Denton Little’s Deathdate. 7 CDs. 8:36 hrs. Listening Library. 2015. $45. ISBN 9780553556018. digital download. Gr 10 Up–In Denton Little’s world, most people know their deathdates, which for Denton will be in his 17th year, the day of prom. Denton tries to live a normal life, even knowing that it will not be a long one. For his final days he decides to truly experience life. He accidentally cheats on his girlfriend while drunk, gets threatened at gunpoint by his girlfriend’s ex, develops a purple and red rash all over his body, gets high, is almost run over twice by the same car, and finds out his best friend’s mom has been stalking him all of his life. As the end looms closer what else can he do but go to prom and possibly survive his deathdate? Rubin narrates his own book and is an excellent choice, since he created the mind of Denton and he ably captures all of Denton’s sarcasm and frankness. It truly feels like listeners are actually traveling along with Denton through all kinds of hilarious and heartbreaking moments. Older teen readers will be drawn into Denton’s story, which is filled with dark humor, witty remarks, and crazy situations, and will be rooting for him to survive. After a surprise ending, listeners will be looking forward to the next installment. VERDICT Fans of Barry Lyga’s dark humor and John Green’s smart characters will enjoy Denton’s story.–Sarah Flood, Breckinridge County Public Library, Hardinsburg, KY

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