Jake, Reinvented

There is a mysterious new student at F. Scott Fitzgerald High. Jake Garrett looks like he’s stepped out of a J. Crew ad, he’s the best long-snapper the football team has ever had, and he hosts the party every Friday night. All the guys want to be like him, and all the girls want to date him, but Jake only has eyes for Didi, the girlfriend of quarterback Todd Buckley. Rick Paradis, kicker and back-up QB, tries to stay out of the drama, but that’s easier said than done at Fitzgerald High, especially once he gets to know Jake. But it turns out nobody knows the real Jake, and when his secret comes out, his perfectly crafted world might come tumbling down. In this modernization of The Great Gatsby, beloved author Gordon Korman provides a new look at age-old truths about the desire for popularity and acceptance, and the darker side of human nature. A compelling investigation of the transience of charisma and the flimsy underpinnings of popularity.

-Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Korman’s reworking of The Great Gatsby places theaction in a modern framework, which makes it more recognizable for today'sreaders and may lead them to the classic. Teens will find deeper issues toconsider about popularity, being true to one’s self, and taking responsibilityfor one’s actions as they relate to the setting and characters.

-Booklist