Lost. Miserable. Lonely. Desperate for something more. That's life for teenager Nolan Sussman until an ex-convict who knows the 5 secrets to happiness returns to town.

"Beware the Smart Kids is a story for teenagers...those who feel invisible, those who are hiding their pain, those who think they'll never find the answers, those who are yearning for something but don't know what. And it's a story for 'former teenagers' who are now trying to raise and love a teenager, but who have likely forgotten the hard parts of being one. Kushin's debut novel is a poignant coming-of-age story with relatable characters and a powerful message on finding happiness."

• Margaret Standafer, best-selling author of I Know an Old Lady.

Misfit troublemaker Nolan Sussman badly wants two things before high school ends: the attention of Gabi Meyers and the return of his runaway sister, Sarah. But when his latest prank goes awry, Nolan is nearly expelled. He's forced to spend his summer doing yardwork for Mr. Barno, a reclusive former high school teacher who spent 25 years in prison.

Nolan soon finds that despite the tragic mistake that landed Mr. Barno in prison, the old man has something even more elusive than Gabi and Sarah-happiness. Now, Nolan is determined to learn how to be happy, too. It's his chance to matter. His shot at a future. But secrets in Mr. Barno's past are preventing the once-beloved educator from having the will to ever teach again. Secrets the two outcasts will have to face together.

Reviews

In his remarkable debut novel, Matthew Kushin explores the delicate, sometimes painful journey to understanding, kindness, and that most precious of attributes, empathy. Saddled with self-doubt and a long simmering guilt, Kushin's main character steps outside himself to understand through another's eyes what it truly means to be isolated and reviled, yet remain true to who and what he might be. This is powerful writing, immensely engaging, and distinctive in both tone and theme. It merits a place on the bookshelf of any serious reader.

-Greg Fields, Through the Waters and the Wild, 2022 Winner, Independent Press Award for Literary Fiction