{"product_id":"bucking-the-sarge-isbn-9780440413318","title":"Bucking the Sarge","description":"Luther T. Farrell has got to get out of Flint, Michigan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs his best friend Sparky says, “Flint’s nothing but the Titanic.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd his mother, a.k.a. the Sarge, says, “Take my advice and stay off the sucker path.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Sarge milked the system to build an empire of slum housing and group homes. Luther’s just one of the many people trapped in the Sarge’s Evil Empire—but he’s about to bust out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf Luther wins the science fair this year, he’ll be on track for college and a future as America’s best-known and best-loved philosopher. All he’s got to do is beat his arch rival Shayla Patrick, the beautiful daughter of Flint’s finest undertaker—and the love of Luther’s life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSparky’s escape plans involve a pit bull named Poofy and the world’s scariest rat. Oh, and Luther. Add to the mix Chester X., Luther’s mysterious roommate; Dontay Gaddy, a lawyer whose phone number is 1-800-SUE’M ALL; and Darnell Dixon, the Sarge’s go-to guy who knows how to break all the rules.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBucking the Sarge\u003c\/i\u003e is a story that only Christopher Paul Curtis could tell.  Once again the Newbery Award–winning author of \u003ci\u003eBud, Not Buddy\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963\u003c\/i\u003e gives us a whole new angle on life and a world full of unforgettable and hilarious characters. Readers will root for Luther and Sparky every step of the way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eThe Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“An exceptional first novel.”—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, Starred\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Ribald humor . . . and a totally believable child’s view of the world will make this book an instant hit.”—\u003ci\u003eSchool Library \u003cbr\u003eJournal\u003c\/i\u003e, Starred\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eBud, Not Buddy\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Curtis has given a fresh, new look to a traditional orphan-finds-a-home story that would be a crackerjack read-aloud.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, StarredCHRISTOPHER PAUL CURTIS is the recipient of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. He won the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award for his bestselling second novel, \u003ci\u003eBud, Not Buddy\u003c\/i\u003e. His first novel, \u003ci\u003eThe Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963\u003c\/i\u003e, was also singled out for many awards, among them a Newbery Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor, and has been made into a Hallmark Channel Original Movie.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Curtis grew up in Flint, Michigan. After high school he began working on the assembly line at the Fisher Body Plant No. 1 while attending the Flint branch of the University of Michigan. He is now a full-time writer. He lives with his family in Windsor, Ontario.“Just a minute, fellas. Hello?”\u003cbr\u003e“Luther?” It was Sparky. He sounded like he’d just run five miles. “Have you looked outside, bruh?” I could hear the wind howling behind him.\u003cbr\u003e“Yeah, where you at?”\u003cbr\u003e“I’m on the phone outside Seven-Eleven. It’s like a hurricane out here!”\u003cbr\u003e“Then why don’t you get inside? Are you coming over?” The 7-Eleven was only a couple of blocks away.\u003cbr\u003eSparky said, “Uh-uh. I need you to meet me behind Taco Bell.”\u003cbr\u003e“You need what?”\u003cbr\u003e“Seriously! This is my big chance, baby! Before this night is over I’m going to be calling 1-800-SUE-EM-ALL. I finally got someone to sic the big D.O.G. on.” He started barking into the phone.\u003cbr\u003e“Sparky, what are you talking about?”\u003cbr\u003e“I’ma put me a suit in on Taco Bell!”\u003cbr\u003e“Oh, you’re gonna do that old I-found-a-rat-in-my-burrito trick?” \u003cbr\u003eSparky said, “Please, they peeped out that scam a long time ago, they even do autopsies on the rat if you claim that happened. I got the bomb, baby! But I’m gonna need your help.”\u003cbr\u003e“Uh-oh.”\u003cbr\u003e“Uh-uh, Luther, this is for real. I walked by Taco Bell and all them red tiles are lifting up off the roof and knocking the mess out of everything in the parking lot! One went clean through someone’s windshield!”\u003cbr\u003e“Sounds dangerous.”\u003cbr\u003e“Which is why you gotta get down here.”\u003cbr\u003eI said, “Why would I come out on a night like this to watch some roofing tiles crashing into cars . . .” Then I understood. “Now I get it, you want a witness that you got hit by one of those tiles, right?”\u003cbr\u003e“Something like that, but I need a little more.”\u003cbr\u003e“I’m listening.”\u003cbr\u003e“I really do need to get hit, and you’re the only one I can trust to do it right.”\u003cbr\u003e“Aw, no. That ain’t happening!” \u003cbr\u003e“Come on, Luther, I already got one of the tiles set to do it. All you gotta do is kinda tap me in the head, then walk me into Taco Bell and have them call an ambulance.”\u003cbr\u003e“What?”\u003cbr\u003e“Don’t worry, bruh, you know when I get paid I’ma break a little something off for you.”\u003cbr\u003e“You must be kidding.”\u003cbr\u003e“Luther, don’t make me beg.”\u003cbr\u003e“I can’t do it, Sparky. Besides, you’re cutting into my science fair project time. Plus I gotta put the Crew to bed, that’s going to take at least half an hour.”\u003cbr\u003eSparky said, “If that’s the best you can do, half an hour then, behind the Taco Bell.”\u003cbr\u003e“Cool.”\u003cbr\u003eHe said, “I just hope the wind hasn’t died down by then, it’ll be on you if it has. Your half hour could be costing us a whole lotta benjamins, my brother.”\u003cbr\u003e“I’ll see you in half an hour, but this better be quick, I’ma just whack you in the head, then I gotta bounce.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSparky didn’t have to worry, by the time I’d settled everyone down and started walking to Taco Bell the wind had even picked up some.\u003cbr\u003eThe stop sign on the corner was twisting back and forth in the wind, sounding like a rocket made out of tin cans and duct tape getting ready to blast off. The wind was hot in a way that made you want to close your eyes and tilt your head back and breathe real deep. Or maybe even howl.\u003cbr\u003eSomething from the roof of Taco Bell somersaulted through the air, then smashed into the parking lot. Sparky popped out from behind a Dumpster and ran toward me with a tile in his hand.\u003cbr\u003e“Sparky,” I yelled, “this is insane, man, let’s just go home.”\u003cbr\u003eSparky shook his head and said, “Come on, bruh, hurry up, this ain’t real easy for me, you know.”\u003cbr\u003eI took the reddish-brown clay roofing tile from him. I was surprised how heavy it was. He leaned toward me, closed his eyes tight and showed his teeth.\u003cbr\u003e“Come on, Luther, quit torturing me,” he whined, keeping his teeth clenched. “Do it!”\u003cbr\u003eI shook my head and closed my eyes. I raised the tile about shoulder high, brought it down on his head and felt a little shimmy run up my arm. Sparky was still standing with his eyes squinched shut.\u003cbr\u003eHe looked at me. “That’s it?” He brought his hand up, rubbed at the spot where I’d hit him and said, “Man, you gotta be kidding, don’t forget this thing’s supposed to have blowed off a roof, you really gotta knock the snot outta me, bruh.”\u003cbr\u003eI dropped the tile. “This ain’t me, you gotta get someone else.”\u003cbr\u003eSparky looked hurt. “What? You supposed to be my boy, who else can I trust?” \u003cbr\u003eHe picked the tile back up and reached it toward me again. “Remember what we used to say, ‘We’ll have each other’s backs from womb to tomb, you’ll be my boy from birth to earth.’”\u003cbr\u003eWhat could I say? He was right, we had said that. I took the tile again. It must’ve weighed ten pounds.\u003cbr\u003eThe wind was really starting to get serious. The stop sign had stopped shaking and was now whistling and going back and forth like one of those piano metronome things. Two more tiles jumped off the roof and exploded in the parking lot.\u003cbr\u003e“All right, fool, bend your head over.”\u003cbr\u003eI closed my eyes, raised the tile over my head and let it drop on Sparky’s skull. Again my arm shimmied. When I opened my eyes Sparky was looking at me the way you’d look at a kid who brought home all Ds on his report card.\u003cbr\u003eHe said, “Man, all you’re doing is giving me a headache! Swing that tile, brother! I bet if I went and got your crusty old mother she wouldn’t have no troubles lighting me up.”\u003cbr\u003eIf only he knew. The Sarge would’ve paid big cash to take my place right now. Sparky isn’t one of her favorite people. She would’ve hit him so hard it would’ve knocked his head clean off. I laughed. “Leave my mother out of this.”","brand":"Laurel Leaf","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46299746894053,"sku":"NP9780440413318","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780440413318.jpg?v=1767723136","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/bucking-the-sarge-isbn-9780440413318","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}