{"product_id":"kickflip-boys-a-memoir-of-freedom-rebellion-and-the-chaos-of-fatherhood-isbn-9780062394347","title":"Kickflip Boys: A Memoir of Freedom, Rebellion, and the Chaos of Fatherhood","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Thompson captures the ache, fizz, yearning and frustration of being the father of adolescent boys.” —Michael Chabon\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“What a riveting, touching, and painful read!” —Maria Semple\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Fun, moving, raw, and relatable.” —Tony Hawk\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat makes a good father, and what makes one a failure? Does less-is-more parenting inspire independence and strength, or does it encourage defiance and  trouble? \u003cem\u003eKickflip Boys\u003c\/em\u003e is the story of a father’s struggle to understand his willful skateboarder sons, challengers of authority and convention, to accept his role as a vulnerable “skate dad,” and to confront his fears that the boys are destined for an unconventional and potentially fraught future.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith searing honesty, Neal Thompson traces his sons’ progression through all the stages of skateboarding: splurging on skate shoes and boards, having run-ins with security guards, skipping classes and defying teachers, painting graffiti, drinking and smoking, and more. As the story veers from funny to treacherous and back, from skateparks to the streets, Thompson must confront his complicity and fallibility. He also reflects on his upbringing in rural New Jersey, and his own adventures with skateboards, drugs, danger, and defiance. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA story of thrill-seeking teens, of hope and love, freedom and failure, \u003cem\u003eKickflip Boys\u003c\/em\u003e reveals a sport and a community that have become a refuge for adolescent boys who don’t fit in. Ultimately, it’s the survival story of a loving modern American family, of acceptance, forgiveness, and letting go.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003eWhat makes a good father good, and what makes him feel like a fraud? Does less-is-more parenting inspire independence and strength, or does it encourage defiance and trouble? \u003cem\u003eKickflip Boys\u003c\/em\u003e is the story of a father’s struggle to understand his willful skateboarder sons—challengers of authority and convention—to accept his unconventional role as a vulnerable “skate dad,” and to confront his fears that their out-of-bounds lifestyle will lead them too far afield.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith searing honesty, Neal Thompson traces his sons’ progression through the escalating stages of skateboarding, from the innocent days of splurging on skate shoes and boards to skipping classes and defying teachers, to run-ins with security guards and cops, to graffiti, drinking, smoking, and beyond. As the story veers from skate parks to the streets, from funny to treacherous and back, Thompson must confront his complicity and fallibility. He also reflects on his upbringing in rural New Jersey, and his own adventures with skateboards, drugs, danger, and defiance. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA story of thrill-seeking teens, of hope and love, freedom and failure, \u003cem\u003eKickflip Boys\u003c\/em\u003e reveals a sport and a community that have become a refuge for boys who resist mainstream expectations as they seek their own path. Ultimately, it’s a deeply moving survival story of a loving modern American family, of acceptance, forgiveness, and letting go.\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e“Heartfelt. . . . This memoir will provide humor and comfort for parents figuring out their kids.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“An honest account of raising creative, rebellious boys who happen to love skateboarding.  Having been through the fire of raising a few free-thinking boys myself, I found \u003cem\u003eKickflip Boys\u003c\/em\u003e to be fun, moving, raw, and relatable.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eTony Hawk\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“What a riveting, touching, and painful read!  My stomach was in knots page after page. \u003cem\u003eKickflip Boys\u003c\/em\u003e makes you think about parenting, nature vs. nature, and how fast it all goes, the good times and the bad. I felt deeply for Thompson and his family throughout and was—and am—rooting for them.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMaria Semple\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Excellent. . . . Thompson’s remarkably honest account of fatherhood presents a scary, funny, and reflective read all at once.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eKickflip Boys\u003c\/em\u003e is an amazing chronicle of parenthood, but what makes it so striking, so beautiful, is how well Neal Thompson not only understands the struggles of parenting, but also the strangeness of adolescence. It’s empathetic, and funny, and Neal Thompson nails it.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKevin Wilson\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“With the emotional authority of the best novels, Thompson’s prose sings. I laughed out loud and cried all the way through. The voice is brave, funny and fiercely honest. Ultimately this wonderful book is about love. Because those we care about most will always surprise us.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePeter Heller\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“With a dispassionate but tender eye, Thompson captures the ache, fizz, yearning and frustration of being the father of adolescent boys—and of adolescence itself, observed and remembered.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMichael Chabon\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A provocative and inspiring memoir that delves into the hopes and fears of parents as much as it delves into the hopes and fears of the children they are striving to raise. And, yes, it is about skateboarding.  Which is the key—for the resilient Thompson family—to happiness and joy.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGarth Stein\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ecco","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44888300978405,"sku":"NP9780062394347","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780062394347.jpg?v=1730228775","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/kickflip-boys-a-memoir-of-freedom-rebellion-and-the-chaos-of-fatherhood-isbn-9780062394347","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}