Rating: 
Summary: Unlikely Love Story
Review: A Review by Trisha This book is about a kid named Ben who has a disease called Cerebral Palsy. He meets a stoner named Colleen and soon finds himself in love with her, but she doesn't return the feeling. But feelings change and Colleen sees things in a new light after she nearly loses it all. To keep their new relationship afloat Colleen needs to give up the drugs that she depends on. Can she do it or will she fall back with the same crowd? Read the book to find out. The best part about this book is the realistic way the author portrays Colleen. She's addicted to more than one drug but she doesn't realize how bad she really is until she nearly dies, and even then she still wants the drugs. That is how a lot of drug addicts are: they get really bad and don't notice it until it is to late. The pace of this book is well balanced, the only part that I thought was boring is when Ben's Grandmother falls ill and nothing really happens for a while in the story but right after that part the book picks up where it left off and stays that way for the rest of the book. The ending of the book is not the best one I've ever read and I didn't personally like it. It leaves you hanging a little too much and doesn't explain where the characters end up. I like this book over all and I think that it was well written and the unlikely love story would make it good for a romantic person. The drug aspect of the book would make it good for people who want to understand what drug addicts go through.
Rating:
Summary: Unlikely Love Story
Review: A Review by Trisha This book is about a kid named Ben who has a disease called Cerebral Palsy. He meets a stoner named Colleen and soon finds himself in love with her, but she doesn't return the feeling. But feelings change and Colleen sees things in a new light after she nearly loses it all. To keep their new relationship afloat Colleen needs to give up the drugs that she depends on. Can she do it or will she fall back with the same crowd? Read the book to find out. The best part about this book is the realistic way the author portrays Colleen. She's addicted to more than one drug but she doesn't realize how bad she really is until she nearly dies, and even then she still wants the drugs. That is how a lot of drug addicts are: they get really bad and don't notice it until it is to late. The pace of this book is well balanced, the only part that I thought was boring is when Ben's Grandmother falls ill and nothing really happens for a while in the story but right after that part the book picks up where it left off and stays that way for the rest of the book. The ending of the book is not the best one I've ever read and I didn't personally like it. It leaves you hanging a little too much and doesn't explain where the characters end up. I like this book over all and I think that it was well written and the unlikely love story would make it good for a romantic person. The drug aspect of the book would make it good for people who want to understand what drug addicts go through.
Rating: 
Summary: Just when you think things will never change...
Review: Have you ever felt as if you weren't good enough and just when you think things will never change something happens: you meet someone and she changes your life in almost every way you thought was impossible. Only there is a flaw. She is a drug addict and she has a boy friend. Well that is what happens to a 15 year old boy named Ben Bancroft who has cerebral palsy and no parents. Ben lives with his grandma who is overprotective and doesn't want him hanging out with a girl named Colleen. In the novel Stoner and Spaz one of the many things that I liked is the way that Ron Koertge, who is the author, makes it a point for you to know what the protagonist is thinking at all times. For example when Ben is going to call Colleen and the author says how Ben is very nervous and does not know what he will say or do. Another thing that I like is how the author describes things using a lot of details. When he is describing Colleen he says what she is wearing and the way it looks on her. I also like how this novel helps adults to understand what is going on in some teenager's everyday lives and some of the difficulties they go through. The one thing that I didn't like is some of the language used such as some of the swearing. The only reason I do not like it is because some adults may turn some young people away from it due to some of the language used.
Rating:
Summary: Colleen & Ben
Review: He is a boy in his mid-teens inflicted with the disease of Cerebal Palsy; leaving his left hand useless and disfigured. Without an empathetic ear and alienated from the rest of his peers, he spends most of his time in the back of a local run-down movie theater. Benjamin is an antique movie fanatic- with every spoken line of his favorite famous movies memorized. His world is turned upside down when, somehow, a girl well known for her avid drug use saunters up to Benjamin looking for a shoulder to lean on, and over time, real friendship. It seems as though the two have found something much needed within each other, acceptance- though their relationship is quite a mismatch. As time goes on, Ben begins to grow as a person, ultimately leaving Colleen behind, while she continues to cling to her drug-infested past. Will Benjamin succeed in helping Colleen to see that she no longer needs her drugs to feel comfortable and satisfied in life? Will Ben also be drug down with her self destructive ways, or will he rise above? I personally found this book to be very involving. The author does a wonderful job of describing each character's personalities. The situation is believable, though unexpected. The story has great twists, and is extremely humorous. Any young adult would enjoy this book, since they will find they are able to relate to the characters easily. It is not your typical "teenage novel."
Rating: 
Summary: Opposites Attract
Review: I believe that every person on Earth has someone they belong with. Whether it be the quarterback of the football team with the captain of the cheerleading squad. I think it all has a purpose. Well in this book, the two are very different. Ben is a very unlucky boy. His mother left when him when he was little with his grandmother and he has c.p. Which means he cant use half of his body and has a brace on his leg. It takes Ben a couple of minutes to get in his grandmother's car, while it takes everyone else a few seconds. Although Ben is very different from all the rest of the kids at school, Ben loves movies and goes to a theatre every weekend. One Saturday night while he was at the movies, hes asked to loan a couple bucks. As he turns to look, he notices it is Colleen Minou.
Colleen is a very different girl from Ben. She smokes cocaine along with everything else there is to smoke. Colleen drinks and hangs out with a pretty rough crowd. Ben is very into movies and so Colleen helps him make one for a contest. Colleen becomes pretty close to Ben throughout this little project. They interview many High School students and get their point of view on life. How these two could end up together is quite shocking. Colleen changes Ben from this sweet granny's boy to a bad boy on the edge. Ben also has an effect on Colleen though.
Throughout the book it goes to show all the different types of people, and how anybody can be friends. Sometimes if you befriend someone who is different from you, they can teach you something as well as you teaching them something. I think it might be a little mature for junior high kids, because of some of the language and scenes. It deals with drugs and sex. This is an all around good read for all High School Students
Rating:
Summary: spaz
Review: I enjoyed this book because it felt real. How Ben felt about himself and his symptoms of cerebral palsy were so true. I applaud the author on deciding to write about someone with cerebral palsy. This is a topic never touch on in fictional books. This story is great as in you get to see Ben mature as he gets with Stoner... But I hated how Stoner never really cared for him, she just used him basically and Spaz (Ben) knew that and kept rolling with it. He was that desperate for affection I suppose. I wish the story ended a different way, that is why I knock off two stars.
Rating:
Summary: "Stoner and Spaz"
Review: I have CP like the main boy in the book (though nowhere near as severe, you can hardly tell I have it) and I thought it was an excellent portrayal of the everyday challenges people with CP and other movement disabilities face when trying to fit in with "normal" people "Stoner and Spaz" is about a romance between 2 oddities, Ben Bancroft, a boy with spastic CP and Colleen Minou, a young druggie. Ben is very insecure within himself and mostly just mooches around at the movies rather than face the jeers and taunts of his fellow peers. It is not until Colleen comes into his life that he attempts to go about the usual social activities of a 16 yr old boy. With Colleen he smokes, drinks, goes to dances and has sex. This book is an excellent read which makes the reader cry, laugh and gasp all at once. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Stoner and Spaz review: by taran s.
Review: I just finished reading the book Stoner and Spaz by Ron Koertge and I loved it. The story line is, basically, a drug addict girl named Colleen, who never took a second look at Ben, a 16 year old whos never had a real conversation with a girl, besides his grandma, meet up and make a friendship. Ben has a disease called C.P., and his left arm and left leg dont work, people call him "Spaz." Ben is a huge moviee fan, and Colleen just wants to get high all the time. But for some strange reason, Colleen decides to go to the Rialto Theatre to see the bride of frankenstein the same day as Ben. Coleen gives ben her number so he can do an assignment for her, and since that night, they form a great friendship. they stop talking for a few days becuase Coleens boyfriend Ed see's her and Ben at a club. AFter teh split, everyone wnated to know what was up with them, and they all happened to question him during their interviews for his movie.
Rating:
Summary: Stoner and Spaz by Ronald Koertge
Review: I read the book Stoner and Spaz by Ronald Koertg. I chose this book because I like to read fictional or non-fictional books about teens with drug problems. I would recommend this book to teen or ages 14 and up because of strong language. I enjoyed this book. This book is a story about two 15-year-old kids Colleen Minou, and Ben Bancroft. The book starts out introducing Ben as a movie-addicted boy who lives with his grandmother has C.P. and has no friends. He is always at the Rialto because he loves movies and that's where he meets Colleen. Colleen who's a total stoner she says, "I'll get high and do anything." Which describes her personality perfectly. At first she just starts using him for homework and Ben knew that but then Ben starts to develop feelings for her. Colleen gives Ben a lot of his firsts, first kiss, first love, first joint and much more. They end up fallen in love then ... does it all fall apart? Does Colleen stay a stoner or go with Ben and be clean? Read the book
Rating: 
Summary: Not Koertge's Greatest
Review: I read this book in two sittings, and though it had some humorous points, it wasn't at all poignant, which I'm sure it was intended to be. I felt the characters were unrealistic. I don't think that MTV's generation could relate to the character's since they're habits were of this time, but their attitude's and style are stuck maybe in the early '80's? Ben's constant attempts to make every sentence into a sarcastic remark tired me a tad. I felt there was no plot structure, sonsidering nothing really happened, and all through the store I felt like Koertge was constantly forcing the reader to give Ben and Colleen pity, which isn't fun for me. I was forced to read the book a second time, because I thought maybe, I hadn't comprehended or missed a part of the book. But to my disappointment, the story was just how I thought it was. I would reccommend this book to the younger teens, despite the drugs/sex, but I don't think older teens could relate.
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