Rating: 
Summary: One of the best little known teen books in the world
Review: Books written by adults for adults that talk about politics usually want you to pigeonhole them. Once you understand the gist of the book�s take on life and liberty you can decide whether or not its politics are the same as yours, thereby allowing you to instantly love it or hate it without even reading it. Books written by adults for children or teens that talk about politics also usually want you to pigeonhole them. So went my thinking until I read "Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack!". Ladies and gentlemen, I have just changed my worldview on politics in children�s books. And it�s all thanks to this little number.A plot synopsis. This is a story about Tucker Woolf, his family, his friends, and his friends� families. In New York city, Tucker is fifteen years old and for the first time in his life he�s seriously interested in a girl. This interest isn�t without its complications. The girl, Natalia, attends a school for the mentally imbalanced. And her cousin, Dinky Hocker, has issues of her own. Dinky is overweight, an unsurprising fact when you consider her negligent, often cruel, parents. From this unlikely set of characters comes a story about dealing with the problems of others, as well as yourself. Kerr could have easily taken the easy route with this book. How simple it would be to turn this plot into an After School Special, complete with everyone a little older and wiser at the end. Instead, the author meets such ooey-gooey sentiments head on, challenging the hypocrisy people exhibit every day. Along the way, other issues are brought up as well. Originally conceived and published in 1972, the book deals with politics. Everyone�s parent is a liberal of the 60s, though how they display this political leaning differs per person. When we meet the radical P. John, Dinky�s brief beau, the reader is suddenly shown a human being that doesn�t fit neatly into any real category. P. John is conservative, racist, intolerant, and honest. To read his character is to question everything the book is saying about the political climate of this country. But if you really read this book, really examine what�s it�s saying, it�s clear as crystal that there is no single political stance taken in this story. People are not all one thing or another. Not all liberals are whining wimps waiting for a handout. Not all conservatives remain unchanging and unsympathetic. I can see how people would love this book and how people would hate this book. All I ask of you is that you find yourself intrigued by this review and decide to actually read this book. Draw your own conclusions. Decide I�m insanely wrong or absolutely correct. The point is, this book should never be forgotten. It is so well written, so interesting and full of great points that I can�t even give you a glimpse of what it really means. You�ll just have to find out for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best little known teen books in the world
Review: Books written by adults for adults that talk about politics usually want you to pigeonhole them. Once you understand the gist of the book's take on life and liberty you can decide whether or not its politics are the same as yours, thereby allowing you to instantly love it or hate it without even reading it. Books written by adults for children or teens that talk about politics also usually want you to pigeonhole them. So went my thinking until I read "Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack!". Ladies and gentlemen, I have just changed my worldview on politics in children's books. And it's all thanks to this little number. A plot synopsis. This is a story about Tucker Woolf, his family, his friends, and his friends' families. In New York city, Tucker is fifteen years old and for the first time in his life he's seriously interested in a girl. This interest isn't without its complications. The girl, Natalia, attends a school for the mentally imbalanced. And her cousin, Dinky Hocker, has issues of her own. Dinky is overweight, an unsurprising fact when you consider her negligent, often cruel, parents. From this unlikely set of characters comes a story about dealing with the problems of others, as well as yourself. Kerr could have easily taken the easy route with this book. How simple it would be to turn this plot into an After School Special, complete with everyone a little older and wiser at the end. Instead, the author meets such ooey-gooey sentiments head on, challenging the hypocrisy people exhibit every day. Along the way, other issues are brought up as well. Originally conceived and published in 1972, the book deals with politics. Everyone's parent is a liberal of the 60s, though how they display this political leaning differs per person. When we meet the radical P. John, Dinky's brief beau, the reader is suddenly shown a human being that doesn't fit neatly into any real category. P. John is conservative, racist, intolerant, and honest. To read his character is to question everything the book is saying about the political climate of this country. But if you really read this book, really examine what's it's saying, it's clear as crystal that there is no single political stance taken in this story. People are not all one thing or another. Not all liberals are whining wimps waiting for a handout. Not all conservatives remain unchanging and unsympathetic. I can see how people would love this book and how people would hate this book. All I ask of you is that you find yourself intrigued by this review and decide to actually read this book. Draw your own conclusions. Decide I'm insanely wrong or absolutely correct. The point is, this book should never be forgotten. It is so well written, so interesting and full of great points that I can't even give you a glimpse of what it really means. You'll just have to find out for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: I like when the kid who shot smack threatened P. John.
Review: Dinky Hocker is a great book. I really enjoyed it because it related to some situations kids could experience in their life. I also found this book humorous because of some remarks Dinky made. It was a great, snazzy, jazzy, hip, smooth, kicking, hip to the beat book.
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite M.E. Kerr Book
Review: Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack is a really great book. Its short and to the point and funny. What else could you want?
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite M.E. Kerr Book
Review: Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack is a really great book. Its short and to the point and funny. What else could you want?
Rating:
Summary: Best of the best
Review: It has been seven years since I was assigned to read this book for my eighth grade class and I stll think about it to this day. The book has a way of drawing you in to their everyday routine. I am sure I still have the book somewhere in my room, but I just can't find it.
Rating:
Summary: Defines the Genre
Review: Like all great young adult literature, Kerr undermines our expectations throughout. Full of twists, complications and contradictions that make it one of the most compelling books I've ever read. In the league of the I Am The Cheese or Catcher in the Rye.
Rating:
Summary: Defines the Genre
Review: Like all great young adult literature, Kerr undermines our expectations throughout. Full of twists, complications and contradictions that make it one of the most compelling books I've ever read. In the league of the I Am The Cheese or Catcher in the Rye.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious and Insightful
Review: My sister and I have read this book at least 15 times apiece. And yes, we do have lives. Dinky is one of my all time favorite characters; her wit and sarcasism is unmatched! I even enjoy the straight-laced character P. John Knight; many witticisms of his own. The supposed main character, Tucker, doesn't possess near the depth of the aforementioned characters--he acts primarily as the "straight man" for the more colorful personalities. The story transcends time; many of the issues portrayed still occur today. A true winner! I'll read it 15 more times.
Rating: 
Summary: It's not for us but maybe for you.
Review: The book Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack! by M.E. Kerr was about the lives of three friends. The main characters were, Tucker Woolf, Dinky Hocker, and Natalia Line. Dinky was a fat girl whose family in some ways neglected her. Her cousin Natalia came from a family which had many problems. Tucker and Natalia fall in love but are told to seperate by their families. Tucker must take on many responsibilities, more than the average kid. Many of the characters in this story encounter situations where they must forgive and forget. Our sventh grade group read this book in the last two weeks. We all agree that the book was very well written and interesting but not the type of book that we enjoy reading. Many of the situations that the kids were in were realistic but the actions and outcomes were not. We did not enjoy this book but we we think that plenty of teenage students would have a different opinion. That is because it is about other teenagers and most kids enjoy reading about kids that are there own age. Some kids like reading about family problems and situations but the five of us enjoy exciting and upbeat books. If you are into reading books about teenagers and people that have problems, this is the book for you. However, if you are into raeding upbeat and fantasy type books, we suggest that you don't read this book. Happy reading!!:)
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