“I was a pretty unhappy teenager. And then I wasn’t.”
Steve was a typical kid dealing with typical things when he entered the world of junior and senior high school. Living in New York, his family’s idiosyncrasies put him in a place where he didn’t have new clothes, had a house full of clutter and had a mom that pinches pennies any way she could. As he faces and overcomes these obstacles on top of adolescence, he discovers who he truly is and what he wants in life.
I was asked to review Ginger Kid through my blog and was given a free copy in exchange for a fair review. I had not heard much about Steve Hofstetter, but the book seemed to be doing well and I thought it would be an interesting read. Hofstetter has written a few other books, but this one is biographical in nature. He is a comedian and humor columnist.
As a nod to his time doing stand-up comedy, the book is divided into three sections – opener, feature and headliner. These sections cover various part of his adolescent life as he moves deeper into understanding who he is, what he wants and what he’s good at. He shares stories from his life – good, bad and funny – and shares the lessons he learned from each one. The book is written in an easy-to-read, captivating way. I finished it fairly quickly and laughed out loud a few times. I really enjoyed how despite facing family issues, school issues, bullies and other struggles, Steve seeks to overcome and learn from each thing life throws at him.
Ginger Kid is a great read for mature high schoolers and any adult. High school readers can see Steve as a good example of someone overcoming obstacles as a teen, yet finding a way to find a successful path in life. While funny, it’s also very inspirational.
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