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Bruiser – Book Description
TENNYSON:
Don’t get me started on The Bruiser. He was voted “Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty” by the entire school. He’s the kid no one knows, no one talks to, and everyone hears disturbing rumors about. So why is my sister, Brontë dating him? One of these days she’s going to take in the wrong stray dog, and it’s not going to end well.BRONTË:
My brother has no right to talk about Brewster that way – no right to threaten him. There’s a reason why Brewster can’t have friends – why he can’t care about too many people. Because when he cares about you, things start to happen. Impossible things that can’t be explained. I know, because they’re happening to me.BREWSTER:
Stealer of screams and thief of anguish, I am a criminal, but you can’t see it, blinded by your own relief as my body becomes a battlefield in a war that can’t be won. Will I be the bullet that ends your pain, or will you end mine?Award-winning author Neal Shusterman has crafted a chilling and unforgettable novel about the power of unconditional friendship, the complex gear work of a family, and the sacrifices we endure for the people we love.
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Awards & Honors
Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers
2011 ALA-YALSA Quick Picks Award List
2011 Washington DC Capitol Choices Award List
2012 Utah Beehive Award
2012 Florida Teen Reads Award List
Summer 2010 Indie Next List
IndieBound title
2009, 2011 Texas Lone Star Reading List
Cooperative Children’s Book Center CCBC Choices
YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers List nominee
California Readers Book Collection—Middle School and High School collections
2010 Book Page Top Ten Book of the Year
2010 Capitol Choices “Noteworthy Titles for Children and Teens”
2011 Bank Street College of Education Best Books of the Year
2011-2012 Georgia Peach Award nominee
2011 Southern California Peggy Miller Young Adult Fiction Award
2011 Milwaukee County Teen Book Award — Honor Book
The Tennessee’s Volunteer State Award Lists
2012 YALSA Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults
2012/13 Connecticut Nutmeg Award List
2012 ALA/YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults Award List
2012 – 2013 Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Award Nominee
2012 Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award List
2013 Illinois Abe Lincoln Book Award Nominee
2013 Nebraska Golden Sower Award list
2013 Indiana Eliot Rosewater Award WINNER!
Reviews
From A.L.A. Booklist
“Is it possible to experience joy if you don’t experience pain? Is absorbing someone’s pain a gift or a curse? Shusterman explores these central questions in this thought-provoking new book… The story is narrated by Tennyson, Bronte, and Cody in prose and by Bruiser in free verse, and the individual voices are nicely distinct. It is Tennyson, though, who stands out as he evolves from self-centered bully to caring young man and ponders big questions about friendship and sacrifice… the compelling issues and engaging premise make this a rewarding read.”
So, I had looked over this book several weeks at the library before actually checking it out. Once I had gotten through about half of the book I realized that I should have checked this book out the first freaking time I looked it over. This book had me screaming at how it ended, tearing up at the most sensitive parts, and smiling at the funny but serious moments throughout the chapters that tied every last part of this amazing book together. Bruiser is a heart warming, tear jerking, and smile inducing book that is a great ready for anyone who loves a gripping story from beginning to end.
Oh my goodness Payton I am so with you on this book I was never a reader but reading this has changed my whole perspective on the world.
Thank you, Payton!
I’m a high school student.. and I read this book in a little over three hours. I never wanted to put it down. I absolutely fell in love with Bruiser and the other characters! So much I’m doing a book report on it for my English class. One of my favorite books and trust me, I love to read!
I teach 8th grade ELA and I have never had all my students (even the ones who “hate to read”) be so into a book! I can’t get them to stop reading each day, and if I’m reading aloud and tell them that’s where I was planning to stop, they all yell at me in unison, “No!” As a teacher it makes me SO happy to get to teach this novel. It addresses some serious issues in an original way that appeals to my middle school students.
Thank you, Neal Shusterman.
You’re very welcome! I’m glad that your students are enjoying the book!
Hi! My class just finished reading this book, and I’m happy to say it was a glorifying, life-learning book! I’m glad I read it! But I just have one question. Did Brewster die? Because the phone was broken, and there was no way it had worked until then… Was Brew contacting them through a broken phone to tell them he was dead and that he wanted to say goodbye? I mean, I understand that thhehe h sme on Brontes face said it all but, was it teally? I don’t know. I would appreciate an answer. Thanks!
Peace and Pancakes,
Holly
You just blew my mind
I REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK ! I HAVE NOT READ A GOOD BOOK IN A WHILE. THIS BOOK STARTED OFF A BIT CONFUSING BUT IT HAD ME INTERESTED SINCE THE FIRST PAGE. I WAS CRYING SO HARD AT THE END BECAUSE I GOT ATTACH TO THE CHARACTERS AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF YOU PLAN ON MAKING A SEQUEL TO THIS BOOK? I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO CODY AND BREW AFTER … YOU KNOW… AND AHHH
I haven’t read this book in 3 years and stumbled on to this again! This book should be a movie its like a play i pictured this whole book in my head and it was absolutely exhilarating this is the only book i want to read and will forever read. PLEASE MAKE IT A MOVIE! and keep it the way it is don’t ruin it with different scenes PLEASE
Thank you Neal Shusterman for being such a great author. I love all your books and would like to say that bruiser is by far the best book i have ever read from you and could not get enough of it maybe a part II would be appropriate. 😀
I am dying for a second book for this series to come out. I want to see what happens to Brew. please make a second book for the bruiser I’m dying for it! 🙂
I WANT A MOVIE JUST AS BAD AS EVERYONE ELSE I FELL IN LOVE WITH BREWSTER AND HES NOT EVEN A REAL PERSON I WOULD TOTALLY TRY OUT TO BE BRONTE 😍❤️ MY FAVORITE BOOK AND AUTHOR WITHOUT A DOUBT.
I read this book just recently and it was AMAZING!
I just finished reading Bruiser for a summer reading project, and I must say, I enjoyed this book so much that I only have one big question: is there going to be a sequel?
No sequel planned — the book is a stand-alone!
It is a great book but it would be great to see wht the future holds for Tenny,Bronte,Cody,and Brew
Bruiser is in development as a TV series, so we may get to see where their lives go after the end of the book. As for me, some books are stand-alones, with no sequel. The story, at it’s heart, was about Bronte and Tennyson owning their own pain. The story is over the moment they truly do.
ya sorry but got kinda mad at the ending thought it was a kind of weak, didn’t see any rising action in the book which was really a waste of time, but really like the writing style and how you transitioned threw the characters to let us see every ones point of view, and given us details about everything throughout the book to keep me reading more to figure things out. I also thought that it was very unclear on who or what the protagonist was after the uncle was taking out of the story with 100+ pages left, was his super natural powers the problem or was just his uncle, i could not find any meaning or lesson to this book except that you should just leave people alone and maybe stay out of there business but i guess it worked out in the end with them doing that 7.2/10
PLEASE MAKE ANOTHER BRUISER!!!! I love it and its so interesting. Please i beg of you make a second book on it.
can you make a sequel PLEASE!!!!!!!
Thanks — No sequel planned right now — but in the future, who knows!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE MR. SHUSTERMAN MAKE A MOVIE I WOULD TOTALLY WANT TO BE BRONTE AND PLEASE MAKE A SEQUEL
It’s in development for TV!
love this book
I read this book about two years ago when I found it in a lost and found bin at my school, and let me tell you I am a very picky reader. It’s difficult for me to find a book to get into and stay into. This book, however, just grabbed me in. I love the amazing word usage in this book and the fact that it has the POVs of multiple characters was fascinating to me. I came here to write this because recently, I decided to reread it and recommend it to a few friends and my English teacher. As I started to reread it, I’ve just fallen in love with the characters all over again and thought I should show my appreciation to the author for such an amazing book <3
Thank you so much! I’m glad you (literally) found Bruiser! I think you’ll like my upcoming book GAME CHANGER — the character is a lot like Tennyson in tone.
Please Mr. Shushterman make a sequel i’m dying and won’t leave another year if the book does not get a sequel
No sequel planned — but there’s talk of a TV series, which would take the story in new directions!