Review Blog

Oct 31 2012

S.C.U.M. by Danny Katz

Allen and Unwin, 2012. ISBN 978-1-74237-924-1.
S.C.U.M. stands for Students Combined Underground Movement and is the name for a group of 'outcasts, weirdos and massive losers' at high school. Tom Zurbo-Goldblatt is the teenage narrator of this story and Tom certainly tells it how he sees it.
This is not a politically correct book and his observations on different characters show how easily students are judged by gossip, looks (especially females ) and whether they are in the main group.
Anti bullying policies have obviously no affect in this school, but even Tom realizes he has at times gone too far and alienates his own S.C.U.M. group.
It's hard to feel any sympathy for Tom who is as much a bully and as judgmental as the students he fears. I'm glad I don't have to go to this school as either a student or a teacher.
Tom provides illustrations throughout the story.
Not suitable for primary school and is aimed directly at secondary boys.
Jane Moore