You Don't Know Me by David Klass

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Publishers Weekly

John, the 14-year-old narrator of Klass's (Screen Test; Danger Zone) well-conceived novel, deals with not only universal teenage problems (escaping his algebra teacher's questions, working up the nerve to ask out his dream girl, whom he calls "Glory Hallelujah," fighting with a friend), he also must deal with his mother's boyfriend, whom John calls "the man who is not my father." The tyrant verbally and physically abuses him when his mother is not around, and John experiences a "meltdown" when he learns that the man plans to marry his mother. While people do care about JohnDa rather stereotypically sensitive music teacher and a likable girl from his band class, whom John calls "Violent" Hayes "because she appears to be trying to strangle her saxophone before it kills her"Deven they cannot convince John to reveal what's happening at home. John's narrative often addresses various characters directly (his mother's boyfriend, the music teacher, etc.) with wry internal thoughts; this approach plays up the alienation John feels and also conveys the teen's sardonic humor and intelligence. A few scenes are so outrageous and comical that they clash with the book's overall tone (e.g., when Glory Hallelujah's father hunts John and the girl down in the basement of her home). But most, such as when John first asks out Glory Hallelujah via note, instructing her to check either the "yes" or "no" box, are very grounded in the high school experience. The hero's underlying sense of isolation and thread of hope will strike a chord with nearly every adolescent. Ages 12-up. (Mar.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information

You Don't Know Me is one of those books, that I won't forget. David Klass has suceeded in bringing such a dark tale into something funny and down to earth.

John (named after a toilet) has a sad life. He pretty much sums up his life through most of the pages. John claims that nobody knows him and that nobody will ever know him. His life sucks, but not for the usual reasons like "oh i got dumped" or "oh nobody likes me." Because people do like John but he claims that nobody KNOWS him.

John gets abused by "the man who is not my father." (His mother's boyfriend) This is something John cannot tell anyone because he knows that if he does that "there will be trouble." His mother who works double time at a autoparts shop in an assembly line has no clue that John is being abused. John claims she doesn't know because she doesn't know him, but it may turn out to be something else.

John goes through a wild rollercoaster in this story. His friend gets arrested for stealing an eggroll, He asks the girl of his dreams out, he gets semi-kidnapped, gets suspended, falls in love, and finally confronts the monster who thinks that he can beat him up for no reason. Many crazy things happen in this story, and in the end it seems like the only person who didn't know who John was, was John.

This book was obviously Ah-may-zing! (spelt incorrectly on purpose.)
Rating: 5 stars
THIS BOOK IS WORTH READING!