The Duke of Bannerman Prep

by Katie A. Nelson

Overview

Words are weapons. Facts can be manipulated. And nothing is absolute—especially right and wrong.

Tanner McKay is at Bannerman Prep for one reason: to win. The elite school recruited him after he argued his public school's debate team to victory last year, and now Bannerman wants that championship trophy. Debate is Banner's life—his ticket out of scrimping and saving and family drama, straight to a scholarship to Stanford and a new, better future.

When he's paired with the prep school playboy everyone calls the Duke, Tanner's straightforward plans seem as if they're going off the rails. The Duke is Bannerman royalty, beloved for his laissez-faire attitude, crazy parties, and the strings he so easily pulls. And a total no-show when it comes to putting in the work to win.

As Tanner gets sucked into the Duke’s flashy world, the thrill of the high life and the adrenaline of the edge becomes addictive. A small favor here and there seems like nothing in exchange for getting everything he ever dreamed of.

But the Duke’s castle is built on shady, shaky secrets, and the walls are about to topple.

A contemporary retelling of The Great Gatsby, Katie A. Nelson’s taut debut is perfect for anyone who's struggled to survive the cutthroat world of competitive high school.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781510710405
Publisher:	Sky Pony
Publication date:	05/09/2017
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	941,222
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Katie A. Nelson has always loved words and stories. A former high school English and debate teacher, she now lives in Northern California with her husband, four children, and hyperactive dog. The Duke of Bannerman Prep is her first novel.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“A wholly original look at competition, success, and how well we can ever really know another person. The fresh, addictive Great-Gatsby-as-high-school-debaters retelling you never knew you were missing.” —Kelly Loy Gilbert, author of Conviction

Editorial Reviews

03/27/2017
When Tanner McKay, the 16-year-old son of a struggling single mother, receives a scholarship to Bannerman Prep School, he believes that it’s his ticket to a brighter future. Paired with Andrew “the Duke” Tate to lead the debate team to victory, Tanner is initially put off by the Duke’s cocky and seemingly lazy attitude. But Tanner slowly gets sucked into the Duke’s flashy world, full of fast cars, partying, trading favors, and money. Little does Tanner realize that the Duke isn’t who he says he is, and it isn’t long before Tanner must figure out how to save himself. In an effective contemporary update of The Great Gatsby, debut novelist Nelson accurately reflects the stresses high school students face in both academics and extracurricular activities. Through Tanner’s realistic voice and the situations he faces, readers comes to believe that a place like Bannerman and a boy like the Duke could actually exist, though Nelson is careful not to romanticize the Duke’s criminal behavior or Tanner’s role in it. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kirsten Carleton, Prospect Literary. (May)

Publishers Weekly

A 2017 Whitney Award Finalist

A 2017 Association for Mormon Letters Awards Finalist

"This debut is more homage to The Great Gatsby than retelling, and the story is better for it. The glitzy prep-school backdrop is offset by the cutthroat world of scholarship competitions, and Tanner’s moral struggles ring heartbreakingly true." —Booklist

"Nelson offers a contemporary retelling of The Great Gatsby that goes beyond many of the themes of the original novel to make for a spirited look at what happens when a good kid makes some bad choices in a place where consequences don’t always follow. . . . A satisfying examination of morality and the decisions that change our lives." —Kirkus Reviews

"In an effective contemporary update of The Great Gatsby, debut novelist Nelson accurately reflects the stresses high school students face in both academics and extracurricular activities. Through Tanner’s realistic voice and the situations he faces, readers comes to believe that a place like Bannerman and a boy like the Duke could actually exist, though Nelson is careful not to romanticize the Duke’s criminal behavior or Tanner’s role in it." —Publishers Weekly

"The high-pressure world of Bannerman Prep, the intrigue of Tanner and the Duke’s strange friendship and the lavish social scene all harken back to Fitzgerald’s classic but stand on their own in this compelling new novel." —BookPage

"High school students who love Gatsby will enjoy this novel, and it may encourage others to give the original a try." —School Library Journal

"A wholly original look at competition, success, and how well we can ever really know another person. The fresh, addictive Great-Gatsby-as-high-school-debaters retelling you never knew you were missing." —Kelly Loy Gilbert, author of Conviction

"A dark, surprising, suspense-filled twist on our American obsession with living extraordinary lives." —Sonya Mukherjee, author of Gemini

"A thrilling page-turner and a sparkling debut. Prepare to be drawn into the dazzling escape of lavish parties and riveted by Bannerman's infamous Duke." —Jessica Taylor, author of A Map for Wrecked Girls and Wandering Wild

A 2017 Whitney Award Finalist

A 2017 Association for Mormon Letters Awards Finalist

"This debut is more homage to The Great Gatsby than retelling, and the story is better for it. The glitzy prep-school backdrop is offset by the cutthroat world of scholarship competitions, and Tanner’s moral struggles ring heartbreakingly true." —Booklist

"Nelson offers a contemporary retelling of The Great Gatsby that goes beyond many of the themes of the original novel to make for a spirited look at what happens when a good kid makes some bad choices in a place where consequences don’t always follow. . . . A satisfying examination of morality and the decisions that change our lives." —Kirkus Reviews

"In an effective contemporary update of The Great Gatsby, debut novelist Nelson accurately reflects the stresses high school students face in both academics and extracurricular activities. Through Tanner’s realistic voice and the situations he faces, readers comes to believe that a place like Bannerman and a boy like the Duke could actually exist, though Nelson is careful not to romanticize the Duke’s criminal behavior or Tanner’s role in it." —Publishers Weekly

"The high-pressure world of Bannerman Prep, the intrigue of Tanner and the Duke’s strange friendship and the lavish social scene all harken back to Fitzgerald’s classic but stand on their own in this compelling new novel." —BookPage

"High school students who love Gatsby will enjoy this novel, and it may encourage others to give the original a try." —School Library Journal

"A wholly original look at competition, success, and how well we can ever really know another person. The fresh, addictive Great-Gatsby-as-high-school-debaters retelling you never knew you were missing." —Kelly Loy Gilbert, author of Conviction

"A dark, surprising, suspense-filled twist on our American obsession with living extraordinary lives." —Sonya Mukherjee, author of Gemini

"A thrilling page-turner and a sparkling debut. Prepare to be drawn into the dazzling escape of lavish parties and riveted by Bannerman's infamous Duke." —Jessica Taylor, author of A Map for Wrecked Girls and Wandering Wild

From the Publisher

06/01/2017
Gr 9 Up—Tanner McKay transfers to Bannerman Prep, an elite private school to which he has been awarded a scholarship after his public school's debate victory. Once there, he is paired up with the rich and popular student called the Duke. The Duke is well liked for his easy manner, parties, connections, and ways of getting things for his friends, but doesn't pull his weight when it comes to debate. When Tanner gets pulled into the Duke's glamorous lifestyle, everything comes crashing down around him. Facing the consequences and learning about the Duke's secrets almost cost Tanner everything he's dreamed about. The realistic novel set in present-day California is a retelling of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Tanner is well developed, but the supporting characters are less so. The language is realistic given the setting, and the plot is nicely paced and well developed. High school students who love Gatsby will enjoy this novel, and it may encourage others to give the original a try. VERDICT A solid purchase for large collections, especially where YA retellings of classics are popular.—Terri Lent, Patrick Henry High School, Ashland, VA

School Library Journal

2017-03-15
Debate is Tanner's talent, but is he good enough to succeed at his new school?If Tanner does well at Bannerman Prep, he has a good chance at getting a scholarship to an elite college. It's just his luck to land Andrew Tate, or "the Duke," as everyone calls him, as a debate partner. The Duke does very little in the way of preparation, leaving all the work to Tanner, so Tanner is surprised when they actually perform really well together. The two white teens start to spend more and more time together, along with the rest of the members of the debate team, a couple of whom are described as people of color. But there's a price to this life, and Tanner, with worries about his overworked mom and disabled younger brother, can't afford that price. In her debut novel, Nelson offers a contemporary retelling of The Great Gatsby that goes beyond many of the themes of the original novel to make for a spirited look at what happens when a good kid makes some bad choices in a place where consequences don't always follow. The private school setting is written with an authentic mix of charm and weirdness, although the characters are perhaps overly iconic in their wealthy kid/poor kid roles. A satisfying examination of morality and the decisions that change our lives. (Fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews