The Field Guide to the North American Teenager

by Ben Philippe

Overview

Surprises await a clever Black French Canadian teen when he's forced to attend high school in Austin, Texas, in this hilarious contemporary YA novel.
William C. Morris YA Debut Award Winner!
"A witty debut with whip-smart dialogue that will find much love among fans of authors like John Green and Jason Reynolds." —SLJ (starred review)
Meet Norris Kaplan. As a Black French Canadian who has been recently plunked into Austin, Texas, he is not happy. Norris's superpower has always been the ability to wield a sharp comeback and keep people at a safe distance. He'll do just his time there until he can finally go back home.
Having grown up on a steady diet of American TV, Norris knows just what to expect when he starts at a prototypical American high school. Sure enough, he soon encounters:
Aarti, the Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Preys on sexually inexperienced, awkward teen boys.
Madison, the Beta Cheerleader: In the middle of cheerleading pyramid. "Good listener."
Liam, the Loner: Sad eyes. Headphones not necessarily playing anything.
Hairy Armpits, the Bully: Improperly groomed linebacker. Missing Link understudy.
Against all odds, though, he finds himself with a love interest, a new potential best friend, and what appears to be a budding ice hockey team. Will he give in and start living his life and maybe even (groan) enjoy it? Or will he blow it all by being . . . well, Norris?
"With a perfect balance of snark, keen observation, and wry humor, Ben Phillippe has given us the brilliant Norris Kaplan—by far, the funniest, wittiest, smartest character I've ever read!" —Ibi Zoboi, author of American Street

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062824134
Publisher:	Balzer + Bray
Publication date:	03/19/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	373
Lexile:	HL830L (what's this?)
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Ben Philippe is a New York–based writer and screenwriter, born in Haiti and raised in Montreal, Canada. He has a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University and an MFA in fiction and screenwriting from the Michener Center for Writers in Austin, Texas. He also teaches film studies and screenwriting at Barnard College. He is the author of the William C. Morris Award–winning novel The Field Guide to the North American Teenager. Find him online at www.benphilippe.com.

Editorial Reviews

With a perfect balance of snark, keen observation, and wry humor, Ben Philippe has given us the brilliant Norris Kaplan—by far, the funniest, wittiest, smartest character I’ve ever read! Norris Kaplan would be the perfect teen host for The Daily Show!” — Ibi Zoboi, author of American Street, National Book Award finalist

“A witty debut with whip-smart dialogue that will find much love among fans of authors like John Green and Jason Reynolds.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“In Philippe’s funny debut, 16-year-old black French-Canadian Norris Kaplan must navigate life and love in Austin, Tex., after he and his mother move there... Philippe has a gift for dialogue and touches on a few instances of racism with sensitivity and humor in this crowd-pleaser.” — Publishers Weekly

“A refreshing, captivating read, one which will definitely appeal to its teen target audience but will also satisfy older readers, who will appreciate its clarity and emotional acuity.” — Toronto Star

“Ben Philippe’s sparkling dialogue along with prose that occasionally borders on lyrical (although in a completely cool, hip, manly way) is sure to delight readers. Norris’ evolution from cynical outsider to caring insider is a journey well-worth following—especially as it’s accompanied with laugh out loud moments [and]insightful revelations.”
— New York Journal of Books

“It’s no longer tenable to imagine that the anxieties of a white heterosexual young man expelled from an expensive prep school capture the spirit of our era. Today’s snarky young anti-hero instead looks like Norris, the black French Canadian boy in The Field Guide to the North American Teenager.” — Ron Charles, The Washington Post

From the Publisher

A refreshing, captivating read, one which will definitely appeal to its teen target audience but will also satisfy older readers, who will appreciate its clarity and emotional acuity.

Toronto Star

With a perfect balance of snark, keen observation, and wry humor, Ben Philippe has given us the brilliant Norris Kaplan—by far, the funniest, wittiest, smartest character I’ve ever read! Norris Kaplan would be the perfect teen host for The Daily Show!

Ibi Zoboi

It’s no longer tenable to imagine that the anxieties of a white heterosexual young man expelled from an expensive prep school capture the spirit of our era. Today’s snarky young anti-hero instead looks like Norris, the black French Canadian boy in The Field Guide to the North American Teenager.

Ron Charles

Ben Philippe’s sparkling dialogue along with prose that occasionally borders on lyrical (although in a completely cool, hip, manly way) is sure to delight readers. Norris’ evolution from cynical outsider to caring insider is a journey well-worth following—especially as it’s accompanied with laugh out loud moments [and]insightful revelations.”

New York Journal of Books

2018-10-15

A teenage, not-so-lonely loner endures the wilds of high school in Austin, Texas.

Norris Kaplan, the protagonist of Philippe's debut novel, is a hypersweaty, uber-snarky black, Haitian, French-Canadian pushing to survive life in his new school. His professor mom's new tenure-track job transplants Norris mid-school year, and his biting wit and sarcasm are exposed through his cataloging of his new world in a field guide-style burn book. He's greeted in his new life by an assortment of acquaintances, Liam, who is white and struggling with depression; Maddie, a self-sacrificing white cheerleader with a heart of gold; and Aarti, his Indian-American love interest who offers connection. Norris' ego, fueled by his insecurities, often gets in the way of meaningful character development. The scenes showcasing his emotional growth are too brief and, despite foreshadowing, the climax falls flat because he still gets incredible personal access to people he's hurt. A scene where Norris is confronted by his mother for getting drunk and belligerent with a white cop is diluted by his refusal or inability to grasp the severity of the situation and the resultant minor consequences. The humor is spot-on, as is the representation of the black diaspora; the opportunity for broader conversations about other topics is there, however, the uneven buildup of detailed, meaningful exchanges and the glibness of Norris' voice detract.

Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice. (Fiction. 13-16)

Kirkus Reviews