The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin: Summary and book reviews of The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk, plus links to an excerpt from The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin and a biography of Josh Berk.

Being a hefty, deaf newcomer almost makes Will Halpin the least popular guy at Coaler High. But when he befriends the only guy less popular than him, the dork-namic duo has the smarts and guts to figure out who knocked off the star quarterback. Will can’t hear what’s going on, but he’s a great observer. So, who did it? And why does that guy talk to his fingers? And will the beautiful girl ever notice him? (Okay, so Will’s interested in more than just murder . . .) Those who prefer their heroes to be not-so-usual and with a side of wiseguy will gobble up this witty, geeks-rule debut.

BookBrowse

Part coming-of age-story, part mystery, and part social satire, The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin is a quirky, genre-bending story. Berk is especially adept at tackling the rarely talked about social and political issues inside the deaf community. And because he weaves these into the more overt social and political issues inside a typical teenage community, we are able to see those more "normalized" issues in a new light. Through Will's astute eyes and mind, Berk blows open teenage stereotypes, high school rules of hierarchy, and the too-often silent identity struggles all teens face.  (Reviewed by Tamara Smith).

Full Review (882 words).

Media Reviews

Booklist A humorous first novel from an author to watch   Publishers Weekly An engrossing whodunit that subtly draws attention to social issues surrounding deafness. Ages 12–up.   Kirkus Reviews Starred Review. This witty tale of mainstreaming, misfits and murder glitters like the 'Future Diamonds' that coal-mine souvenirs promise to someday become.   School Library Journal A coming-of-age mash-up of satire, realistic fiction, mystery, and ill-fated teen romance, The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin is a genre-bending breakthrough that teens are going to love.

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated of 5 by somoko
Book report
For library this kid and I did a report on this book, and it was a good read. It had a great story-line that includes romance, mystery, and disabilities. this book is a very good book.

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