14 year-old John Milton (AKA Spud), a child with crazy parents, lives in South America but has been sent to boarding school in Durban, South America. This Fiction action filled book which takes place in 1990, is for anyone who likes to read about teenage boys and there adventures that they decide to do even if it is rule braking, which also causes Spud to make a choice either mature and make the right choices or to be immature and fit in with his roommates.
When it comes down to doing the right thing for the right reason or just doing something to fit in with his new family for the rest of the school year. Spud has to face some tough choices from going to sleep early to braking rules that could get him expelled, but in the end it once again comes down to his choices, just like how the Gov the schools principle, told him when they met, “Remember, boy, God gave us the greatest gift of all. Not love, health, beauty, not even life. But choice… God’s greatest gift is choice!” (331). One thing the author dose very well is how he describes the things that are going on, but even that dose not make up the fact that the author cuts out on parts of the book and just goes on about a different topic without finishing with one part first.
Spud is for someone that likes to read about boys and going to do crazy but rule breaking adventures. This book is somewhat like What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know in their style of writing also by the way characters respond to the problems that they face such as girl trouble and peer pressure. The things that they face are all about them living their lives to the fullest and becoming “Men”.