National Network for Equitable Library Service

Things could be going better for Oz. He’s just moved miles from all his friends. A prank at his new school puts him in the crosshairs of “Psycho” Isobel Skinner, a bully who also happens to be his mum’s new best friend. And he’s driven off the only other kid who will have anything to do with him: a Tolkien-obsessed boy in desperate need of a decent playlist. With his life careening out of control, Oz sets about making things right. But when he stumbles on his sister’s game-changing secret, Oz is left wondering if he can ever get his old life back... or if he’s stuck forever in this craziness. Comic and heartwarming, Waiting for Gonzo is about discovering when to play the cards you’re dealt and when to shuffle the deck and deal your own hand. Praise: "Cousins follows up his debut... with another tightly woven, heartwarming story of the ups and downs in the life of a teenager and his family." —KIRKUS REVIEWS "A darkly comic story... Cousins (15 Days Without a Head) offers a vibrant, highly visual account of teen angst and backfiring schemes." —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "Cousins has written a humorous, poignant novel of a family in crisis." —BOOKLIST