FREAKs

About the Book

"In a few pages Scalia takes the readers into a realistic junior high environment that could be theirs. Hildy, Scotty, Harrison, Carmine are so real! Scalia treats them with the respect each deserves. The voice of the story and Hildy´s voice are loud and clear. Young adults of different reading levels will enjoy this book. Adults should read it too." Editor, Writer´s Digest.

Hildy, a 14 year old born with a congenital hip defect, narrates her 9th Grade experience in Vanderville Junior High. Since her mother´s death, her father has taken Hildy "on the road," to yet another town and yet another school where she is "always the new girl." At Vanderville Hildy meets Scotty Dwyer, a dwarf, and Harrison Jakove, the school doormat. The three misfits band together and become the FREAKs in an act of self defense against the WHEELS. In the end all their lives are changed forever. FREAKs is funny and sad. It will make you laugh and cry. It is a book that anyone who has ever gone to school will love and long remember.

“I love the book! It’s great! The book is wonderful. It has a little bit of everything in it!” – Natalie Emerson, student and radio host “Nat Chat Live” WELE 1380 AM, Ponce Inlet, FL

“I could not put this book down until it was finished! What an inspirational and heart-warming story about the challenges of adolescence. I laughed and I cried. It is a beautiful story. I will encourage my students to read this story before they graduate to middle school. They’ll learn great lessons about friendships and good character! Thank you. It was truly a pleasure!” – Kate MacDoonald, 5th Grade Teacher, Jericho Elementary School, Centereach, NY

“I love coming across books that I [am able] to recommend to a reluctant reader and be confident they will not only finish reading it, but will share it with friends before returning it! This is that kind of book. This is a winner!” - Carol Byrne, High School Librarian, Deer Park, NY

“It will make you laugh and make you cry, often both at once. It´s a wonderful story of friendship and of finally belonging. “ - Marcia Brice, Teacher, Barnum Woods School, East Meadow, NY

“My 11 year old son and I both read FREAKs. I couldn’t put it down. As I was reading it, I felt like I was right there with Harrison, Hildy and Scotty. I laughed a lot and as soon as they lit those candles, I knew things were going to get bad. My son too enjoyed the book. I’m getting ready to read it again with my 9 year old son, and then my mom wants to read it. Thanks for a great read! – Victoria and Thomas L, parent and student, Deer Park, NY

“I loved the book FREAKs. It actually made me cry a little. This book was one of the best books I’ve ever read. You inspire me to become a writer.” - Ashley W, student, East Lake School, Massapequa Park, NY

“I LOVED YOUR BOOK FREAKs! It should be a movie. This book was soooo exciting! I read it in two days!” – Kristen K, student, North Bellmore, NY

“The book was great! Sometimes I get into the book soooo much that I get emotional. And that is exactly what I did with FREAKs. Now I am going to ask my mom to buy Pearl.” – Lindsay R, Atkinson School student, Freeport, NY

“I really liked your book FREAKs. A sequel would be cool!” – Erika, student, Sayville HS, Sayville, NY

“FREAKs is one of the greatest books I have ever read. I could read it a hundred times and still enjoy it as much as the first time.” – Louden P, student, Smithtown, NY

“FREAKs is a wonderful book. It really tells how people fee

About the Author

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A., Joseph E. Scalia moved to Long Island, where he taught English and Creative Writing for 33 years. Always a writer himself, he started by scribbling what he calls "terrible rhyming poems on bathroom walls." Over the years he has written three novels, a volume of short stories, countless humorous essays, and a filing cabinet full of poetry, much of which has found its way into print on paper. The idea for FREAKs came to him one morning in a Study Hall class, when he met Carol, the limping 7th Grader who would become the model for Hildy. Similarly, all the other characters in FREAKs have been drawn from his long teaching experience. Today he lives in Farmingdale with his cat Silvier.