Books like Jerk, California by Jonathan Friesen
Sam Carrier lives with Tourette’s syndrome, letting constant tics and verbal outbursts shadow his high‑school days. Strangely labeled by classmates—twitch, jerky, freak—he finds it difficult to form friendships or hope for the attention of Naomi, the girl he secretly loves.
At home, a domineering stepfather reminds Sam that the only person who was more useless than him was his dead father, Jack. Yet an unexpected discovery about Jack forces Sam to confront his own identity and question the life he has been told is possible.
With family loyalty, mental illness, and a quest for self‑knowledge at its core, the book follows Sam as he navigates adolescent turmoil, the search for belonging, and the complicated dynamics of his family.
First publish date: 2008
Genre: Children's Fiction/Children's Adventure
Authors: Jonathan Friesen
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