While NCPGW is comical, Charlie is also dealing with a serious family issue. Nate compares the cheerleading team to both the Gestapo and the KGB, how does that hyperbole sit with you: insensitive, hysterical, or somewhere in-between? Are there darker connections to read into that given how the characters engage in the political process? How do the characters use stereotypical expectations to get what they want? How is the political process depicted during the student council race? Although Charlie tries to stay out of his own campaign’s mudslinging, how much is he responsible for, say, the football field disaster? If you were in the administration of Hollow Ridge High School, which team would you want funded: science or cheerleading? Why?

Why do you think Charlie would be drawn to people like that? What are some stereotypes other than Jock and Geek that Shen and Hicks play with?īoth Holly and Nate are strong, demanding personalities. How does Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong subvert that trope? How does it reinscribe it? Jocks is a tried-and-true staple of teen literature and film. What does his reaction tell us about his character? How about Holly’s? In the very first scene, Holly dumps Charlie by text message. Library Media Connection, January/February 2013, p. Subject Headings & Major Themes: High School Students Can they work together to make their ambitions real? When the pranks get out of control, though, both sides find themselves out in the cold. Charlie Nolan might win on the basketball court, but he’s a helpless pawn in the ensuing power struggle between the Science Team and the cheerleaders. (from Get to the Point! Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group blog)īook Talk: Give me an R ! What does it stand for? Robotics! Revenge! There’s only so much money in the school budget-it’s either the robotics competition or new cheerleading uniforms, not both.

And possibly extremely embarrassing childhood photographs. How will the cheerleaders get new uniforms if they don’t get money from the student council? How will the science team ‘be part of the robot revolution’ at the National Robotics Competition if they don’t get the money? Clearly it is time for sabotage. When the principal decides to allocate money to the science team or cheerleaders based on a student council vote, things rapidly go off the rails at Hollow Ridge High School. Summary: Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong is a high stakes, action-packed story of the cutthroat world of high school politics. Publishing Information: New York: First Second Books, 2013Īnnotation: The unlikely friendship between basketball team captain Charlie and robotics club president Nate is challenged when Nate declares war on the cheerleaders over funding that will either pay for new uniforms or a robotics competition.

Prudence shen