Book Review: Spud by John Van De Ruit
I thought this book was hilarious! I was laughing from page one. John “Spud” Milton is going into a boarding school in South Africa and he teams up with his housemates who total 8 of the wackiest boys ever. It reminds me of a little of Hogwarts School, but not for wizards.
It is written in sometime diary form from Spud who has adventures at home with his deranged father who feels the country is going to be at war as Nelson Mandela has been released from prison, and he starts to board up the house and go on neighborhood watches with his friends.
Then at school he becomes involved with the school production of Oliver where he wants the starring role, and his crushes on his next door neighbor at home and the leading lady from the play. I actually wonder if all boarding schools are as sinister as his, as he goes through many initiations and escapades it made me wonder how he made it to the end of the school term.
His friends include Gecko, Rambo, Bogo, Rainman, Maddog, Fatty and Simon. All together they make up The Crazy Eight. What a bunch of characters!!! You fall in love with all of them, in some way or another. The School teachers include “The Guv”, Sparerib, Glock, and Reverend Bishop.
His first week there he is assigned a student to slave for from the higher grade. He gets Earthworm, who makes him do everything from making his bed to making him tea, to sharpening his pencils, and he must do this all term as he is an underling, and considered new. It’s a good book and it makes you laugh and shed a tear or two as he realizes what friendship really means.
Rating: 
