Strasser, Todd 1950- (Morton Rhue)
Strasser, Todd 1950- (Morton Rhue)
PERSONAL:
Born May 5, 1950, in New York, NY; son of Chester S. (a manufacturer of dresses) and Sheila (a copyeditor) Strasser; children: Lia, Geoff. Education: Attended New York University; Beloit College, B.A., 1974. Hobbies and other interests: Fishing, skiing, tennis, surfing.
ADDRESSES:
Office—Larchmont, NY. E-mail—todd@ toddstrasser.com.
CAREER:
Freelance writer, 1975—. Beloit College, Beloit, WI, worked in public relations, 1973-74; Times Herald Record, Middletown, NY, reporter, 1974-76; Compton Advertising, New York, NY, copywriter, 1976-77; Esquire, New York, NY, researcher, 1977-78; Toggle, Inc. (fortune cookie company), New York, NY, owner, 1978-89. Speaker at upper elementary schools, middle schools, junior and senior high schools, and teachers' and librarians' conferences. Lectures and conducts writing workshops for adults and teenagers.
MEMBER:
International Reading Association, Writers Guild of America, Authors Guild, Freedom to Read Foundation, PEN.
AWARDS, HONORS:
American Library Association's Best Books for Young Adults citations, 1981, for Friends till the End: A Novel, and 1982, for Rock 'n' Roll Nights: A Novel; New York Public Library's Books for the Teen Age citations, 1981, for Angel Dust Blues, 1982, for The Wave and Friends till the End, 1983, for Rock 'n' Roll Nights, and 1984, for Workin' for Peanuts; Friends till the End was chosen a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies by the National Council for Social Studies and the Children's Book Council, 1982; Rock 'n' Roll Nights was chosen for the Acton Public Library's CRABbery Award List, 1983; Young Reader Medal nomination from the California Reading Association, 1983, for Friends till the End; Book Award from the Federation of Children's Books (Great Britain), 1983, for The Wave, and 1984, for Turn It Up!; Outstanding Book Award from the Iowa Books for Young Adult Program, 1985, for Turn It Up!; Colorado Blue Spruce Award nomination, 1987, for Angel Dust Blues; Edgar Award nomination, Mystery Writers of America, 1998, for The Accident; Washington Irving Award, 1998, for Abe Lincoln for Class President; Volunteer State Book Award, 1998; New York State Charlotte Award, Rhode Island Teen Book Award, and Washington Irving Children's Choice Book Award, all 2002, and Popular Paperbacks For Young Adults selection, American Library Association, 2006, all for Give a Boy a Gun; Best Book for Teens selection and Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers selection, American Library Association, both 2005, and Young Adult Choice Award, International Reading Association, all for Can't Get There from Here.
WRITINGS:
YOUNG ADULT FICTION
Angel Dust Blues, Coward, McCann (New York, NY), 1979.
Friends till the End: A Novel, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1981.
(Under pseudonym Morton Rhue) The Wave (novelization based on the television drama of the same title by Johnny Dawkins), Delacorte (New York, NY), 1981.
Rock 'n' Roll Nights: A Novel, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1982.
Workin' for Peanuts, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1983.
Turn It Up! (sequel to Rock 'n' Roll Nights), Delacorte (New York, NY), 1984.
A Very Touchy Subject, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1985.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (novelization based on film of the same title by John Hughes), New American Library (New York, NY), 1986.
Wildlife (sequel to Turn It Up!), Delacorte (New York, NY), 1987.
The Accident (also see below), Delacorte (New York, NY), 1988.
Cookie (novelization based on film of the same title by Nora Ephron), New American Library (New York, NY), 1989.
Moving Target, Fawcett (New York, NY), 1989.
Beyond the Reef, illustrations by Debbie Heller, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1989.
Home Alone (novelization based on film of the same title), Scholastic (New York, NY), 1991.
The Diving Bell, illustrated by Debbie Heller, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1992.
Honey, I Blew up the Kids, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1992.
Hocus Pocus, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1993.
Disney's "The Villains" Collection, poems by Mark Rifkin, illustrated by Gil DiCicco, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1993.
The Three Musketeers, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1993.
Free Willy, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.
Disney's "It's Magic": Stories from the Films, with poems by Richard Duke, illustrated by Philippe Harchy, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1994.
(Adapter) Walt Disney's "Lady and the Tramp," illustrated by Franc Mateu, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1994.
(Adapter) Walt Disney's Peter Pan, illustrated by Jose Cardona and Fred Marvin, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1994.
Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1994.
Street Fighter, Newmarket Press (New York, NY), 1994.
Man of the House, Disney Press (New York, NY), 1995.
How I Changed My Life, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1995.
Girl Gives Birth to Own Prom Date, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1996.
Hey Dad, Get a Life!, Holiday House (New York, NY), 1996.
How I Spent My Last Night on Earth, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1998.
Kidnap Kids, Putnam (New York, NY), 1998.
Kids' Book of Gross Facts and Feats, Watermill Press, 1998.
Star Wars Episode One, Journal, Anakin Skywalker, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Give a Boy a Gun, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2000.
CON-fidence, Holiday House (New York, NY), 2002.
Thief of Dreams, Putnam (New York, NY), 2003.
Can't Get There from Here, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2004.
Boot Camp, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2007.
"HELP! I'M TRAPPED" SERIES
Help! I'm Trapped in the First Day of School, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
Help! I'm Trapped in My Teacher's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
Help! I'm Trapped in Obedience School, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
Help! I'm Trapped in Santa's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Help! I'm Trapped in My Sister's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Help! I'm Trapped in My Gym Teacher's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Help! I'm Trapped in the President's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Help! I'm Trapped in Obedience School Again, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Help! I'm Trapped in the First Day of Summer Camp, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Help! I'm Trapped in an Alien's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
Help! I'm Trapped in a Movie Star's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Help! I'm Trapped in the Principal's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Help! I'm Trapped in My Lunch Lady's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Help! I'm Trapped in the Camp Counselor's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Help! I'm Trapped in a Professional Wrestler's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.
Help! I'm Trapped in a Vampire's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.
Help! I'm Trapped in a Supermodel's Body, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.
"WORDSWORTH" SERIES
Wordsworth and the Cold Cut Catastrophe, illustrated by Leif Peng, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.
Wordsworth and the Kibble Kidnapping, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.
Wordsworth and the Roast Beef Romance, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.
Wordsworth and the Mail-Order Meatloaf Mess, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.
Wordsworth and the Tasty Treat Trick, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.
The Lip-Smacking Licorice Love Affair, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1996.
"CAMP RUN-A-MUCK" SERIES
Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Mutilated Monkey Meat, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Chopped-up Birdy's Feet, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
"AGAINST THE ODDS" SERIES
Shark Bite, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.
Grizzly Attack, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1998.
Buzzards' Feast, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1999.
Gator Prey, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 1999.
"HERE COMES HEAVENLY" SERIES
Here Comes Heavenly Litebody, Pocket (New York, NY), 1999.
Dance Magic, Pocket (New York, NY), 1999.
Pastabilities, Pocket (New York, NY), 1999.
Spell Danger, Pocket (New York, NY), 1999.
"DON'T GET CAUGHT" SERIES
Driving the School Bus, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.
In the Teacher's Lounge, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.
Wearing a Lunch Lady's Hairnet, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.
In the Girls' Locker Room, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.
"IMPACT ZONE" SERIES
Take Off, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2004.
Cut Back, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2004.
Close Out, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2004.
"DRIFT X" SERIES
Battle Drift, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2006.
Sidewayz Glory, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2006.
Slide or Die, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2006.
"MOB PRINCESS" SERIES
Count Your Blessings, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2007.
For Money and Love, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2007.
Stolen Kisses, Secrets, and Lies, Simon Pulse (New York, NY), 2007.
"TARDY BOYS" SERIES
Is That a Sick Cat in Your Backpack?, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2007.
Is That a Dead Dog in Your Backpack?, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2007.
OTHER
The Complete Computer Popularity Program, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1984.
The Mall from Outer Space, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1987.
The Family Man (novel for adults), St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1988.
Over the Limit (teleplay based on Strasser's The Accident), "ABC Afterschool Special," American Broadcasting Company (New York, NY), 1990.
Super Mario Bros., Hyperion (New York, NY), 1993.
Contributor to periodicals, including New Yorker, Esquire, New York Times, and Village Voice.
ADAPTATIONS:
Workin' for Peanuts was adapted for cable television as a Home Box Office "Family Showcase" presentation, 1985; A Very Touchy Subject was adapted for television as an "ABC Afterschool Special" titled Can a Guy Say No?, 1986; The Accident was adapted for television as an ABC Afterschool special called Over the Limit; How I Created My Perfect Prom Date was released as a Twentieth Century-Fox major motion picture called Drive Me Crazy.
SIDELIGHTS:
Todd Strasser writes critically recognized realistic fiction for preteens and teenagers. In works ranging from Friends till the End: A Novel, the story of a young man stricken with leukemia, to Wildlife, a study of the breakup of a successful rock group, to Can't Get There from Here, an account of a homeless teen, Strasser examines timely subjects to address various concerns of adolescents: drugs, sex, illness, popularity, music. Lacing his work for younger readers with a vein of humor, Strasser has also tantalized even the most reluctant reader to open books with titles like Hey Dad, Get a Life!, Help! I'm Trapped in My Gym Teacher's Body, and Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts. In addition to his many original works of fiction, Strasser has also written novelizations of many popular motion pictures, including some from the Disney Studios. His understanding of the feelings of children and adolescents has made his works popular with young people.
Angel Dust Blues appeared in 1979 and won Strasser critical acclaim. The story, Strasser told Nina Piwoz in Media and Methods, concerns "a group of fairly well-to-do, suburban teenagers who get into trouble with drugs." It was based on actual events Strasser had witnessed when he was growing up. Two years later, he published another young-adult novel, again based on his own experiences. "My second book, Friends till the End, is about a healthy teenager who has a friend who becomes extremely ill with leukemia," he explained to Piwoz. "When I moved to New York, I had a roommate … an old friend of mine. Within a few weeks, he became very ill. I spent a year visiting him in the hospital, not knowing whether he was going to live or die."
Rock 'n' Roll Nights: A Novel, Strasser's third novel under his own name, was a change of pace from the serious themes of his first two works. "It's about a teenage rock and roll band—something with which I had absolutely no direct experience," he told Piwoz. "However, I grew up in the 1960s when rock and roll was really our ‘national anthem.’ I relate much better to rock stars than to politicians. I always wanted to be in a rock band, as did just about everybody I knew." "I think the kind of music teens listen to may change, or what they wear may change," Strasser continued, "but dealing with being popular, friends or the opposite sex, or questions of morality and decency … [I don't think] those things really ever change. I hate to say this, but I think authors tell the same stories—just in today's language and in today's settings." Strasser continued the story of the band Coming Attractions in two sequels, Turn It Up! and Wildlife.
Throughout his career, Strasser has garnered praise for his hard-hitting, realistic stories about teenagers and their problems. For example, The Accident, which Strasser adapted for ABC-TV's "Afterschool Special" series under the title Over the Limit, deals with a drunken-driving incident in which three of four high-school swimming stars are killed. The surviving teen commits himself to understanding what actually happened the night of the accident, in a novel that, in the opinion of Horn Book reviewer Margaret A. Bush, "reads well and competently uses the troublesome occurrence of drunk driving and teenage death to provoke thought and discussion on multifaceted issues."
In Give a Boy a Gun, Strasser "takes a ripped-from-the-headlines approach to the issues surrounding school violence," observed Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy contributor Devon Clancy Sanner. The novel focuses on Gary and Brendan, a pair of outsiders who are tormented by their peers at Middletown High School. When a football player abuses Brendan at a party, the boys determine to seek revenge; armed with pipe bombs and semiautomatic weapons, they break into a school dance and hold their classmates hostage. "This is a disturbing and provocative novel for anyone who wonders how the events at Columbine could have happened, and how such horrors could be avoided," noted Kliatt reviewer Paula Rohrlick. "Both haunting and harrowing, the book deserves a wide readership, discussion, and debate," Michael Cart wrote in Booklist.
Thief of Dreams concerns thirteen-year-old Martin Hunter, whose workaholic parents decide to spend the Christmas holiday in China on a business trip and leave their son with his mysterious Uncle Lawrence. When his uncle disappears each night and returns each morning carrying a black bag, Martin becomes suspicious and soon discovers his Lawrence's cache of sophisticated equipment, including a wetsuit and night-vision goggles. Martin comes to the realization that Lawrence is a professional thief and is torn between his sense of morality and his love for his uncle. According to a Publishers Weekly reviewer, "Strasser shapes a briskly paced tale with some interesting contortions," and a contributor in Kirkus Reviews described the novel as "richly layered and exciting."
Set in New York, New York, Can't Get There from Here examines the problem of teen homelessness. Fifteen-year-old Maybe, tossed from her home by her abusive mother, struggles to survive on the streets during a brutal winter. Maybe and her friends, a ragtag group of runaways and throwaways, spend their days begging or foraging for food, using drugs, and running street scams. "The grimness of these generally short lives is rendered in unsparing detail—many characters die, and Strasser opens several chapters with staccato, police report-like profiles listing names, ages, backgrounds and cause of death," noted Kliatt reviewer Kathryn Kulpa. Joel Shoemaker, reviewing the novel in School Library Journal, called Can't Get There from Here "a powerful and disturbing look at the downward spiral of despair that remains too common for too many teens."
Boot Camp centers on Garrett Durrell, a rebellious, misunderstood youth whose parents disapprove of his relationship with a former teacher. At his parents' request, Garrett is abducted in the middle of the night and shipped to Lake Harmony, a disciplinary facility designed primarily for drug abusers and violent offenders. He rebels against the authoritarian nature of the camp and is subject to physical and psychological abuse by the staff. "Writing in the teen's mature and perceptive voice, Strasser creates characters who will provoke strong reactions from readers," commented School Library Journal reviewer Lynn Rashid, and a critic in Publishers Weekly remarked, "Strasser offers no easy answers, and nimbly navigates a host of moral gray areas." "The novel is a real eye-opener, and the helplessness of teens incarcerated in these boot camps, as exemplified by Garrett, is truly shocking," Rohrlick stated.
Strasser has also produced a large number of light-hearted books for middle graders. The Mall from Outer Space is about aliens who have chosen, for mysterious reasons of their own, to construct shopping centers on Earth. Hey Dad, Get a Life! finds twelve-year-old Kelly and younger sister Sasha haunted by their deceased father. Ghostly Dad proves to be a great help around the house—he makes the girls' beds, tidies their room, does their homework, and even helps out on the soccer field. Booklist contributor Debbie Carton called the work a "lighthearted and occasionally poignant ghost story" that features "appealing, believable characters and a satisfying plot." Equally laudatory in Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Deborah Stevenson described Hey, Dad, Get a Life! as "touchingly yet surprisingly cheerful," and called it "a compassionate and accessible tale of a family's adjustment to loss."
Several novels reveal Strasser's more quirky, humorous side. Girl Gives Birth to Own Prom Date finds ardent environmentalist Nicole taking time off from saving the world to transform her grungy next-door neighbor Chase into the perfect prom date. Praising the novel's "goofy plot twists" and "effervescent dialogue," a Kirkus Reviews critic noted that Strasser's "high humor doesn't detract" from his "understated message about nonconformity and self-acceptance." The author's "Help! I'm Trapped …" books position their young protagonists in everything from the unwieldy body of Santa Claus to the summer camp from hell. In Help! I'm Trapped in Obedience School, for example, Jake's dog, Lance, switches bodies with Jake's friend Andy, and while Andy excels at most things doggy—although he never quite acquires a taste for dog food—Jake spends his time in human form chasing squirrels and barking during school. Calling Strasser's tale "briskly paced," Booklist contributor Chris Sherman wrote that the "easy, breezy" story would appeal to reluctant readers. School Library Journal contributor Cheryl Cufari predicted that readers will relate to the "predicaments in which Strasser's energetic boys find themselves and enjoy this light entertaining read."
Strasser's "Impact Zone" series reflects the author's love of surfing. In Take Off, Strasser introduces Kai, a transplanted Hawaiian who moves with his con-artist father to Sun Haven, a coastal town near New York City. When Kai takes to the beaches, he finds that a group of wealthy surfers, headed by Lucas Frank, claim the beach as their own. In Cut Back, Kai helps a friend with Tourette's syndrome prepare for a surfing competition. "The combination of extreme sport, romance, and teenage melodrama should keep readers, particularly boys, engaged," noted Booklist contributor Ed Sullivan.
Strasser once told CA that "someone who didn't know me well said that because I was a writer I must be a ‘free spirit’ and lead a wonderful life. At first I wanted to tell him he was completely wrong, but then I thought about it and decided he was only half wrong. In a way I am a free spirit, in that I am free to pick any idea or topic and write about it. That, indeed, is a wonderful freedom and I am grateful to have it. Along with that freedom, however, comes an awful lot of hard work." Describing his typical writing day, Strasser remarked to Teacher Librarian contributor Teri S. Lesesne, "When I'm not on the road I generally intend to write every day, weekends included. This doesn't mean I succeed, but it is what I try to do. I try to stay at the computer from 9 till 2 and then, if I've got nothing better to do, I might work a few more hours. But each day, especially in the summer, I try to have an activity that starts by 4 or 5 in the afternoon and gets me out of the apartment."
As Strasser once remarked to CA: "Writing has basically become the default activity of my life. If the waves aren't rideable, and I'm not doing something with a friend or loved one, then I'm probably writing. I feel as if I have many more ideas for books than I will ever have time to write. I hope the overall contribution of my books will be to encourage, in some very small way, people to love and tolerate each other."
BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:
BOOKS
Children's Literature Review, Volume 11, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1986.
Nilsen, Alleen Pace, and Kenneth L. Donelson, Literature for Today's Young Adults, 2nd edition, Scott, Foresman (Glenview, IL), 1985.
Roginski, Jim, Behind the Covers: Interviews with Authors and Illustrators of Books for Children and Young Adults, Libraries Unlimited (Littleton, CO), 1985.
St. James Guide to Young Adult Writers, 2nd edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1999.
PERIODICALS
Best Sellers, May, 1983, review of Workin' for Peanuts, p. 75; June, 1984, review of Turn It Up!, p. 18.
Booklist, April 15, 1987, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Wildlife, p. 1276; January 15, 1992, review of A Very Touchy Subject, p. 933; March 15, 1994, Ilene Cooper, review of Walt Disney's "Lady and the Tramp," p. 1366; May 1, 1995, Anne O'Malley, review of How I Changed My Life, p. 1564; Febru- ary 1, 1996, Chris Sherman, review of Help! I'm Trapped in Obedience School, p. 932; March 15, 1996, review of How I Changed My Life, p. 1296; February 15, 1997, Debbie Carton, review of Hey Dad, Get a Life!, p. 1024; November 1, 1998, Anne O'Malley, review of How I Spent My Last Night on Earth, p. 485; February 15, 1999, Chris Sherman, review of Shark Bite, p. 1072; March 1, 1999, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of Against the Odds: Gator Prey, p. 1214; January 1, 2000, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of Here Comes Heavenly, p. 906; October 1, 2000, Michael Cart, review of Give a Boy a Gun, p. 337; April 15, 2003, Ed Sullivan, review of CON-fidence, p. 1472; March 15, 2004, Hazel Rochman, review of Can't Get There from Here, p. 1299; July, 2004, Ed Sullivan, reviews of Cut Back and Take Off, p. 1835.
Book Report, November-December, 1989, Barbara Wendland, review of Beyond the Reef, p. 47; November-December, 1993, Annette Thorson, "Author Profile: Todd Strasser," p. 30; November-December, 1995, Marilyn Makowski, review of How I Changed My Life, p. 44.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, May, 1983, review of Workin' for Peanuts, p. 180; April, 1984, review of Turn It Up!, p. 156; February, 1985, review of The Complete Computer Popularity Program, p. 117; June, 1985, review of A Very Touchy Subject, p. 196; June, 1995, review of How I Changed My Life, p. 361; March, 1997, Deborah Stevenson, review of Hey Dad, Get a Life!, p. 259.
Emergency Librarian, September, 1987, review of A Very Touchy Subject, p. 29; September, 1996, review of How I Changed My Life, p. 27.
English Journal, April, 1982, Dick Abrahamson, review of The Wave, p. 80; October, 1983, review of Workin' for Peanuts, p. 86; December, 1986, John W. Conner, review of A Very Touchy Subject, p. 60; March, 1988, Terry C. Ley, review of A Very Touchy Subject, p. 85; October, 1991, W. David LeNoir, review of Beyond the Reef, p. 94.
Horn Book, April, 1983, review of Workin' for Peanuts, p. 175; June, 1984, Kate F. Flanagan, review of Turn It Up!, p. 344; May-June, 1985, Ann A. Flowers, review of A Very Touchy Subject, p. 321; March-April, 1986, Todd Strasser, "Stalking the Teen," pp. 236-239; January-February, 1989, Margaret A. Bush, review of The Accident, p. 82; January-February, 1990, Ethel R. Twichell, review of Beyond the Reef, p. 90.
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, November, 1997, review of How I Changed My Life, p. 211; March, 2002, Devon Clancy Sanner and Beth M. Lehman, reviews of Give a Boy a Gun, p. 547; November, 2002, review of Give a Boy a Gun, p. 215.
Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 1996, review of Girl Gives Birth to Own Prom Date, p. 1158; September 1, 1998, p. 1293; December 1, 2002, review of CON-fidence, p. 1775; March 1, 2003, review of Thief of Dreams, p. 399; February 15, 2004, review of Can't Get There from Here, p. 186.
Kliatt, May, 2002, Paula Rohrlick, review of Give a Boy a Gun, p. 22; March, 2003, Paula Rohrlick, review of Thief of Dreams, p. 16; March, 2005, Sarah Applegate, review of Cut Back, p. 23; March, 2006, Kathryn Kulpa, review of Can't Get There from Here, p. 25; May, 2007, Paula Rohrlick, review of Boot Camp, p. 21.
Library Journal, January 1, 1988, Joyce Smothers, review of The Family Man, p. 100.
Media and Methods, February, 1983, Nina Piwoz, "The Writers Are Writing: I Was a Teenage Boy—An Interview with Todd Strasser."
Publishers Weekly, November 27, 1981, Jean F. Mercier, review of The Wave, p. 88; December 4, 1987, Sybil Steinberg, review of The Family Man, p. 63; June 14, 1991, review of Beyond the Reef, p. 59; June 5, 1995, review of How I Changed My Life, p. 64; June 24, 1996, review of How I Changed My Life, p. 62; February 15, 1999, review of Close Call, p. 108; November 15, 1999, review of Here Comes Heavenly, p. 67; November 25, 2002, review of CON-fidence, p. 69; February 24, 2003, review of Thief of Dreams, p. 73; April 26, 2004, review of Can't Get There from Here, p. 66; January 2, 2006, review of Slide or Die, p. 64; May 14, 2007, review of Boot Camp, p. 55.
Reading Teacher, October, 1993, review of Honey, I Blew up the Kid, p. 138; November, 1993, review of The Diving Bell, p. 249; October, 1995, review of Help! I'm Trapped in the First Day of School, p. 145.
School Library Journal, March 1, 1982, review of The Wave, p. 160; August 1, 1983, review of Workin' for Peanuts, p. 80; August 1, 1984, review of Turn It Up!, p. 87; November 1, 1984, Maureen S. Dugan, review of The Complete Computer Popularity Program, p. 138; April 1, 1985, Gerry Larson, review of A Very Touchy Subject, p. 100; September 1, 1989, Susan H. Williamson, review of Beyond the Reef, p. 278; June 1, 1992, Gail Richmond, review of The Diving Bell, p. 126; May 1, 1995, Cindy Darling Codell, review of How I Changed My Life, p. 123; February, 1996, Cheryl Cufari, review of Help! I'm Trapped in ObedienceSchool, p. 104; January 1, 2000, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of Here Comes Heavenly, p. 906; August, 2000, Jane Halsall, review of Pastabilities, p. 190; September, 2000, Vicki Reutter, review of Give a Boy a Gun, p. 237; February, 2002, Francisca Goldsmith, review of Give a Boy a Gun, p. 75; March, 2003, Todd Morning, review of Thief of Dreams, p. 241; March, 2004, Joel Shoemaker, review of Can't Get There from Here, p. 220; August, 2004, Ashley Larsen, review of Take Off, p. 130; February, 2006, Michele Capozzella, review of Slide or Die, p. 138; April, 2007, Lynn Rashid, review of Boot Camp, p. 148.
Teacher Librarian, December, 2000, review of Give a Boy a Gun, p. 44; February, 2003, "Surfing for Readers: An Interview with Todd Strasser," p. 48.
Times Educational Supplement, May 24, 1991, review of The Wave, p. 24.
Voice of Youth Advocates, October, 1983, review of Workin' for Peanuts, p. 209; June, 1984, review of Turn It Up!, p. 98; February, 1985, review of The Complete Computer Popularity Program, p. 333; June, 1985, review of A Very Touchy Subject, p. 136; October, 1989, review of Beyond the Reef, p. 217; February, 1990, review of Cookie, p. 348, and review of Moving Target, p. 348; June, 1992, review of The Diving Bell, p. 102; October, 1995, review of How I Changed My Life, p. 224; April, 2003, review of CON-fidence, p. 60.
Wilson Library Bulletin, April 1, 1983, Patty Campbell, review of Workin' for Peanuts, p. 693; March 1, 1985, Patty Campbell, review of A Very Touchy Subject, p. 485; January 1, 1990, review of Beyond the Reef, p. 4.
ONLINE
Todd Strasser's Home Page,http://www.toddstrasser.com (August 10, 2007).