The Duke of Bannerman Prep

March 27, 2017
When Tanner McKay, the 16-year-old son of a struggling single mother, receives a scholarship to Bannerman Prep School, he believes that it’s his ticket to a brighter future. Paired with Andrew “the Duke” Tate to lead the debate team to victory, Tanner is initially put off by the Duke’s cocky and seemingly lazy attitude. But Tanner slowly gets sucked into the Duke’s flashy world, full of fast cars, partying, trading favors, and money. Little does Tanner realize that the Duke isn’t who he says he is, and it isn’t long before Tanner must figure out how to save himself. In an effective contemporary update of The Great Gatsby, debut novelist Nelson accurately reflects the stresses high school students face in both academics and extracurricular activities. Through Tanner’s realistic voice and the situations he faces, readers comes to believe that a place like Bannerman and a boy like the Duke could actually exist, though Nelson is careful not to romanticize the Duke’s criminal behavior or Tanner’s role in it. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kirsten Carleton, Prospect Literary.

April 1, 2017
Debate is Tanner's talent, but is he good enough to succeed at his new school?If Tanner does well at Bannerman Prep, he has a good chance at getting a scholarship to an elite college. It's just his luck to land Andrew Tate, or "the Duke," as everyone calls him, as a debate partner. The Duke does very little in the way of preparation, leaving all the work to Tanner, so Tanner is surprised when they actually perform really well together. The two white teens start to spend more and more time together, along with the rest of the members of the debate team, a couple of whom are described as people of color. But there's a price to this life, and Tanner, with worries about his overworked mom and disabled younger brother, can't afford that price. In her debut novel, Nelson offers a contemporary retelling of The Great Gatsby that goes beyond many of the themes of the original novel to make for a spirited look at what happens when a good kid makes some bad choices in a place where consequences don't always follow. The private school setting is written with an authentic mix of charm and weirdness, although the characters are perhaps overly iconic in their wealthy kid/poor kid roles. A satisfying examination of morality and the decisions that change our lives. (Fiction. 14-18)

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June 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-Tanner McKay transfers to Bannerman Prep, an elite private school to which he has been awarded a scholarship after his public school's debate victory. Once there, he is paired up with the rich and popular student called the Duke. The Duke is well liked for his easy manner, parties, connections, and ways of getting things for his friends, but doesn't pull his weight when it comes to debate. When Tanner gets pulled into the Duke's glamorous lifestyle, everything comes crashing down around him. Facing the consequences and learning about the Duke's secrets almost cost Tanner everything he's dreamed about. The realistic novel set in present-day California is a retelling of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Tanner is well developed, but the supporting characters are less so. The language is realistic given the setting, and the plot is nicely paced and well developed. High school students who love Gatsby will enjoy this novel, and it may encourage others to give the original a try. VERDICT A solid purchase for large collections, especially where YA retellings of classics are popular.-Terri Lent, Patrick Henry High School, Ashland, VA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2017
Grades 9-12 Private school has never been a possibility for Tanner McKay; money is tight, and his single mom works long hours to support Tanner's intellectually disabled brother. But Tanner is a debate team champion, and elite boarding school Bannerman Prep wants him. Bannerman could mean a chance at college scholarships, and Tanner's ready to win. But then Tanner is assigned his debate partner: the party-throwing school playboy everyone calls the Duke. The Duke doesn't seem to have much of a work ethic, but he does have a flashy car and a string of people willing to do him favors. He has also set his sights on Tanner's cousin, despite her jealous boyfriend, and as Tanner covers for them, he's immersed in the Duke's high-stakes world as the Duke himself grows only more mysterious. This debut is more homage to The Great Gatsby than retelling, and the story is better for it. The glitzy prep-school backdrop is offset by the cutthroat world of scholarship competitions, and Tanner's moral struggles ring heartbreakingly true.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)