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463rd out of 1,146 books
—
5,768 voters
How to Steal a Car
by
Pete Hautman
From National Book Award winner Pete Hautman, the story of a girl who acts out by stealing cars.
Some girls act out by drinking or doing drugs. Some girls act out by sleeping with guys. Some girls act out by starving themselves or cutting themselves. Some girls act out by being a bitch to other girls.
Not Kelleigh. Kelleigh steals cars.
In How to Steal a Car, National Book Aw...more
Some girls act out by drinking or doing drugs. Some girls act out by sleeping with guys. Some girls act out by starving themselves or cutting themselves. Some girls act out by being a bitch to other girls.
Not Kelleigh. Kelleigh steals cars.
In How to Steal a Car, National Book Aw...more
Hardcover, 170 pages
Published
September 1st 2009
by Scholastic Press
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Now I don't know if this is just me, but I didn't get this book at all. It didn't even feel real. It felt like this was an outline for a book, and the whole time I just wished Pete Hautman had finished it. Everything about it was so underdeveloped. There was so much going on and none of it connected. Her father defending a rapist, her and her best friend liking their other friend and him not liking them, her mom's drinking, her dad's affair, her friend getting molested, that one guy and the base...more
I don't even know how to start. This is one of the books I have disliked the most. And I have read a lot of books. What catched my eye was the title: How To Steal A Car. The cover isn't very good but, like Will would say, whatever. The book wasn't very interesting. I had to make myself read it and it took me longer than it should've; given that it is only 170 pages long. Basically, the only thing Kalleigh talks about is stealing cars and some more about her personal life. However, I feel like it...more
Kelleigh Monahan seems to live the perfect life--good parents,no problems unless you count a classic book you need to read and it turns out to be Moby Dick and a best friend, Jen, who shares a boyfriend named Will with you, as problems. Perhaps Kelleigh's seemingly perfect life is the problem because--it's boring. So when Kelleigh sees a Nissan owner drop his car keys, she convinces Jen to go with her on a joy ride, despite the fact that she has no driver's license and of course they share the a...more
this book isn't getting the same "4 stars" that ultraviolet got.
ultraviolet got an "I really like this RIGHT NOW to a very high 3 stars and i'm just being stingy really" 4 stars. this book is getting an "I would have thought this was awesome when I was 14 and it's not painful to read now, and i'm feeling generous because it was a quick read" 4 stars. basically they are different kinds of good.
this is the first book I've read in the "Jasmine project" that is what I stereotypically think of as t...more
ultraviolet got an "I really like this RIGHT NOW to a very high 3 stars and i'm just being stingy really" 4 stars. this book is getting an "I would have thought this was awesome when I was 14 and it's not painful to read now, and i'm feeling generous because it was a quick read" 4 stars. basically they are different kinds of good.
this is the first book I've read in the "Jasmine project" that is what I stereotypically think of as t...more
3 likes · like · see review
The best moments in any Pete Hautman book are the ones where a teen realizes an adult in her life (particularly one who is much-admired) is no more adept at proficiently displaying mature judgement than the struggling girl herself. Hautman's grownups get the electric bill and the payroll check, but they're often no more mature at heart than their children. Sometimes the adults are downright predatory (Deke Moffet in How to Steal a Car and "Draco" in Sweetblood.)
For a young adult to recognize
-...more
For a young adult to recognize
-...more
Pete Hautman is a young adult author from Minnesota. I like to give an extra plug to local Minnesota authors when I do booktalks. I am ashamed to say that I had never read one of his books until now - too many books, too little time. What prompted me was that a local high school did a community read of sorts where they asked interested students and community members to read any of Hautman's books and then attend a free to the public discussion of this work. Since "How to Steal a Car" is his late...more
OK, here's what I would do if I won a National Book Award for a novel as fantastic as Godless. I'd kick it up a notch. I'd create a more complex and edgier main character and I'd get her involved with some deep pscycho-emotional behavior that seems harmless at the beginning, but spirals into the uncontrollable as the pages turn.
What I might do differently than Pete Hautman, is I might follow the tried and true yet predictable path of having Kelliegh, my main character, come to some moment of tr...more
What I might do differently than Pete Hautman, is I might follow the tried and true yet predictable path of having Kelliegh, my main character, come to some moment of tr...more
Hmmm... HTSAC starts off like lightning. Within the first couple of pages, the 15-year-old main character has actually stolen her first car. Her observations are pithy and funny and cool. Her interactions with her friends (her best friend and their boyfriend... yes, there's only one boyfriend for two girls... the explanation is hilarious) are realistic and relatable. Because the characters are so solid and interesting and the style is so complete, it's easy to miss the fact that the plot isn't s...more
Kelleigh Monahan is not a car thief. So maybe she took some guy’s car for a joyride after picking up the keys he dropped. So what if she took her dad’s Lexus for a drive in the middle of the night without his permission. Just a couple of instances don’t add up to “car thief;” she did return those cars after all. But eventually, Kelleigh finds herself being enticed into stealing more cars, by the excitement, by all the other drama going on in her life, even once by necessity. And these times, Kel...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Some people steal a car for the money. Some people steal a car for revenge. Some people steal a car just because. Kelleigh is a person in the last category. It all starts when a man drops his keys in the parking lot and Kelleigh picks them up and decides that instead of returning them, she will keep them. Then she accidentally finds out where he lives, and therefore where he keeps his car, and ends up taking it for a little joy ride. All this before she even has her license. After this incident...more
The jacketflap for this book says that Kelleigh chooses to act out her teenage angst by stealing cars instead of drinking, drugs, or having sex. Like other girls her age. This is what made me pick up the book in the first place, and I happily settled down to read it.
But acting out doesn't appear to be Kelleigh's motivation for stealing cars. Or, rather, 'borrowing' cars. She wasn't acting out when she picked up the first set of keys. She didn't do that until much later in the story. Which kind o...more
But acting out doesn't appear to be Kelleigh's motivation for stealing cars. Or, rather, 'borrowing' cars. She wasn't acting out when she picked up the first set of keys. She didn't do that until much later in the story. Which kind o...more
Mar 13, 2010
Kayla Nicole
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
someone looking for a light quick good read
Pros:
- original plot
- kelleigh is funny and naive but somewhat wise at the same time
- kelleigh and her best friends relationship is real in that many of us have that friend that we have been friends with for a long time but sometimes you just question why you still associate with that person
- i liked the balance between normal teen life and grand theft auto
- the book touches on how everyone just needs an escape and to pretend on some level.
Cons:
- I don't like when there is no real definitive end...more
- original plot
- kelleigh is funny and naive but somewhat wise at the same time
- kelleigh and her best friends relationship is real in that many of us have that friend that we have been friends with for a long time but sometimes you just question why you still associate with that person
- i liked the balance between normal teen life and grand theft auto
- the book touches on how everyone just needs an escape and to pretend on some level.
Cons:
- I don't like when there is no real definitive end...more
I'd never really thought about auto theft, or the people who engaged in it, before reading this book. I learned that some do it for money, others for revenge, and others simply for fun, or any of a thousand other reasons. The point is, you never know who is going to engage in that sort of risky behavior ... it may even be a seemingly normal teenage girl, like the main character in this book. The girl's home life is not as placid as it seems on the outside, which, no doubt, helps fuel some of her...more
How to Steal a Car is certainly much shorter of a book than I thought it would be. I easily read it in one sitting, and was left wanting a little more than it had to give.
The narrative voice of Kelleigh our car thief is very fluid and often times humorous, which was the big plus of the story for me. Ultimately, the length of the book was the downfall - with little time to build the world or characters, nothing really stuck with me afterwards, making this book an 'okay' read rather than a great o...more
The narrative voice of Kelleigh our car thief is very fluid and often times humorous, which was the big plus of the story for me. Ultimately, the length of the book was the downfall - with little time to build the world or characters, nothing really stuck with me afterwards, making this book an 'okay' read rather than a great o...more
I certainly remembered John Green's fictions, particularly, the Paper Towns.
I never really got bored of this book even though they were some kind of odd moments.
The thing about this book is, Kelleigh is like talking to you.
This book is humorous and eventually will make you laugh a lot (But P.S.: It's some kind of deep, though).
I highly recommend this book to all the John Green fanatics there, and even those who are not fond of John Green, because If you're really a book lover, then probably you...more
I never really got bored of this book even though they were some kind of odd moments.
The thing about this book is, Kelleigh is like talking to you.
This book is humorous and eventually will make you laugh a lot (But P.S.: It's some kind of deep, though).
I highly recommend this book to all the John Green fanatics there, and even those who are not fond of John Green, because If you're really a book lover, then probably you...more
I really love Hautman's writing. He does such a great job of building characters, and the world around them is so rich. In this book, he did a masterful job of layering in details about Kelleigh's homelife, so that you gradually realize that she's not always an impartial narrator. I really enjoyed reading this, I really like the cover, the title's a great hook, and I BELIEVE him.
But here's my problem. It's because I'm a librarian who's always looking for a good booktalk book for middle schoolers...more
But here's my problem. It's because I'm a librarian who's always looking for a good booktalk book for middle schoolers...more
1 like · like · see review
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I am a big Pete Hautman fan (loved Godless, Invisible, Rash & Blank Confessions), but this book came up short. Maybe my expectations were too high. Certainly a fast read, and interesting enough to keep me engaged until the end. Unfortunately, the book felt like it was just getting started when I got to the end. It's well-written, but it feels like a beginning. It's entertaining to read about stealing cars, but I wasn't entertained enough to get past the underdeveloped relationships between K...more
Like his other books, Hautman's How to Steal A Car is beautifully written. His research is seamlessly added to the book, and the short chapters are tightly edited. There were times when I had trouble believing the main character's femaleness: for instance, when she describes what is is like having a man look at her, it is described externally (hair-twirling and giggles) rather than internally (i.e., burning with red-hot embarrassment). However, the thing I found most troubling was the amorality...more
Just like drugs or alcohol, stealing cars can be addicting...just ask Kelleigh Monahan. In How to Steal a Car, Kelleigh lives through her tumultuous teenage years by getting high on the danger of riding in a forbidden car. It starts innocently enough...she sees a Nissan owner drop his keys, and presto!...wheels. She graduates to Hummers and Mercedes, under the watchful and experienced eye of Deke, who has done time already for stealing cars.
By the end of the book, when she nearly gets caught at...more
By the end of the book, when she nearly gets caught at...more
kelleigh steals the first car because she's bored, and the opportunity drops into her lap. and then there's another opportunity, and another- and soon kelleigh is googling youtube videos on hotwiring and going into business with the high school delinquent. and she doesn't even have her driver's license yet.
kelleigh's not even sure how she got to that point, and that's what i like about the book. her family has a few issues, like any other, but she's not from A Troubled Home. her behavior isn't e...more
kelleigh's not even sure how she got to that point, and that's what i like about the book. her family has a few issues, like any other, but she's not from A Troubled Home. her behavior isn't e...more
Pete Hautman's newest YA book is a quick read, narrated by fifteen-year-old Kelleigh Monahan. She dresses like a nun, chooses Moby Dick of all books for her summer reading assignment, and has two best friends. But Kelleigh is not the conservative girl that she seems. When a man drops his keys in a mall parking lot and forgets them, Kelleigh takes his car for a spin and keeps his keys. More and more opportunities arise for Kelleigh to hone for car-thieving skills. Will she ever get caught?
The pro...more
The pro...more
Fifteen-year-old, suburban high school student Kelleigh, who has her learner's permit, recounts how she began stealing cars one summer, for reasons that seem unclear even to her.
Pete Hautman is one of the great teen writers around. Each of his books is thought-provoking, authentic and harsh in a way that refuses to accept an easy resolution. All of these qualities are hallmarks of quality teen literature. It's never as simple as adults want it to be; instead here are layers upon layers of comple...more
Pete Hautman is one of the great teen writers around. Each of his books is thought-provoking, authentic and harsh in a way that refuses to accept an easy resolution. All of these qualities are hallmarks of quality teen literature. It's never as simple as adults want it to be; instead here are layers upon layers of comple...more
So pretty much I loved this novel. It had a lot of deep meaning to it that no one really looks at and everyone is just wow this sucks because blah blah blah and blah blah blah. Most don't grasp that Kelleigh is pretty much all by her self most of the time. She doesn't have a bond to another character so most want ot say " wow she has a perfect life, everything is perfect for her " when it's really not. At the end of the book you find out some things about her parents that might make it rough for...more
There is a really clear mistake in this book. It takes place in several Twin Cities suburbs as well as in Taylors Falls. At one point they drive into Stillwater, and it is described as a town located "west" of St. Paul. It is most definitely not west- you take 35E North to 36 East and then you go North from there- so it is actually Northeast of St. Paul, not West. If you go West, you will be headed toward Minneapolis. The author is from Minnesota, so I was surprised about this.
Aside from that, i...more
Aside from that, i...more
Kelleigh is not your typical car thief. For one, she's a girl, and two, she's a suburban teenager. When Kelleigh and her friend are sitting outside the mall, she notices a man drop his keys without noticing. She thinks of returning the man's keys but instead decides to take them and his car for a spin.
The second car Kelleigh decides to steal is a Hummer. It's owner deserves whatever he gets and after getting a copy of his key, she takes it out for a revengeful joyride.
With each car she steals, t...more
The second car Kelleigh decides to steal is a Hummer. It's owner deserves whatever he gets and after getting a copy of his key, she takes it out for a revengeful joyride.
With each car she steals, t...more
Kelleigh is your typical 15-year-old suburbanite...generally frustrated with her parents and their juvenile behavior, sort of bored with her friends, no boyfriend but a couple who seem like they could be possibilities...
But Kelleigh is B-O-R-E-D. She gets her rush from stealing cars. At first it's just an opportunity that falls in her lap. Then it's a joke. And then it gets increasingly more serious.
Kelleigh is working through some real issues in this book and I liked that. As a character thoug...more
But Kelleigh is B-O-R-E-D. She gets her rush from stealing cars. At first it's just an opportunity that falls in her lap. Then it's a joke. And then it gets increasingly more serious.
Kelleigh is working through some real issues in this book and I liked that. As a character thoug...more
Genre: YA, Adventure
Kelleigh starts to steal cars over one summer. At first it is just for fun or for a prank and she returns them. But then she actually steals a car for money and for the thrill. After which she leads us to believe, she is done and is not a car thief, just someone who has stolen cars. We are left with the feeling that this was just a stage and no consequences will come of her stealing the cars. I enjoyed the read, it was fun, mostly light hearted, and amusing. Though I doubt wh...more
Kelleigh starts to steal cars over one summer. At first it is just for fun or for a prank and she returns them. But then she actually steals a car for money and for the thrill. After which she leads us to believe, she is done and is not a car thief, just someone who has stolen cars. We are left with the feeling that this was just a stage and no consequences will come of her stealing the cars. I enjoyed the read, it was fun, mostly light hearted, and amusing. Though I doubt wh...more
Oct 09, 2009
Kate
added it
I love Pete Hautman's writing, and I was intrigued by the concept of this book. After all, how often do you hear about a girl car thief from a nice, respectable family? I really liked the way Hautman dealt with this main character, gradually lifting the curtain on her family, which went from perfect to not-so-perfect as we saw more and more of them. The ending, I have to say, left me wondering. I was so ready for one thing to happen and then....well...I'll wait & see what other people think...more
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Pete Hautman is the author of Godless, which won the National Book Award, and many other critically acclaimed books for teens and adults, including Blank Confession, All-In, Rash, No Limit, and Invisible. Mr. Was was nominated for an Edgar Award by the Mystery Writers of America. Pete lives in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Visit him at petehautman.com.
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“We were defined by what we did. What we had to do.
I think this is why guys like football, and why they join the army, because as long as you are playing the game or following orders you do not have to figure out who you really are.”
—
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I think this is why guys like football, and why they join the army, because as long as you are playing the game or following orders you do not have to figure out who you really are.”
It's true what they say, sometimes less is more.
Oct 06, 2011 02:49pm