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Jan 23, 2012

Kaleiah rated it:

This book was about a young teenager named Butterball. Buterball isn't the perfect teenager, he makes very por decisions. He fights because he has no other way to express his anger.Now, that Butterball goes to see a psycholgist his anger level has decreased and he's learning to control his anger. Butterball does what he sees others do that's why he acts like a tough kid all the time.

This book teaches you hoe to treat others the way youb want to be treated. If you wan More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jan 21, 2012

Teena rated it:

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it. The voice of the story is Butterball, a 13 year old overweight black kid who is just trying to fit in. He thinks his mother is selfish and only making decisions to better her life without any regard to his. He worships his dad who lives in the city and, unbeknownst to Butterball, is not the best dad.

After getting into a fight, Butterball has to see a therapist twice a week so he can resolve his issues. Butterball feels that "Old More...

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Jan 08, 2012

Charlene rated it:

I admit I was skeptical about this book. I don't know a lot about 50 Cent as I'm honestly not a fan of rap music but for some reason, in my head, I didn't see him as an author. I hadn't read the back of the book before I started it, but when I completed it, I was pleasantly surprised to see this wasn't the first book by Curtis Jackson III (50 Cent) and that he had previously written two others. After completing Playground, I can assure you that I will be checking out his other books too. Playgro More...

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Dec 20, 2011

Sandra rated it:

When I was given the opportunity to possibly win a copy of this book I signed up only because I loved the premise of the book. I honestly knew nothing about the author except I believed he was a rapper. After getting the book and reading it I decided to look up the author. I read several articles on him and his reasons for writing the book. I could not say I expected him to say he was a bully at some point in his life as I knew nothing about him or his music. I was pleased to realize that t More...

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Nov 27, 2011

Cathe rated it:

Butterball is a bully who's kicking younger kids around to make himself feel like somebody. He thinks his bad behavior will get him respect. And when he bashes his ex-best friend with a sock full of batteries, he does seem to get respect . . . from kids at school, from other bullies and even from his mostly absentee father. But are those the people he wants respect from? What about the nice girl at school Nia or his hardworking mother? Butterball is at the crossroads and needs to decide what pat More...

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Nov 06, 2011

April rated it:

Originally reviewed here

I won’t lie, when I first heard that 50 Cent had a book out about bullying, I was skeptical, thinking why not leave writing to the real authors. But on further consideration, I thought I would give Playground a chance as I enjoy 50 Cent’s music AND I think that there is an audience for Playground.

Playground
Butterball, a 13 year old boy, is a bully. He finds himself in counseling after assaulting another boy, Maurice, with a sock full of More...

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Jan 24, 2012

Amy rated it:

Playground is the story of "Butterball," an 8th grader who finds himself in counseling after attacking a fellow student with a sock full of batteries. As Butterball opens up to his counselor, we learn about his motives and his personal struggles dealing with a sometimes-available father who is a terrible role model and a mother who Butterball has a hard time seeing eye to eye with.

Despite the simple text, Butterball is a complex character who faces many of the struggles mos More...

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Jan 25, 2012

Sandra rated it:

This is not 50 Cent's first book, but it was the first one I'd heard about and the plot sounded good enough that I decided I had to read it, if not just to see what 50 Cent might write about. The first half of the book had me kind of on edge - I wasn't sure if I was liking it - but by the end of the book I found I'd really enjoy it. Not too many people can make me feel sympathy for a bully, and yet I had some for Butterball.

An interesting plot point, which I don't want to ruin for yo More...

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Jan 03, 2012

707nick rated it:

I think the book Playground by 50 Cent, a.k.a, Curtis Jackson is a good book. I think it portrays the inner city life and how it effects childhood very well, probably because the author had it happen to him firsthand. I think it was a good book because it showed all the problems and self made accomplishments that a boy of that age would have, such as earning money and girl problems. I think the character Butterball has some very different emotions that change like the More...

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Nov 07, 2011

Lucy rated it:

Playground is Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s debut young adult novel about teen bullying. He explores this topical issue by sharing some of his own experiences in this fictionalized story. He hopes to reach out to kids to show how bullies are created and that there is hope to overcome it. As a parent, I’m very interested in this topic and was curious to read a story written from the bully’s perspective as a fresh change of pace.

The story is narrated by thirteen-year-old Butterball, nick More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 26, 2012

Mary Fran rated it:

Butterball is thirteen, overweight, and in big trouble. He viciously attacked Maurice on the playground at school and now he has to talk to some therapist, as if that’s going to help him? He knows if he could just get away from Long Island and move back to the city, where his dad still lives, everything would be great. Through flashbacks and therapy sessions, we gradually unpeel the many layers of Butterball’s story. The cover bills this novel as “The mostly true story of a former bully”--and wa More...

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Jan 13, 2012

Heidi rated it:

50 Cent has written a winner; Playground looks at how an urban teen boy reacts to the divorce of his parents, being overweight, and wanting to fit in. This story is told through the eyes and words of Butterball, who is a bully. After beating a former friend with a sock filled with batteries, he must attend counseling sessions. Adverse to talking about what happened, Butterball initially doesn't seem to get much from the sessions but he gradually opens up. Wanting to please his dad, his mom, More...

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Jan 29, 2012

Jessica rated it:

Ugh. I know that this book will appeal to certain readers. And I know that those are the readers that need more books to appeal to them. But... Well, the book is just so... ugh. But my criticisms of it come from such an old-white-lady perspective. I was annoyed by the fact that his father stole shoes and there was no consequence. I was annoyed that Butterball's "growth" was when he stood up for a little kid by menacing another kid. I was annoyed that the illustration on the cove More...

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Nov 10, 2011

Mocha ღ Latte rated it:

More of my reviews at A Cupcake and a Latte:YA Reads, Reviews & More!

From The Bully's Perspective
A detailed telling of how one boy becomes a bully and how he copes with it.

I am the most reluctant reader when it comes to novels plastered with celebrity names. Why? Well, they haven't always left me with the most positive feelings. For one, most are written by ghost writers and I find it highly distasteful when a celebrity claims the right to plaster their name on some More...

3 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 08, 2011

Anna rated it:

When I got offered a review copy of this book, I was a little skeptical about it, but I decided to give it a chance. When I actually read it, I was very pleasantly surprised about how interesting and well written the book was. In fact, I ended up reading the book in a single day because I couldn't put it down.

The cover of the book was not one of my favourite aspects of the book. My biggest complaint was that 50 Cent's name was larger than the title. I do however, like the way the col More...

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Dec 01, 2011

Additeenlibrarian rated it:

What makes a kid turn into a bully? There is not one easy answer to that question and 50 Cent does a good job showing us the mind of Butterball, his 13-year-old protagonist. B-Ball is a confused young man, trying to find his way through difficult situations with very little help. Very little, that is, until he smashes his ex-best-friend in the face with a sock full of batteries and is forced to go to counseling. It's not like his life gets instantly better, but slowly he figures out how to deal More...

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Nov 23, 2011

Evie rated it:

This review was originally posted to my blog - Bookish as a part of the MEN in YA event

When I first heard that 50 Cent wrote a book I was utterly baffled. I mean, seriously? 50 Cent? Writing Young Adult books? It was like trying to imagine Snoop Dog singing in opera, the idea was ridiculous. I'm not a fan of 50 Cent, I don't think I ever listened to any of his songs.. I admit, I don't know much about him as a person, either. It's just that.. he never really struck me as the writing typ More...

4 comments like

Nov 12, 2011

Reading Vacation's Mom rated it:

I was really surprised when Playground showed up in the mail. Come on now! WHAT could I have in common with a bully named Butterball? I went into the book with really low expectations. I. WAS. WRONG. Playground was a deep thinking type of read for me and Butterball was a sort of hero. I could see a lot of middle school and high school boys liking it.

Butterball was an overweight African American kid from the city with umm… a lot… of issues. At first, Butterball was not an easy charact More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 21, 2011

Andrea Jean rated it:

I was about to type "I actually liked this book..." but the word "actually" would imply some kind of surprise, and frankly I'm not surprised at all that I enjoyed it. It's about this chubby kid nicknamed Butterball who lives in the suburbs with his mom and has to start seeing a therapist after he beats the crap out of a kid on the playground.

Oh yeah, and it was "written" by 50 Cent.

The story is fast paced (short chapters!) and highly readable More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 22, 2012

Debbie rated it:

I'm torn between giving this 3 stars and 4 stars. Let me explain why.

I teach remedial reading to urban high school students who have never gotten through a whole chapter book ever. I'm constantly searching for books that will grab them, via the author or front cover or subject matter, and get them all the way through. When I found this book, I thought it might be one of those books, and I was right. It's a quick read, with fairly short chapters and bigger-than-average type. It sta More...

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Jan 27, 2012

Isabel rated it:

Surprisingly enough, this book was quite a read. It wasn't the best book I've read but it was interesting. We find our main character "Butterball" (as he likes to be called) in trouble for hitting a kid with a sock of batteries and forced to see a therapist to figure him out. Through these abundant sessions we get to hear his stories about his school and home life between his parents divorce and wisdom, and all leading up to why Butterball did what he did. It was actually well thought More...

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Feb 20, 2012

Mrs. ReaderPants rated it:

More reviews at http://readerpants.blogspot.com

WHAT I LIKED: Who knew I would love this book? I picked it up at the public library having never heard of it, and I picked it up because of the colorful front cover and who the author is. Narrator "Butterball" is likeable, even though he is angry, violent, and oh-so-far from the perfect kid. His voice is genuine, and many teen readers will see themselves in him. Push all that anger and "fronting" aside, and he is a sc More...

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Dec 29, 2011

Laura rated it:

I'm pretty sure there was a ghostwriter involved, but the tone sounds like something an "internationally famous" rapper would write. And while I was expecting a fictionalized account of what "50"'s life was like it didn't appear to be that (although I admit I don't know much about his life). At times there was a slight moralizing tone, possibly because the author wanted to point out that there are other ways than his to get through childhood.

"Butterball" More...

1 comment like

Oct 30, 2011

KBev rated it:

I kind of hate to say it, but it really wasn't that bad. A good story about bullies from a former bully - and how reacting to an experience when you don't know the full story is never a good idea - and can cost you your friends. I just wish there was a less explicit version that I could recommend to kids around middle school. I know that it helps give it its own gangster feel, but still. Was a little excessive to recommend for middle schoolers to read.

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Jan 12, 2012

Chase rated it:

I am currently reading playground, it is a great book it has a little bit of coarse language and a couple of racist and sexist comments but it is a griping novel of curtis jackson the 3rd's(50 cent's)life as an adolesence. he faces challenges like bullys,relationships, counciling and all the other challenges that we as teenagers face nearly everyday. I love the book so far becuse he has been unafraid to tell the events exactly like they happend.

2 comments like

Jan 16, 2012

Joy rated it:

I almost bought this book for my sons for Christmas and I'm glad I held off until after I read it. At first glance, the voice of this 13 year old black male protagonist sounds like something my 11 year old sons would like to read. But the language and themes of this book were *far beyond* their maturity level. It's a well written story about an inner city bully but despite the protagonist's age, I wouldn't recommend this book for middle schoolers. If my sons want to read it in high school I w More...

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Jan 05, 2012

Rachel rated it:

This story of a bully and his redemption was a lot better than I expected. The main character Butterball is authentic and raw and honest. I especially enjoyed his growth and progression as he started looking inwards and realizing what kind of person he was becoming, and how he felt about it. There is a fair amount of swearing, but it's in context for the character and kids in middle school will get enough out of it that it can be overlooked.

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Jan 29, 2012

Stephanie rated it:

I had low expectations for this book, but was blown away. The second chapter was a little too violent and threw me off, but once I got past that the story was fantastic. Butterball was easy to like and root for, his story was complex, the end was satisfying, and the message of the whole book a positive one. The fact that 50 cent is the writer lends some authority to the overall message: Art can save lives.

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Oct 11, 2011

Chrissey rated it:

Not only has 50 Cent provided a decent resource for young folks and those who support them, but he's written a relatively enjoyable novel besides. He makes a great case for the theory that bullies are often bullied themselves, and provides relatable insight into a "mean kid's" secret thoughts and vulnerabilities. Sure the plot is predictable, and the characters are little more than tired stereotypes, but overall this book is pretty damn a'ight.

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 06, 2011

Audrey rated it:

This book wasn't great, but wasn't bad, either. It is hard to categorize as it doesn't really fit anywhere. The language, some character interactions, and level of violence are young adult, but the simplicity of the plot and Butterball's character progression are much more middle grade. It's hard to imagine who this book will appeal to: middle graders probably won't be allowed to read it, while older teens might find it too easy.

2 comments like