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Word Nerd
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
20 posts | 18 read | 7 to read
Twelve-year-old Ambrose is a glass-half-full kind of guy. A self-described friendless nerd, he moves from place to place every couple of years with his overprotective mother, Irene. When some bullies at his new school almost kill him by slipping a peanut into his sandwich even though they know he has a deathly allergy Ambrose is philosophical. Irene, however, is not and decides that Ambrose will be home-schooled. Alone in the evenings when Irene goes to work, Ambrose pesters Cosmo, the twenty-five-year-old son of the Greek landlords who live upstairs. Cosmo has just been released from jail for breaking and entering to support a drug habit. Quite by accident, Ambrose discovers that they share a love of Scrabble and coerces Cosmo into taking him to the West Side Scrabble Club, where Cosmo falls for Amanda, the club director. Posing as Ambroses Big Brother to impress her, Cosmo is motivated to take Ambrose to the weekly meetings and to give him lessons in self-defense. Cosmo, Amanda, and Ambrose soon form an unlikely alliance and, for the first time in his life, Ambrose blossoms. The characters at the Scrabble Club come to embrace Ambrose for who he is and for their shared love of words. Theres only one problem: Irene has no idea what Ambrose is up to. In this brilliantly observed novel, author Susin Nielsen transports the reader to the world of competitive Scrabble as seen from the honest yet funny viewpoint of a boy whos searching for acceptance and for a place to call home. From the Hardcover edition.
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monalyisha
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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Moxie‘s making her presence known. 🐇

vlwelser 💔🐇 3mo
AmyG 😞 3mo
Bookwormjillk 💔 3mo
KadaGul Its hard But If Moxie wants to join let the fun 🤩 time begin 3mo
50 likes4 comments
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NickDinesh
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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Pickpick

Ambrose and cosmo are probably my favourite duo in any book. The reason why i love them so much is because they are total polar opposites but they still found somethings to connect on. Ambrose is a nerdy and clumsy pre teen while cosmo is a strong, scary looking felon. The story follows these two and their relationship with Amanda and Ambroses mother. This book was amazing and I definitely recommend it to anyone.

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Zoechristofiloyiannis
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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Pickpick

Word nerd really emphasized the effects of bullying, just because you don‘t own the coolest pair of shoes or the most expensive brand‘s of clothes. does not mean that you are worth any less then other kids. When you only live with your single mom life gets tough when you live without a father figure. When Ambrose meets Cosmo his outlook on his life changes, even if it means going to scrabble club.

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monalyisha
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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LiteraryinPA That‘s so interesting! Thanks for sharing! 4y
monalyisha @LiteraryinLititz Thanks! I thought so, too. Though, I admit: I am *not* down with “kitchie.” 😅 4y
ravenlee Kitchie definitely needs to go. 4y
Moray_Reads Ew, kitchie? Why? And "half-baken"? I can't see these lasting long 4y
48 likes4 comments
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monalyisha
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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In January, I decided to come up with a word to represent each of my days. Sometimes, it was a new vocab word. Sometimes, just a word that seemed particularly fitting. I did it successfully for the full month & then fell off the wagon in February. Were I still writing them down, my word for today would be: “skeletonization” (thanks, Caitlin Doughty).

Sorry in advance for “mucus plug.” My sister-in-law had a baby & my family was too involved. 😅

TheAromaofBooks This is SUCH a fun idea! 5y
monalyisha @TheAromaofBooks Thanks! Feel free to run with it (personally or on Litsy as a join-in thing)! I‘m great with ideas...less great with execution & perseverance. 🙈 5y
TheAromaofBooks haha same here, as my journal can attest!! 5y
63 likes3 comments
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JoyNorstrom
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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Pickpick

I love love love Susin‘s books. Although intended for a younger audience this forty-something reader (😳☺️) was super invested in our scrabble/loner hero and his reformed convict side-kick. Highly recommended for reluctant readers. And moms 😃

Jenny Love the cover. 6y
41 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Auntynanny
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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Pickpick

This was such a sweet, heartwarming book. Things weren't perfect at the end, but they were wrapped nicely in a believable way. I'm so glad I read it and I look forward to reading "Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom."

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kwmg40
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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My list of 10 (actually 11) recommended books for the "10 years in 10 books" challenge. #readathon

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LectricSheep
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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#20factsaboutme (I tried to pick ones that people might not already know, but no one should be surprised by the high nerdiness quotient 🤷🏼‍♀️)

LitLogophile I feel like we would get along so well! Also a foul-mouthed supernerd with a passion for organization. 7y
Sydsavvy Unabashedly foul mouthed! Ah, freedom! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 7y
LectricSheep @litlogophile @Sydsavvy Let's start our own goddamn club! 😬 7y
See All 14 Comments
LeahBergen I love how you got rid of your accent! 😂 7y
LectricSheep @LeahBergen The downside is now I sound like Katie Couric. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 7y
LeahBergen 😂😂 7y
readordierachel Identifying spiders! You're a braver woman than I 🤤 7y
vivastory Unabashedly foul mouthed? In the immortal words of Deborah Morgan "Holy Jesus on a stick" that's awesome 7y
DGRachel If someone would pay me, I'd totally nap as a full time job. 😂 7y
hlgreenfield Yay for dungeon's and dragons and boardgames 7y
LectricSheep @hlgreenfield 🙌🏻🐉 7y
MemoirsForMe Naps and cheddar! 😊🙌🏻 7y
Purrfectpages Nap like it's a part time job lol 7y
BooksForEmpathy INFJ and another 4! I'm a 4w3. 7y
91 likes14 comments
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Lmstraubie
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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Thanks @Melissa_J This is hysterical!!

My name is The Platinum Cougar of Danger 😂😂😂

Melissa_J Nice! 7y
Bklover I'm The Fierce Wizard of the Stars! 7y
Minispok The Kinky Lord of Secrets 😂 7y
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stargazerblue49 The Musty Freak-Beast of the Moon 🌙😂 (edited) 7y
Born.A.Reader The Saucey Nymph of Sin 😉😂 7y
coffeenebula The Weeping Beast of Danger. That's been weirdly accurate of late. 😮😎😂 7y
mcipher The Savage Beast of the Galaxy. I'm loving everyone else's but mine is kind of lame. 😂 7y
Peddler410 I'm The Saucey Phantom of Darkness 7y
Laura317 I am the Platinum Dervish of Radiance. I like it!! 7y
31 likes9 comments
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kendrastephaniekaryn
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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I'm the boney enchantor of dreams! I tag @Jaberwocky and @Melissa_J (if you haven't done it already)!

monkeygirlsmama Hahaha Love it! 7y
Jabberwocky !!lol 7y
21 likes2 comments
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thegirlwiththelibrarybag
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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Oooh! Thanks for my gifts @Michelle_mck! Both books sound excellent (very tempted to stray from my HP reread), the bookmarks are adorable (sloths ♥️) and a booksleeve with raccoons (I've been a little obsessed with them ever since I saw Pom Poko... I was super disappointed not to see any when I went to America) and other forest animals ♥️ #summersantagoespostal

CouronneDhiver Cool! What a beautiful gift! 7y
BookishMarginalia That's the cutest book sleeve! 7y
LeahBergen Oooo!! 😍😍 7y
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merelybookish Lovely! Raccoons are cute (on booksleeves). 😉 7y
readinginthedark 😂I'm sorry you didn't get to see any raccoons, although they're not super friendly in person. I think you'd have to live here for a while to come into contact with one, probably raiding your trash or fighting your cat. 7y
Michelle_mck I'm relieved! It was tough finding books you had on TBR that I hoped you didn't own - booksleeve courtesy of @bookgogo and the bookmarks are all from local Aussie Etsy stores, tried to get lots of local goodness in there 😘😘😘😘 7y
elkeOriginal The booksleeve is Fantastic!! 7y
Hooked_on_books The booksleeve is so cute! 7y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag You did well @Michelle_mck - I haven't read either! And now I have incentive to read the Invisible Library books! Local is 👌🏼 7y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @readinginthedark, it remains a great disappointment. I didn't see any chipmunks either! 7y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @merelybookish, I'd still quite like to see a real one! But also quite happy to have them on my booksleeve 7y
BookGoGo You scored well, hope you love your #bookgogo 👍🏻😊 7y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @bookgogo, indeed I did! It was quite puzzling opening something so squishy ☺️ 7y
readinginthedark @thegirlwiththelibrarybag Okay, I'll give you that one. Chipmunks are pretty cute. 😊 7y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @readinginthedark, I saw heaps of squirrels (so entertaining) and a sloth bear (at the zoo in Washington DC - an amazing animal I didn't know existed) 7y
readinginthedark @thegirlwiththelibrarybag Oh, there are some wild ones! I'm obsessed with the okapis at our zoo right now. So pretty and strange! 7y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag @readinginthedark, I had to Google and 😍worthy obsession! 7y
83 likes1 stack add18 comments
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TeeCee
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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Pickpick

Quirky & Nerd-tastic!! Enjoyed this quick but quite touching YA read about a nerd kid who loves Scrabble, is allergic to peanuts, and has an overprotective mom. My last book was dragging, so I grabbed this one and read it in a day. Fun!

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BookishTrish
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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What books have reduced you to a #pooloftears From problemsofabooknerd.tumblr.com #booknerdproblems

GlitteryOtters Little Women for sure 8y
thegirlwiththelibrarybag The storied life of A.J Fikry had me in tears as did My grandmother sends her regards and apologies... and well - I think there are a whole bunch of deaths in HP that lots of people are always going to be upset about. 8y
Yournewfriendsams All dog stories. Marley and Me, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Lily and the Octopus, etc 😭😭😭😭 8y
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Churchlady Most recently, A Little Life 😭 8y
BookishTrish @Churchlady it's on my bedside table even though I'm not into the cover. It's good? 8y
BookishTrish @Yournewfriendsams Yes, yes, and yes! 8y
BookishTrish @GlitteryOtters I MUST reread Little Women!!!! 8y
Churchlady @BookishTrish really hard to read but so, so good and glad I picked it up. 8y
BookishTrish @Churchlady and so it moves up the pile. Thanks! 8y
54 likes9 comments
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yayeahyeah
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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I'm a big fan of Susin Nielsen - I especially loved We Are All Made of Molecules! Word Nerd is high on my TBR pile. 🙂

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mtrann
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
Pickpick

😊

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Missusb
Word Nerd | Susin Nielsen
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Pickpick

This is only arriving in Australia next month, and while not as hard hitting as 'The Reluctant Journal of Henry K Larsen', it's certainly just as warm, just as insightful, and just as authentic. Loved it. #preview #octoberread #middleschool

7 likes1 stack add