Slugfest

Canadian author Gordon Korman is the prolific writer of over 50 books for young readers that focus on the struggles that kids face in both believable and outrageous situations. Korman’s body of work largely consists of contemporary novels, but he also dabbles in historical settings, as in the Unsinkable series, which takes place during the first (and only) voyage of the Titanic. Korman frequently uses multiple perspectives to offer broad context about how the issues his characters face affect each person differently, a strategy that he employs in titles including Slugfest, Unplugged (a mystery that follows four kids at a wellness camp), and The Fort (in which four troubled preteens discover an old fallout shelter where they feel safe from the turmoil in their lives). Also in common with Korman’s broader body of work, Slugfest explores struggles related to school (similar to The Unteachables and Slacker), as well as issues of social justice (similar to Linked). Korman’s more outrageous titles include the heist adventures of the Swindle series (which includes