My Brilliant Idea (and How It Caused My Downfall) - by Stuart David (Paperback)

About the Book

Jack will do anything to avoid his parents' plans for his future.

Book Synopsis

Meet fifteen-year-old Jack "The Jackdaw" Dawson, a young man with a serious plan. Daydreaming in class one day, Jack gets an idea he knows can't fail: an app that stops you from daydreaming in class. (Ahem . . . ) Fame, glory, and tons of money seem just around the corner. But Jack runs into some trouble, and suddenly this sure thing doesn't seem quite so sure.

Ricocheting from the absurd to the profound in his first book for teens, Stuart David uses his extraordinary intelligence and wit to tell the story of a boy trying to scheme his way out from under the weight of his parents' expectations. Readers will root for The Jackdaw from beginning to end.

Review Quotes

"David, cofounder of the band Belle & Sebastian, has woven a Rube Goldberg-esque tale that moves at breakneck speed... Jack himself--equal parts Holden Caulfield and Tristram Shandy--is a delightful maniac to follow, and David's panache with dialogue and situation comedy is on target." --Booklist "...a delightfully off-kilter high school comedy..." --Publishers Weekly "Witty U.K.-flavored phrases--Jack calls his parents' constant bickering the "Regular Madness"--will keep readers laughing, and the quick pacing assures they won't get bogged down with all the twists and turns." --Kirkus

About the Author

Stuart David is a Scottish musician, songwriter, and writer. He cofounded the band Belle and Sebastian (1996-2000) and then went on to front Looper (1998-present). He is the author of the novel Nalda Said and the nonfiction work In the All-Night Cafe: A Memoir of Belle and Sebastian's Formative Year. He lives in Muirkirk, Scotland.