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 Grasshopper Jungle is the strangest book I've ever read. At the surface, it's a book about a boy whose town gets invaded by giant horny grasshoppers, but it's truly so much more. This is a hilarious, coming-of-age story about self-discovery and the human condition. I've never read a book where an author has captured the strange, alien feelings that come with being a teenager better. Andrew Smith gets it, he understands that being a teenager is confusing and at times, that it feels like the world is crumbling beneath your feet. Don't mistake this for your average coming-of-age story, Grasshopper Jungle is anything but average. 
 Austin Szerba is a historian, he takes it upon himself to record nearly everything that takes place in his small Iowan town. Austin provides readers with a honest and realistic teenage voice that guides readers through all of the confusing hormones and what-not of being a teenager. Readers will find themselves learning about Austin's inexplicable attraction to both his best-friend, Robby and his girlfriend, Shann. Austin is trying to figure out whether he's bisexual or not, whether the feelings inside him are what's he's supposed to be feeling. The idea of not knowing who you are inside is truly a universal struggle for teenagers and Smith portrays these internal struggles in their true, palpable form. Almost everyone has struggled with their identity at one point in their lives and Smith makes readers feel as if they're not alone in their struggle to find themselves. 
 One of the things I love about Grasshopper Jungle is that every single detail is important and Andrew Smith values each and every word. Because Grasshopper Jungle is a history of Austin's life, everything seems to be connected in some way shape or form. Even the smallest details seem to seamlessly connect to multiple plot events, making Grasshopper Jungle an ingenious novel. It's remarkable to see how one little event can unknowingly set off a highly unlikely chain of events. Austin's history meanders and explores topics that might seem irrelevant, these details are crucial to the plot and always managed to resurface. Nothing is ever meaningless and there is truly no fluff in Grasshopper Jungle, every single syllable feels as if it's crucial to the storyline. 
 Austin Szerba is real. His character has been carefully shaped and crafted to the point where I felt that Szerba's character was absolutely realistic. Szerba is a teenage guy and that means that he has sex on his mind often. Some readers will probably think that the constant mention of sex and erections is gratuitous, but personally these references are 100% necessary. Teenage boys think about sex often and sometimes it seems like that's the only thing on their mind at times. No matter how much people try to censor books that mention sex and masturbation, it's not going to go away. Literature should reflect on issues that people actually deal with on a daily basis and for teenage boys that means their sexuality. Grasshopper Jungle handles Austin's sexuality in an extremely realistic and appropriate manner, this book perfectly displays all of the lingering doubt and confusion in his head. Readers will understand what Austin's going through because Smith easily allows readers to identify with him on a personal level. On a less serious level, Austin's character is one of the most hilarious characters I've ever read about and I couldn't stop laughing while reading Grasshopper Jungle. 
 Grasshopper Jungle is extremely well-written and it's one of the most important books I've ever read. I truly believe that this is an essential books for teens to read because so many of the themes are truly universal and everlasting. After reading Grasshopper Jungle, the words real dynamo, corn, and silos have take a new meaning and I will never look at those words in the same mundane way ever again. The best way to read Grasshopper Jungle is definitely with a friend or a book-club because there were so many times when I needed to discuss this book with someone and it was painful knowing I couldn't discuss it with any of my friends. Grasshopper Jungle is a brilliant novel that will definitely cause a fair share of controversy, but at the same time I know it's a novel that will stick with readers long after reading the final sentence.