King Dork

—Neal Pollack, author of Never Mind

the Pollacks: A Rock and Roll Novel

MORE PRAISE FOR KING DORK

“A funny, intelligent, inspiring, can’t-even-put-it-down-when-I-go-to-the-bathroom story. Seriously, I vowed to only write about this well-publicized book after I read it myself, and I’m happy to report that it’s worth the hype.”

—Whitney Matheson in USA Today’s Pop Candy

“This pitch-perfect mixture of Veronica Mars and Freaks and Geeks exudes realistic, self-aware teen angst on every page, and should be a permanent addition to libraries alongside Brighton Rock, A Separate Peace . . . and even Catcher.”

— The Oregonian

“The magic of King Dork lies in its cutting satire and narrative voice. It smartly skewers just about every aspect of the educational system. For readers who have suffered through a pep rally, detention or English class, Portman’s arrival is cause for regal glee.”

— The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)

“In his book King Dork, Frank Portman takes on the high-school coming-of-age story with enough music what-for to satisfy the most ardent of music snobs. He also cuts to pieces Catcher in the Rye, a job you might not have known needed to be done.”

— SF Weekly

King

Dork

D E L A C O RT E P R E S S

THAN K S TO:

My editor, Krista Marino, and everyone at Delacorte Press; my agent, Steven Malk;

plus Belle, Matil, Chris Appelgren, Paul Caringella, Shauna Cross, Joanna Hatzopoulos, Marion Henderson, Amanda Jenkins, Bobby Jordan, Tristin Laughter, Rebekah Leslie, Beth Lisick, Paige O’Donoghue, Christine Portman, and Ethan Stoller.

Published by Delacorte Press

an imprint of Random House Children’s Books a division of Random House, Inc.

New York

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Text copyright © 2006 by Frank Portman

Interior illustrations copyright © 2006 by Daniel Chang All rights reserved.

Delacorte Press and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

www.randomhouse.com/teens

Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at

www.randomhouse.com/teachers

The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition of this work as follows: Portman, Frank.

King Dork / Frank Portman.

p. cm.

Summary: High school loser Tom Henderson discovers that “The Catcher in the Rye” may hold the clues to the many mysteries in his life.

[1. Identity—

Fiction. 2. Fathers—Fiction. 3. High schools—Fiction. 4. Schools—Fiction. 5. Mystery and detective stories.] I. Title.

PZ7.P8373Ki 2006

[Fic]—dc22

2005012556

eISBN: 978-0-375-89070-3

v1.0

And afterwards, in radiant garments dressed With sound of flutes and laughing of glad lips, A pomp of all the passions passed along