Buddha Boy — Kathe Koja

With his shaved head and begging bowl the new kid is an automatic target for the bully boys of Edward Rucher High -- an easy mark for their casual cruelty.Watching this, Justin would gladly stay as far from the newcomer as possible -- until their economics teacher pairs them for a project and he finds himself becoming fascinated by the kid the others mock as “Buddha Boy.” The thing is, friendship with an outcast always carries a price, and soon Justin must decide if he can stay silent in the face of what he knows.A scorching portrait of contemporary high school life, featuring a character listeners will never forget.