Sophomore Undercover

For fifteen-year-old, adopted Vietnamese orphan Dixie Nguyen, high school is one long string of hard-to-swallow humiliations. He shares a locker with a nudist linebacker, his teachers are incompetent, and hes stuck doing fluff pieces for the school newspaper. But Dixie's luck takes a turn when he stumbles across one of the jocks using drugs in the locker room; not only does he finally have something newsworthy to write, but the chance to strike a blow against his tormentors at the school as well.

However, when his editor insists he drop the story and cover homecoming events instead, Dixie sets off on his own unconventional—and often misguided—investigation. He soon discovers that the scandal extends beyond the football team to something far bigger and more sinister than he ever thought possible. Once he follows the guidelines of his hero, Mel Nichols (journalism professor at Fresno State University and author of the textbook Elementary Journalism) this high school reporter just might save the world. That is, of course, if Dixie can stay out of juvenile hall, the hospital, and new age therapy long enough to piece it all together.

Part social satire, part teen-mystery parody, and wholly hilarious, Sophomore Undercover is a dazzling debut that will make headlines with teens everywhere.

Fifteen-year-old Dixie Nguyen is tormented in high school. His luck turns when he discovers one of the jocks using drugs. He's eager to expose the story in his school newspaper, but when his editor insists he drop the story, Dixie sets off on his own unconventional--and often misguided--investigation.

For fifteen-year-old, adopted Vietnamese orphan Dixie Nguyen, high school is one long string of hard-to-swallow humiliations. He shares a locker with a nudist linebacker, his teachers are incompetent, and he's stuck doing fluff pieces for the school newspaper. But Dixie's luck takes a turn when he stumbles across one of the jocks using drugs in the locker room; not only does he finally have something newsworthy to write, but the chance to strike a blow against his tormentors at the school as well.

However, when his editor insists he drop the story and cover homecoming events instead, Dixie sets off on his own unconventional-and often misguided-investigation. He soon discovers that the scandal extends beyond the football team to something far bigger and more sinister than he ever thought possible. Once he follows the guidelines of his hero, Mel Nichols (journalism professor at Fresno State University and author of the textbook Elementary Journalism) this high school reporter just might save the world. That is, of course, if Dixie can stay out of juvenile hall, the hospital, and new age therapy long enough to piece it all together.

Part social satire, part teen-mystery parody, and wholly hilarious, Sophomore Undercover is a dazzling debut that will make headlines with teens everywhere.

WHO: Dixie Nguyen (no, not "Nig Goo Yun") a.k.a the lead (and only) reporter for the school newspaper WHAT: A chance for Dixie to scoop the biggest drug scandal in the history of high school athletics--provided that he can stay out of juvenile hall, the hospital, and new age therapy long enough to piece the story together

WHEN: Homecoming week WHERE: Stilton, CaliforniaPopulation: 5,864Vietnamese population: Dixie Nguyen HOW: Using the power of investigative reporting--along with a little help from a cheerleader-turned-goth, a menopausal journalism teacher, and maybe even the hippie school counselor, nicknamed Huggy Bear WHY: Because the Pulitzer would look pretty sweet on a college application