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Description
A hard-hitting and inspirational novel about the redemption of a bully from international icon 50 Cent Thirteen-year-old Butterball takes readers on a journey through the moments that made him into the playground bully he is today. Loosely inspired by 50 Cent's own adolescence and written with his teenage son in mind, Playground received wide critical praise--and is now poised to become a perennial classic. Read more
Publisher : Razorbill; Reprint edition (November 13, 2012)
Language : English
Paperback : 320 pages
ISBN-10 : 1595144781
ISBN-13 : 82
Reading age : 12 - 15 years
Grade level : 7 - 9
Item Weight : 10.4 ounces
Dimensions : 5.5 x 0.83 x 8.31 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #653,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #166 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Social & Family Violence (Books) #212 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Bullying (Books) #275 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Boys' & Men's Issues (Books)
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Top Amazon Reviews
I just finished reading the book and was very satisfied. I am in no way a literary critic but I felt the book was a "page turner". 50 cent is really branching out with material such as this, I give him the utmost respect. I would reccomend this to any junior high school/high school kid. I am much older than school age and it was a great read, and it could definitely be a great read and inspiring story for young adults. Hip Hop and its artists have come a long way! This is an inspiring book, it has no mention of hip hop or promoting 50 cent the rapper at all. Just a great inspiring story for people who may go through troubled childhoods....who doesnt?
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Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2011 by J. WILLIAMS
Happy w/ purchase
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2024 by Jordyn Breana
After finishing The Fault in Our Stars, I really needed to read something different. I had bought this book on a whim, at first scoffing at it, then intrigued by it. I was torn between being impressed by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson writing about his early start as a playground bully and being annoyed by this ghost written story pumped out to make more money. Now that I have read Playground: A Mostly True Story of a Former Bully, I think I am more impressed than annoyed... Butterball is a big guy. Junior High is rough enough for a kid, let alone a fat kid, so you have to be tough to make it through. When Maurice, Butterball's only real friend at school, starts telling people something truly horrible about Butterball's family, he does the only thing he can. He defends his honor. He bashes Maurice's face in with a sock filled with D batteries. Now Butterball has to go to a social worker twice a week and talk about his feelings- the last thing he wants to do. Butterball and his mother moved out of the city to Garden City when his parents split up. He still goes to the city occasionally to see his father, but his dad is usually preoccupied by his latest girlfriend. Butterball's mom works constantly between her time at the hospital and college classes to become a nurse. Mostly he spends his time with Evelyn, his mom's friend who makes gross vegetarian stews and rags on Butterball to behave himself. At school he has gotten a lot of attention, some good and some bad, for what he did to Maurice. Now a group of guys wants him to do it again to a guy Butterball has never met. But Butterball doesn't understand- this guy hasn't done anything to him, so why would Butterball bash his face in? I wouldn't say this was a great story, but it was one that has a good moral and is told form a different perspective than others of its kind. I like the fact that 50 Cent took the time (via a ghost writer) to get his story out there about his own bullying, why he did it, and how it affected him later. As an artist many kids look up to, it is great to put yourself out there and try to be a positive role model to them. I think it was important for him to stress that there was a reason behind Butterball's actions. While the reason doesn't condone the actions, it helps someone understand and address the situation properly. I would probably keep this book around, even though there are better stories out there, because it would appeal to some kids where other books might not. They may pick it up and read it just because the author is someone they know and look up to. And to be honest, the moral of the story is pretty strong. Overall, not a bad book but definitely one that has a place on my shelves.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2012 by OpheliasOwn
One of my 7th grade students was reading this book -she got it from our reading specialist - so I borrowed a copy. This book gives the real deal on bullying - the best teen fiction book on bullying I have found yet! (some, like "Crash" are not realistic). You look past the urban setting and get a good understanding of how the dynamic of bullying works. The actions of the school and the counselor is exactly how it goes in the school systems I am familiar with and that is a good thing! I especially liked the weight 50 gives to the coersion factor which is when older kids bait a younger, insecure kid into doing bad things. Yes there is some profanity in it, but that's the way the kid talks- he is a troubled kid! And this book had a good ending -I can say no more - Just read it! Ironically, the school I work in is 2 miles from 50 Cent's house in Farmington, CT. He is trying to sell it...Anyone want to buy a HUGE house? I mean hotel size house!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2012 by EarthTone
Even though this book was written more for the teen scene, I still enjoyed it. The main character went through some dark times, he was bullied, he bullied; but, in the end, he really grew up mentally. All it takes is someone to see the potential of a child or even an adult, and help foster that talent, it can turn that person's view of themselves totally around. The book started out dark and a little depressing, but ended on an up note. Any time I think about the characters long after I've closed the book, that's how I know it was a good read.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2015 by B. Stone
I love this book so much I have since I first read it. I LOVE this book so much I wanted to give it as a gift. However when I got the book it had clear damage to it rips in the cover, worn spine and edges, folded like it had been smudged in a bag. It even looks like it had been put in water. Unfortunately I don't know if I want to give this as a gift anymore.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2017 by lexi lexi
I suggest you read this book as soon as possible. It'll teach you some ways to handle problems in life and some possible solutions you can find applicable to them.
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2021 by WonderCrown
In the novel, Playground By 50 cent. It is about this 13 year old kid who's nickname is Butterball. Butterball got into a fight and hit a kid with a sock with batteries in it. Butterball was suspended and was sent to a therapist named liz. Butterball was annoyed with liz until liz eased in to Butterball liking her. Butterball has divorced parents and he only sees his dad 2 times for 2 days each month. Butterball and his mom don't have the best relationship, his mom is always at work and spends no time with Butterball. That's why butterball likes to spend more time with his dad. Since Butterball docent see his parents as much as he should he is a bully that also gets bullied. throughout the book you read about how Butterball becomes a changed person after that scene on the playground. Butterball docent realize how bad the thing he did was. Which is one factor of being a bully. I recommend that people that have been in a bully situation read this book or if you have divorced parents I think this can be a good book to see how Butterball overcame that problem of his parents and to see what he did after that bully scene.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2022 by Jason Mellor