Reviewed by The Compulsive Reader for TeensReadToo.com

Sam figures that his life is going pretty well. He's doing all right in school, he gets along with his mom, he has a great girlfriend, and is getting good at skateboarding. He has aspirations of attending college, unlike his mom, who had to drop out of school when she became pregnant with him.

But all of his dreams come crashing down when his girlfriend, Alicia, tells him that she's pregnant. And she has no intention of getting rid of the baby.

Sam spooks. He goes into denial. When that doesn't work, he tries running away, physically and emotionally. And then, an unexplainable thing happens...while he dreams at night, he gets whizzed into the future and is shown an unexpected life that will force him to face the facts and take responsibility for his actions.

SLAM is a frank, vivid, and highly realistic take on teenage pregnancy from a point of view that is completely different from what many are accustomed to. Hornby doesn't waste time by working in lectures of the consequences of premarital sex, but instead gives us Sam, who is a little selfish, very scared, a bit ashamed, but ultimately a strong character who, through many trials and despite his own feelings, manages to pull himself together and attempt to be the best dad he can be -- and is surprisingly good at it.

The more unbelievable element of the story, Sam's visits to the future, gives the story just the right dash of unique appeal without seeming too implausible. Hornby does more than just give us an intriguing account of teen parenthood; he reveals each emotion, thought, and feeling with startling clarity and humor, until you understand and empathize with Sam. SLAM is a fascinating, compelling, and even poignant read that won't soon be forgotten. ( )

As always, Hornby gets the internal voice of the lead character perfectly. And the complexity of modern "blended" families is also handled well. However, the flash-forwards and flash-backs were a distraction.

For anyone else it would be a very satisfying read, but Hornby's other books are so much better that this one only rates two stars. ( )

I didn’t read the whole book, but from what I read it was when Alicia and Sam went on a date [that was most compelling]. Because it wasn’t very interesting because I’m not that much into skateboarding. AHS/BC

SLAM, by Nick Hornby, is a witty – and often times comical – look into an average fifteen-year old boy’s life. Sam lives in England with his single mother, is an average student in school, and his primary passion in life is skating (that’s skateboarding to us commoners). Oh, and he has conversations with his Tony Hawk poster whenever he needs advice.

…So maybe Sam isn’t so average after all.

Then, he meets Alicia, a gorgeous girl who is actually willing to be his girlfriend. Things are looking up for Sam until Alicia delivers the life-altering news that she may be pregnant.

I give SLAM 4.5 stars out of 5 because Sam’s narration is so charming in its honest delivery of the events of his life. He speaks to readers as if they were his best friends, sharing both his triumphs and his failures – but never failing to add a touch of humor to every situation. This novel was easy to read because the language is simple and the plot consistently moved at a good pace. Although this novel would definitely appeal to teenage boys because the protagonist is one himself, I would recommend this novel to mature teenagers and adults looking for a read that is both hilarious and somewhat heartbreaking at the same time. ( )

Another book I almost passed by because of the "teen" or "juvenile fiction" label. Glad I didn't. Yes, the main character of this novel is a teenage boy who impregnates the girl he's dating, but Hornby gives him such a distinctive voice, such a _real_ personality, the reader is drawn in. Having the main character get his advice from skateboarder Tony Hawk's autobiography may sound contrived, but it makes sense in the context of the story (and sometimes it's pretty funny). ( )