AustLit

'Problem Child is another book about bullying, but this one has a significant difference from most others – it's told from the bully's point of view.

'Max Quigley and his best mate Jared form the most intimidating team in the school. Jared's the physical enforcer, while Max is the persuader, the "brains" of the operation, or so he believes. He manages to justify his behaviour as no more than observing the obvious shortcomings of the weaker students.

'Max's chief target is Triffin Nordstrom, the quiet bookish kid with the slightly odd mother. Triffin becomes the victim of a series of atrocities by Max, until in a final attempt by their parents to sort it out, they're thrown together against their will, in an experimental solution to their conflict. But they'll still never be friends – there's far too much history between them for that to ever happen. Besides, they're just too different.' (Publication abstract)