Confessions of a Mixed-Up Weasel Hater

Elizabeth Thomas Wenning
Flame’s Eternal Book, LLC (2005)
ISBN 0975372181
Reviewed by (Tara Hammack) (age 16) for Reader Views (7/07)

I really enjoyed “Confessions of a Mixed-Up Weasel Hater” because it showed middle school in a different light to me.  Samantha, an eighth-grader at Turkey Creek Middle School, was neither popular nor unpopular, but she was shy. She and her best friend Denise are good friends of an old teacher they had, Mr. Dubois. He helped Samantha through her problems -- like boy problems and her confidence. Like any middle school student she likes this guy named Bobby.  I couldn’t really relate to Samantha because I’m more like Denise because she is more outspoken.

The day Frank accused Mr. Dubois of being a homosexual, Frank also said that Samantha was “in love” with him.  In response to Frank’s accusations, she avoided him for a week, and, of course, he noticed.  Samantha thought that if anyone new she was a friend of a teacher there wouldn’t be any chance of popularity, and maybe even Bobby wouldn’t talk to her. She was embarrassed, but ashamed of her embarrassment, because Mr. Dubois was always so nice to her. She just wanted to get all the “weasels,” a name she called the ones who talked bad about Mr. Dubois. One day Samantha found out that Mr. Dubois was in the hospital and Drake, a weasel, asked her in a snide tone “gee, I wonder why, don’t you?”  She replied sarcastically “I just bet he’s in the hospital because he’s dying of AIDS” -- by lunch it’s all over the school. Then it gets out of control so parents get involved, and so does the school board. Samantha knows that if she didn’t say anything he would get fired, but she’s scared to stand up for a teacher, so what to do? -- help the person who helped you for these years, or stay quiet and maybe get a little popular for the next four years you have with the other students.   

If I was in this book, I would be one of the weasels because my popularity seemed very important, but not after this book. At first, I didn’t understand Samantha’s relationship with Mr. Dubois, but toward the end, I realized how important he was to her. Kids can be harsh for a long time. I was one of them, and after reading this book, I understand how much words can hurt. I recommend “Confessions of a Mixed-Up Weasel Hater” to any middle-school kid. I hope anyone who reads this gets as much out of it as I did.  

Reviewed by Rebecka Vigus for Reader Views (7/06)


Elizabeth Thomas Wenning has captured the essence of middle school in “Confessions of a Mixed-Up Weasel Hater”.  Samantha Gabreaux is on the fringes of the popular crowd, just not quite one of them. Her favorite teacher, Mr. DuBois, has been labeled a homosexual by the “weasels” in her school. After being accused of being in love with the queer teacher, Sam avoids Mr. DuBois for a week.

Feeling guilty because of all the time he has listened to her and helped her, she again starts talking to him.  At the same time, she is plotting to get even with the school’s biggest weasel, Frank Stallinger.  Frank moves away and Billy Drake takes up where Frank left off.

One morning on her way by Mr. DuBois’ class, Sam learns he’s in the hospital. Drake snidely wonders why and Sam just as snidely comments that Mr. DuBois is probably dying of AIDS.  By lunch time, this rumor is the pervading theory as to why Mr. DuBois is in the hospital.  Sam also knows that he really has pneumonia.

It all comes to a head at a school board meeting where parents are demanding that Mr. DuBois be fired.  Can Samantha face her fears and rescue Mr. DuBois?  You’ll have to read the book to find out.

The book is a quick read and one that middle school students can relate to.  If you have kids that age, read it to see how their minds work. 

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