Reality Boy

Reality Boy (2013) is a young adult novel by American writer A.S. King. Told through the first-person perspective of Gerald Faust, a teenage boy who grapples with trauma, the narrative explores Gerald’s childhood abuse and the public spotlight which facilitated it when his family is selected for a reality television series. Gerald’s account takes place during his teenage years and features chapters that flash back to the filming of the series.

Plot Summary

When Gerald Faust was five years old, he and his family were the stars of Network Nanny, a reality television show that would send a nanny to fix the issues befalling troubled households. While millions of viewers saw Gerald as the “Crapper,” an out-of-control boy who defecated everywhere, they did not see the reasons behind this behavior. Ever since Gerald and his sister, Lisi, were young, their older sister, Tasha, terrorized them—she even tried killing them multiple times. Though Gerald is older now, Tasha continues her abuse. Gerald’s mother repeatedly defends Tasha, while his father feels helpless.

As a high school teenager, Gerald’s classmates taunt him for being the Crapper from television. Traumatized by his reputation and tumultuous home life, he grows up with an unstable temperament and violent tendencies. His mother believes that he may have cognitive learning disability, so after repeated pressure on school officials, Gerald is placed in special education classes. He also sees Roger, an anger management coach who tries counseling him by providing better coping mechanisms.

Gerald’s life soon changes after meeting Hannah, another teenager who has her share of family issues. Together, they decide to run away. Throughout their journey, Gerald learns about love, trust, and safety while caring for Hannah. After they each speak to their parents about their struggles, they make their return home with better mindsets. Gerald moves out of the house with his father and plans for college. He continues to develop his relationship with Hannah and imagines a future with her.