50 cent also known as Butterball or by his real name Curtis Jackson III. 50 Cent was born in Jamaica, New York. When 50 cent was 8 years old his mother was shot, after that 50 cent lived with his grandparents after his father left him. When he was a young boy he wanted to become a heavyweight boxer but decided to become a rapper, as he got better Dj’s decided to put out two of his best CD’s. In 1999 one his best albums were supposed to release one of his best albums but never did Trackmaster and Columbia because they didn’t like that he got shot three days before filming. As a child 50 cent had gotten in a fight with a boy named Maurice the reason he hated him was because of how carrying and loving his family was. While in middle he met this lady named Liz who was his helper, she was there to help him with his anger-issues.
I thought the book was really good because 50 Cent is one of my favorite rapper’s. One fact I didn’t know was that his mother died when he was 8 years old and that his father left him. One thing I really didn’t like was when 50 Cent it Maurice with a bag full of batteries. Another thing I didn’t know was that he wanted to become a heavyweight boxer. I thought that Liz was a great influence on 50 Cent because if she hadn’t helped he might’ve turned out differently. Well that was my opinion on 50 Cent Playground i hope you enjoyed it!

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Thirteen-year-old Butterball doesn’t have much going for him. He’s teased mercilessly about his weight. He hates the Long Island suburb his mom moved them to and wishes he still lived with his dad in the city. And now he’s stuck talking to a totally out-of-touch therapist named Liz.

Liz tries to uncover what happened that day on the playground—a day that landed one kid in the hospital and Butterball in detention. Butterball refuses to let her in on the truth, and while he evades her questions, he takes readers on a journey through the moments that made him into the playground bully he is today.

This devastating yet ultimately redemptive story is told in voice-driven prose and accented with drawings and photographs, making it a natural successor to The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

Loosely inspired by 50 Cent’s own adolescence, and written with his fourteen-year-old son in mind, Playground is sure to captivate wide attention—and spark intense discussion

Butterball (the kids call him that because he's overweight) is a bit of a bully and loner, disliked and bullied by the other kids. After severely beating the one friend he had, Butterball has to meet with counselor Liz twice a week although he doesn't see the point of taking this "skinny white woman" seriously or why she would be interested in anything he has to say. Over time he comes to see that he has control over his decision-making and their consequences, and at book's end there's hope he may be able to parlay his interest in movie-making into something positive. The beating scene is a tad graphic and Butterball uses every variation of s***, plus ass and bitch a couple of times, which gives Butterball's story a credible edge. Beyond that though, the book is mostly introspective and suitable for middle schoolers. Reluctant readers may be drawn to it because of the author's celebrity. ( )

Playground is Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s debut young adult novel about teen bullying. He explores this topical issue by sharing some of his own experiences in this fictionalized story. He hopes to reach out to kids to show how bullies are created and that there is hope to overcome it. As a parent, I’m very interested in this topic and was curious to read a story written from the bully’s perspective as a fresh change of pace.

The story is narrated by thirteen-year-old Butterball, nicknamed because of his weight, who lives with his over-worked mother post-split in a Long Island suburb. His father remains in the city where he seems to have more time for his girlfriends than for him. Butterball gets in trouble at school for hitting a kid, his only friend, with D batteries wrapped inside a sock. After that incident, he must attend weekly sessions with a psychologist to get to the bottom of his behavioral issues. The details of what set Butterball off are revealed through the weekly sessions with Liz.

Butterball is a sympathetic character that I think many teens will relate to. After his parent’s split he has to start again in a new neighborhood and school where he is the outsider. The only time he does get respect and positive attention from his peers is when he attacks a fellow student. Even his father seems to like the new bullying ways of his son. The dialogue is realistic and edgy with an uncondescending tone that gets the message across. The language is explicit at times but appropriate to the story and since it is not toned down it is more relatable to the intended audience.

There are many issues presented in the book that go hand in hand with the bullying behavior such as divorce, consumerism, diet and more. I thought these issues were handled with sensitivity and not in a preachy way. It’s interesting to see the circumstances that lead to Butterball’s acting out and it made me more sympathetic to those who exhibit the same behavior. The therapy session storytelling device works well and gives a healing quality to the story.

Dwayne Clark effectively handles the narration and kept the audiobook entertaining throughout. The reading is very lively and the character voices are distinct and believable. At only four hours long, the audiobook is the perfect length for the story and the time flies by.

With bullying now such an epidemic, I appreciate what 50 Cent set out to do with this story. With understanding and respect for the target audience, the thoughtful story has a hopeful tone that may inspire others like Butterball. Recommended for middle schooler’s, parents and educators looking for insight into the mind of a bully. ( )