The Secret Life of Dr. Demented

By Dan Gutman

When fourteen-year-old Wesley learns that his mild-mannered gym teacher, Mr. Wheeler, is none other than the evil professional wrestler, Dr. Demented, Wesley gets a close look at the distinctive world of professional wrestling and its simulated violence.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743427041
• ISBN13: 9780743427043
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Simon Pulse
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 0.8" x 4.3"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Good for Right Audience

Although the title focuses on wrestler Dr. Demented, a scary "heel" (bad guy) who demolished his opponents with power and brutality, this is primarily an issue book, exploring such themes as divorce and single parenting, dating, violence and bullies, and being true to oneself. As such, it was somewhat boring to my third grader but will probably appeal to young adolescents around 5th to 7th grade or so.Wrestling fan Wesley discovers that the feared and idolized "Dr. Demented," is really his gym teacher, Landon Wheeler, in disguise. He and a friend begin weight training with Dr. Demented so that the school bully will stop picking on them. Wesley's mom, who suffered through after an abusive relationship with her ex-husband, tries to raise her son to rely on his brains and not his body. However, she meets the cultured, strong but gentle Mr. Wheeler, and they begin to date. Soon, each person is struggling with a dilemma: Should Wesley tell his mom the truth about Dr. Demented's identity? Should Wesley's mom see Landon anymore after his secret identity is revealed? How should Wes and his friend deal with the bully? Should Dr. Demented continue his secret (and, maybe even "job" a fight--lose on purpose) so that he can get enough money for medical school, or should he be honest with himself and with Wesley's mom?There are just too many complex problems to resolve, and Gutman sometimes straddles both sides of an issue. He points out that wrestling is fake, but also that wrestlers do get injured and sometimes hurt themselves intentionally for the sake of the show. Violent self-defense is "sticking up for a friend" and may avert future attacks, yet could also have seriously injured the school bully. Honesty and sincerity are important, but the gym teacher's obsessive attentions and later apologies seem to come from a man who view a date as a conquest to be won like a wrestling match. At least, Gutman comes out unequivocally against using substances to enhance weight training.This book might be best in a classroom, where a teacher could point out the contrasts, and let kids debate the various angles that Gutman presents. Otherwise, I recommend this to older students who are mature enough to both enjoy and think through these dilemmas, either by themselves or with family members. There is some intriguing information about how wrestling is choreographed, and Gutman's ear for kids' dialogue is keen as usual. However, I don't think this somewhat overly ambitious book is as good as those in his sports time traveling series (e.g., "Jackie Robinson and Me"). Still, it's an interesting "serious" exploration of a very popular phenomenon.