Leave it to Mike Lupica to write a gripping baseball story with vivid details of events happening on the field and off. The story could have easily slipped into a play by play of each of Michael Arroyo’s games but Lupica weaves in a best friend, a tragic event in the Arroyo family and how Michael and his brother must overcome it. The adults in Michael’s life surprise him and become the support that he needs to play baseball. As with his other stories, this is about the players, their families and their friends. A great read for boys and girls in grades 5 and up!
From the cover of this title, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It sort of looked like it was going to be about this kid who was totally tripped out on some drug during the 70’s. I was seriously taken aback when it was about a regular teenager in today’s times. His family had hit some hard times because his mom just left his dad, his brother is constantly getting high and the girl of his dreams is in the arms of another. But when the world comes knocking (or crashing) at Dylan’s door, he decides to make the most of the situation. He takes life by the horns and becomes the person that nobody expects him to be.
This was a terrific story. It deals with teen-substance abuse and the damage it does not only to the user but the loved ones surrounding them. It deals with emotion as Dylan wrestles with his feelings for Angie, his best friend, come to terms with the separation from his mom, and the ever-increasing gulf forming between him and his brother. It deals with the reality of bad choices effecting chances for making the varsity basketball squad. Not all of the problems have good or easy finishes. It made the story feel more real. Don’t let the cover fool you, this is no 70’s, drug trip, hippy story. This is a story about The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine.
What would you do if your doctor told you that you only had 12 months to live? Would you try to make a difference? Would you seek treatment for your disease only to prolong your life by a few months? Would you try to make amends with everyone around you? Would you throw caution to the wind and become bold and brave and courageous?
Written in true Chris Crutcher style, this book is intense and funny and sad all at once. I laughed as Ben asked his teachers the tough stuff. I cried as he battles through the decisions he makes as he nears his death. I rejoiced when he connected with the girl of his dreams! But this book is tough. It is controversial. It is bordering on the edge of being stereotypical. But it made me think. It made me wonder. What would I do if I only had 12 months to live?
I don’t recommend this book to those who are easily offended, because things that Ben says and people Ben knows will offend them. I don’t recommend this book to those whose opinions are easily swayed. A reader must hold tight to their belief system while reading this book. Crutcher, author of Staying Fat for Sarah Burns, Ironman, Whale talk,and The Crazy Horse Electric Game, is one of my favorite authors, but his books are real. They are not always easy to read, but they are heart-wrenchingly real.
I decided to read Hautman’s book, All-in, so that I would have a title with a male main character. Boy was I ever shocked that I actually enjoyed the book. I expected to have to look up poker terms and ask my husband a thousand questions, but it just turned out to be a really great read.
Now Denn, an under-aged poker player, is not your average main character. He ran away from home when he was 16 and played his way to Las Vegas. It is here that the reader meets Denn. He hits rock bottom during an all-in hand dealt to him by the girl he has fallen in love with, when he loses it all. He has a week to gather enough money to enter a winner-takes-all tournament held at a new casino. The take is millions. Hautman, brings dimension to the story by telling the story from a variety of perspectives, including the young woman that steals Denn’s heart.
I am headed back for the other title dealing with Poker, No Limit, and I simply can’t wait to get started. Hautman is an Edgar award winning author and his books are edgy enough to keep even the most skeptical of readers enthralled to the end. I had to see if Denn makes it…will you?
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