Stumptown Kid

Here's a great new book hot of the shelf by Carol Gorman. It's called Stumptown Kid. This book is about a kid growing up when segregation was in the U S A. It's also Realistic Fiction because it happened during a real time and real place but not real people or characters per say. Another book by Carol Gorman is Dork in Disguise. Carol Gorman also writes in a unique writing style known as first person and Realistic Fiction. The main characters in Stumptown Kid are Charlie Nebraska and Luther Peale. Personally my favorite character is Charlie because if he doesn't do what ever he is trying to do he'll try and try again until he gets it done. Charlie Nebraska is an eleven year old kid in Stump County, Illinois whose father died in South Korea. Charlie's mom takes care of him now. When Charlie goes to baseball try outs he meets a mysterious man named Luther Peal who has a dark past hidden beneath his smiling face. I would recommend this book to people who like to read books about baseball and growing up. I liked Stumptown Kid because it was a griping, exciting baseball filled thrill ride of the year.

My 10 year old son read this book and loved it! He only read it to get points for school, but became enthralled...so much in fact that he finished it in one weekend! He would excitedly tell me all about the story as he was reading it and couldn't wait to see what happened next. He is not much of a reader so for this to capture his attention and interest, it has to be a great book! Would recommend to any parent for their child.

STUMPTOWN KID is superb. The plotting, characterizations, and evocation of period are wonderful. I also think this story has the makings of a great family movie as it has the all-ages appeal of a true classic. I found it compelling, moving and thrilling.

Stumptown Kid is a well written late elementary school age level book. It would be a beneficial book to read to a class at the beginning of a school year, because of the issues that are dealt with as part of the story line. Both issues of bullies and the judging of others by the color of their skin or by where they may live are part of the young boy's life in this story. This book could be used as a springboard to a valuable class discussion. The story is written around the theme of baseball, which adds to the intrigue of the book. There is also a strand of mystery that keeps readers captivated throughout the book.