Having read most of Grisham's books, I find it hard to believe he wrote this one. I wanted to quit reading it after a few pages, but I plodded through the entire book from beginning to end and it never got any better. I would not criticize a book unless I read it all to see if it had redeeming qualities - I found none. This book depicts a miserable summer in the poor cotton belt as seen through the eyes of a seven year old boy fixated on the Cardinals. It may appeal to some readers, but I find it hard to visualize it appealing to regular Grisham readers.