How Lamar's Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy
Gr 5-8-Among the many complications in 13-year-old Lamar Washington's life are his reputation as a prankster, which is inhibiting his quest to get a girlfriend; a basketball star older brother, Xavier, who treats him with contempt; his suspicion that his best friend is being taken advantage of by his girlfriend; and the asthma that makes bowling the most strenuous sport in which he is allowed to engage. While the death of his mother is an ongoing heartache, Lamar receives support from his strict but loving father and his close-knit African-American community. He has truly come to love bowling, and the action revolves (loosely) around his desire to be the recipient of a special ball to be given away by his idol, professional bowler Bubba Sanders. Along the way, Lamar gains, loses, and regains the girl; succumbs to the temptations of easy money by using his bowling skills to hustle some marks at the behest of lowlife Billy Jenks; is physically assaulted by Xavier; pulls an alarm to disrupt his brother's basketball game; and is finally reconciled with X after secretly paying for his algebra tutoring. There is much too much going on, and everything is resolved way too easily, but readers are likely to be pulled along by Lamar's engaging (and frequently hilarious) narration.-Richard Luzer, Fair Haven Union High School, VT (c) Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.