The story: When his coach asks Finley to befriend a new kid at school, he doesn't mention that there's a catch: if Russ--who wants to be called Boy21, and who claims he's from outer space--can pull himself together, he'll almost certainly end up taking Finley's spot on the team. Without basketball, how will Finley ever get out of this crummy town and away from the memories that haunt his family? Finley just wants to do what's best...but it's hard to tell what's best for anyone, even himself.
June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG-13; Nudity PG; Sexual Content (including mentions of his "stiffness" during make out sessions) PG-13; substance abuse PG-13; magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (murder of parents, mob assaults) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.
Liz's comments: This started out seeming to be one kind of story (a sports/basketball story) and ended up as something completely different. And while at the beginning there was a lot of attention paid to Finley and his girlfriend and their make-out sessions, by the end the book became a commentary on the unpredictability of life, on the importance of going after what you want, and on the mutability of knowing exactly what it is you want. I liked the story a lot, but I expect the audience that picks it up (i.e., 8th grade boys looking for a Carl-Deuker-like sports story) will be okay with it until the middle, when they'll feel like someone pulled a bait-and-switch on them. I actually liked the book a lot better after the switch, but then, I'm a middle-aged lady.
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