EDWARD BLOOR is the author of three acclaimed novels. A former high school teacher, he lives near Orlando, Florida.
Gr 6-9-In this novel by Edward Bloor (Harcourt, 1997), Paul Fisher is in seventh grade when his family moves to Tangerine County, Florida, land of muck fires, koi-stealing ospreys, mosquito swarms, daily lightning strikes, and sinkholes. Paul feels like the outsider in his family. His mother quickly becomes absorbed in the homeowner's association in their housing development at Lake Windsor Downs, and his father is fully occupied with older brother Erik's football career the "Erik Fisher Football Dream," as Paul says. Paul's eyesight was damaged in a mysterious accident when he was five, and he wears "Coke-bottle" glasses, but he has clearer vision than the rest of his family and most of the people in Lake Windsor Downs. He sees through the "nice-guy" front his brother puts on and the snobbishness of his Lake Windsor Downs neighbors, especially after he transfers to the working-class Tangerine Middle School. Ramon De Ocampo skillfully narrates the story, told by Paul in journal entries. He does a particularly good job with the voices of the kids on Paul's soccer team at Tangerine Middle the bravado of Tino Cruz and the braggadocio of Victor Guzman. He effectively maintains the suspense as all the plot elements build to a dramatic conclusion. This excellent recording will bring new fans to a book that has become a YA classic.-Sarah Flowers, Santa Clara County Library, Morgan Hill, CA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
"A richly imagined read about an underdog coming into his own."--Bulletin * "Smart, adaptable, and anchored by a strong sense of self-worth, Paul makes a memorable protagonist in a cast of vividly drawn characters; multiple yet taut plotlines lead to a series of gripping climaxes and revelations. Readers are going to want more from this author."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Breaks the mold."--Publishers Weekly ABA's Pick of the Lists An ALA Best Book for Young Adults A Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book A Horn Book Fanfare Selection An IRA Young Adults' Choice A New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing --
Living in surreal Tangerine County, Fla., a legally blind boy begins to uncover the ugly truth about his football-hero brother. PW praised Bloor for "wedding athletic heroics to American gothic with a fluid touch and flair for dialogue." Ages 11-up. (Sept.)
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