Review Detail

It’s been reported recently that this year’s graduating high school students had the lowest SAT scores in the history of test taking. Personally, I feel that’s due in large part to the reading deficit we have in this country, particularly with teenage boys. There needs to be a plethora of books out there for fellas to be able to grab and think, “I can relate to this suave, cool guy, but not that weepy girl who’s in love with that tool vampire.”

This is where Crystal Allen comes in with "How Lamar’s Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy." Lamar is, quite frankly, the coolest guy I know. He out cools me on such an astonishing level that I have no idea how I made it through junior high without at least one swirly (which is sad because I’m 25 whereas he’s 13). Lamar is so cool he even makes bowling look cool, and let’s be honest, not one of us has watched professional bowling on TV and thought, “Wow. That’s cool right there.”

What makes Lamar even cooler is he’s not afraid to face his own mistakes and take responsibility for his actions when they are outrageously stupid actions. Not only does that make him cool, but that makes him a man.

Now I know some people discount a book recommendation that says you should read a book just because the main character is cool, but that’s exactly what I’m doing right here. So much of a book’s appeal comes from its characters being able to be related to, and Allen has nailed it with Lamar. Middle grade and young adult books need more cool guys like Lamar so young male readers feel like they have guys to relate to that aren’t undead versions of Fabio. The benefits from this could be three-fold: Teenage guys read more, SAT scores increase, and we have a nation full of outrageously cool dudes.