The Big Splash explores the ugly criminal underbelly of a middle school in America. It is hard-boiled fiction set in Junior High and it is so much fun! The fraudulent forged hall passes, the water gun attacks, the enforcers! It’s all there!
Our hero is Matt, the detective hired to find out who put Nikki Fingers in the “outs” (or in other words the untouchably unpopular crowd). Our cast includes Vinny, the mastermind and boss of the Franklin Middle School crime family. Kevin, Matt’s former best friend, before he accepted a position of second commander in Vinny’s operation and turned into a snake. Liz, Kevin’s younger sister (a love interest for Matt). Nikki, the former enforcer who left the organization only to be betrayed and her younger sister Jenny, a wide-eyed innocent intent on finding out who “popped” Nikki.
Truly, it has all the set ups of a classic gangster movie. Betrayals, crooked officials, love triangles, good girls gone bad (and not in a gross sense), revenge, and a bit of redemption. The writing is over the top with metaphors and similes out the wazoo, but it works. It is very funny and fast paced.
“He promised me money and power. I wouldn’t have to work my way through the ranks; I could start out at the top, helping him mold and shape his organization. I felt like a diabetic at an ice cream buffet: I was tempted, but I knew it wouldn’t be very good for me.”
This is a fantastic book for older elementary, younger middle school boys.
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1 comment:
i need to read that! thank for the recommendation!
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