EDENVILLE OWLS; Robert B. Parker; Philomel; Young Adult; 2007; 224 pp.Bobby and his friends are coming of age just after World War II, and are confronted with a mystery when Bobby sees a creepy-looking guy terrorizing his new teacher. Miss Delaney begs him to forget about it, but Bobby, his friend Joanie, and his pickup basketball team decide to do what they can to protect their teacher. At the same time, the boys form a basketball team, the Edenville Owls, and without a coach try to prepare themselves to enter the district tournament.
Tension on the sports front and suspense on the teacher front, and Parker's pithy dialogue make this a fast and entertaining read. Troublesome aspects include frequent use of ugly racial epithets which though all-too-normal for the time, seem obscene to the modern ear; also, the teens have a more saintly aspect than seems quite normal. Mr. Parker's making himself the hero of this autobiographical tale might be annoying to adults, but kids won't care.
LW
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