Pop

Pop
By Gordon Korman
Balzer & Bray, 2009. 260 pgs. Young Adult.

Marcus Jordan is having a rough time. He has just moved to a new town whose high school football team has just had a perfect year. Marcus possesses a great arm, but the entire football team is reluctant to take him on because of their perfect year. To add insult to injury, Marcus has also attracted the attention of the quarterback’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, Alyssa, which makes him more of an outcast. And then there is the strange, older man who plays football with Marcus in the local park. This old man likes to play expensive pranks, involving Marcus in the pranks. Needless to say, Marcus begins a relationship with the local police officer.

Matters become more complicated when Marcus realizes the old man is the quarterback’s father and an old NFL player. Marcus realizes the family is hiding a secret about the old football player and has to decide how much he will help his new (and only) friend. I was hoping for a more laugh-out loud offering from Korman, a master of humor, but this was a great read about an unlikely friendship.

MN