Who the Man

by Chris Lynch
PRMS hardcover 186 pages

Hmmm. This took me a long time to read because I had trouble getting into it. Not sure what kind of middle school reader would be drawn to it, but it's definitely less violent and offensive than other Lynch books I've read. Earl is a large 13-year-old who can pass for an adult. His thoughts and feelings, though, are still developing between childhood and maturity. His proclivity for resolving problems with fighting gets him a week out of school.

His relationship with wimpy Bobby reminded me of Freak the Mighty. The tension between his parents was too ill-defined until the end of the book. And his obsession for Louisa was also difficult to follow. This book just didn't connect for me . . .