Kevin's awesome life consisted of three things: fantastic fishing, hanging out with his ever-pranking best friends, and having fun with the coolest mentor ever. But when the scariest piece of his past resurfaces, his world changes. Wil Kevin be able to find his voice and the courage to overcome things too evil to speak of, or will he lose his friends, his family, and everything else important to him?
Quarter Finalist
Assessment:
Plot: Kevin and his best friends Preech and Rudy have built a raft to help Kev catch the biggest catfish in Texas, but their ambitious plans are derailed by an escaped prisoner whom Rudy helped put in jail and serious trouble at home between Kevin’s parents This is a rollicking, often light-hearted, adventure story with an underlying emphasis on the things that really matter – friendship, loyalty, and family. Upper elementary students will have a hard time putting his book down and junior high schoolers will find its fast pace and sometimes outlandish events keep them engrossed.
Prose/Style: Murray Richter’s writing is fresh and polished and even when he is describing what his characters are thinking, he manages keeps the action going. Banter among the boys is sharp and often funny, never veering over the line to meanness, and humor frequently enhances the action.
Originality: Richter’s characters are just weird enough to be engaging without being scary or implausible. Kev, Preech and Rudy are wonderfully inventive and resourceful. Uncle Oliver (aka The Oracle), a vet, is a mentor to the boys, devising unusual and challenging activities to keep them thinking and active.
Character Development/Execution: This story includes some of the same characters as Richter’s 2014 YA novel Lucky Rocks and treats the events in that book as common history in this one. The life lessons that indicate growth are a direct and logical outcome of the character’s experience and therefore neither heavy-handed nor pedantic.
Blurb: Fishing for Luck is a fast-paced, engaging YA novel full of action, humor and a few life lessons. The characters are a little weird, very resourceful and eminently likable.
Date Submitted: August 05, 2021
