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Summary
Summary
The summer before Enzo enters sixth grade, his dad takes a job with Kap, a company cooler than Nike, Timberland, and Marc Ecko. Even better, he gets to spend the summer traveling with his father and the super-awesome CEO/designer/head of the company. Working out all summer, meeting new people, and growing up makes him come back a different kid--more confident and self-assured. But when all the other kids, especially the girls, start paying attention and treating him differently, he credits it all to his cool prototype Lucky Cap. Flirted with, more popular, invited onto the sports teams--it's all thanks to his Lucky Cap. And when it disappears, Enzo stops at nothing to get it back so he won't lose his new-found status...only to sabotage himself.
Author Notes
Patrick Jennings blasted onto the children's book scene with his critically acclaimed Faith and the Electric Dogs , which received numerous starred reviews and is now in film development. Guinea Dog was called "a very funny book...would be particularly great for fifth-grade boys." by wired.com. Now that his children are middle-grade age, he has turned his focus to writing funny, easily accessible stories that will appeal to middle-schoolers. A former resident of Bisbee, Arizona, Jennings now lives in Washington State. Visit him online at www.patrickjennings.com.
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-7-The summer before Enzo enters middle school he has "the most amazingest trip in the history of time," courtesy of his dad's new job with Kap, a major sportswear company. He spends a month staying in hotels, getting tips from pro athletes, and wearing the latest and greatest gear, including a one-of-a-kind prototype cap. Enzo believes that it is responsible for his amazing trip and his subsequent run of good luck upon starting school. He is nominated for class president, makes the basketball team, and is more popular than he ever imagined. His swift ascension to success and popularity isn't faultless, as he ditches his immature best friend almost immediately for someone he thinks is cooler. But overall, though, things are great, until the cap disappears. Suddenly, his luck turns and Enzo becomes desperate to find it before his life spirals out of control. Short chapters and plenty of humorous dialogue and descriptions keep the story moving at a quick pace. Enzo tries to figure out his identity and how to do what's right. The narrative also touches briefly on issues of marketing and branding, which could make for an interesting discussion. Enzo certainly has his flaws, and they make him a believable character whose voice will ring true with children even when they don't agree with his choices.-Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Eleven-year-old Lorenzo Harpold spends the summer traveling with his father, checking out new products for a sporting goods company. Enzo returns to school fitter and more popular; he's sure it's because of his new "lucky cap." Though Enzo's transformation is too quick and the writing's cutesy at times, the story's fast pace, sports themes, and take-away life lessons will attract readers. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
