LitPick Review
Sam Parma does not like to golf. He's a baseball player, not a golfer! But one summer morning, his outlook changes quite a bit. Reluctantly entered in the Schoolboy, a junior golf tournament, Sam only participates to please his mother. After all, what's the harm in a day at the golf course? But conflict arises quickly as Sam is grouped with an experienced golfer, a foul-mouthed cheater, and an intimidating bully for the day's golfing. Thus an innocent tournament soon evolves into a test of character where winning is the least of Sam's worries.
Opinion:
Overall, Tony Rosa's "The Schoolboy" is not a bad book, though the exposition is not convincing, and overuse of golf lingo distracts from the story. The book picks up speed as it continues. Laced with life lessons, each chapter serves a specific purpose. Though well-intended, many of these points are too preachy for its audience. That a few hours of golfing could change the main character's outlook on life is not believable, especially considering that the point of view is that of a fourteen-year-old boy. In the words of Rosa himself, "sometimes you just can't make them all."
