LitPick Review
This book is about a 14-year-old boy who goes to a summer basketball camp. Ernie Dolan talks with a lisp and is the average guy. He struggles with the fact that his best friend, Mike Rivers, is better than he is in more than one thing. Sports, girls, and all the things in between seem to come to Mike like breathing, and that bugs Ernie. At the beginning of the plot, Ernie feels like a geek and feels out of place next to his sporty BFF. But, by the end of camp, he feels like a man who has reached his full potential.
Mike Rivers has been Ernie's best friend since they were little. But once Camp NothinButNet comes along, Mike accepts a better group's call to join them. However, that group of friends find themselves in a sticky situation. Will Mike go back to Ernie and his other roommates, or will he continue to hang out with that popular group?
Rick Craig is the man behind Mike's new group, and because of Rick's popularity, he is Ernie's least favorite part of camp from the first time they set eyes on each other. Rick is the jock because of his skills, and he frequently lets that go to his head. After an accident, Rick gets benched from all movement and that puts his life into a better perspective. The team makes it to the camp championship, and the boys gain new friendships in the most unlikely people.
Opinion:
The setting of this book is the shore of Lake Michigan at NothinButNet Basketball Camp. The technique that Mr. Fink uses in his descriptions of events is effective in creating the mood, as well as allowing you to finish painting the picture the way you want. The perspective of the book allows you to get more of an insight to what the average person would see and say in a particular position. In addition, the author makes you feel like you are every bit as involved in the plot since it's written from Ernie's point of view. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys realistic fiction, sports - especially basketball, and high-quality adventure stories.
