Stick Boy

For sixth-grader Eric Bonner, school is a minefield. Each day he tiptoes around classmates, ducks confrontations and desperately tries to blend into his surroundings. While dealing with his parents' divorce and his peers' reactions to his seven-inch growth spurt, Eric feels awkward, lonely and powerless. He finds comfort only in the music of his idol, Quatre Cinq--``He could make you believe that any day now you'd be able to rock right out of your bottomless pit and hit the stars.'' At a new school, nothing seems to change--until he meets Cynthia, a strong, independent disabled girl; Jeremiah, a foster child yearning for a true friend; and Tyler, an intimidating bully who is actually a coward. As Eric learns more about his classmates, he discovers that he himself, not a musician's magic, has the power to change his life. Through detailed narrative, naturalistic dialogue and absorbing personalities Zeier powerfully elucidates the subtleties of peer relationships. Readers will identify with the many facets of each character and hopefully begin to develop a sense of understanding and respect for their own peers. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)