I was lucky enough to experience this via Advanced LISTENING Copy. This means I got to hear Jack Gantos do Jack Gantos. It was a genuine summer treat.

The real charm here is the colorful cast of characters that include Jack's parents, childhood friend, neighbors and quirky community members. While there is a grim aspect to the story, there is thoughtfulness in the historical bytes and socialist ideals that contrast to a burgeoning capitalist community.

I don't mean to make it sound too fancy. It's a fun book, really. Great for boys!

Fictional memoir at it's finest. Cheers, Jack! Thanks for sharing your story.