The Last Newspaper Boy in America - Hardcover

Corbett, Sue

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525422056 ISBN 13: 9780525422051

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2009

Synopsis

Big Heart + Big Brain = Funny, Feel Good Fiction!

Wil?s sidearm throw can land a paper on your porch from twenty yards out. But he doesn?t know if he?ll be able to put his unusual talent to use because the big newspaper company has canceled delivery to Wil?s small town.

Well, that was the paper?s first mistake. Underestimating Wil was the second. With physics, his clueless brother, and a neighbor girl on his side, Wil fights to save his route. Along the way he just might unravel a carnival mystery, expose a con artist, rescue his little town, and become a big hero. Sue Corbett?s hilarious dialogue, nonstop action, and one-of-a-kind family story herald a rising star of middle-grade fiction.

About this title

About the Author:

Sue Corbett is the daughter of Irish immigrants and grew up in a Long Island neighborhood very similar to the one depicted in 12 Again. Ms. Corbett has worked as a journalist for fifteen years in Missouri, South Carolina, Florida and, now, Virginia, where she lives with her husband and their three young children. As anyone who knows her will tell you, she really is half-Looney. However, she has only been twelve once. (So far.)

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4–7—The David family has delivered the Cooper County Caller to residents of Steele, PA, for as long as anyone can remember. Wil's 12th birthday signals that he will take over for his older brother, and he's been practicing his tosses from his bike. When the circulation manager phones the day before his start date to inform him that the Caller has decided to discontinue home delivery, Wil is devastated. The more he thinks about it, the madder he gets: folks in his rural community rely on that paper for important news and employment opportunities. Many are jobless since the factory shut down, and TV reception is iffy with no cable service. Putting his stubborn streak to good use, Wil goes up against the big corporation that bought the paper. Chapter titles resembling newspaper headlines foreshadow what is to come. Like the author's Free Baseball (2006) and 12 Again (2002, both Dutton), this novel has a likable protagonist, engaging secondary characters, realistic dialogue, and a fast-moving plot that both seasoned and reluctant readers will enjoy. While Michael Winerip's "Adam Canfield" titles (Candlewick) focus on the inside workings of newspaper production, Corbett offers a timely look at how increased dependence on electronic news sources is impacting small newspapers and their audiences. Youngsters who have grown up surrounded by cable television and online news will have much to ponder after they have turned the final pages of this thought-provoking story.—Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA END

About this edition

• Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0525422056
• ISBN 13: 9780525422051
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 196