THE MOUSE RAP

During an eventful summer in Harlem, fourteen-year-old Mouse and his friends fall in and out of love and search for a hidden treasure from the days of Al Capone

Grade 6-10-- A novel written with a light touch, blending inner-city adventure with family and peer relationships. Diminutive Frederick, 14 and known as the Mouse, punctuates his tale of the search for hidden 1930s gangland treasure with rap verses and phrases. Mouse and his friends are intrigued by a local TV news broadcast that reveals the possiblity of nearby hidden treasure that was amassed by an Al Capone contemporary, Tiger Moran. Mouse discovers that his friend Sheri's grandfather and the still-living Sudden Sam once worked for Tiger Moran and have a vague recollection of the money's whereabouts. Through a mock bank robbery, the old timers and the teenagers find the $50,000 in an abandoned building. When he is not searching for treasure, Mouse is sorting out his feelings for his once estranged father, his amorous, unpredictable girlfriend, and his sometimes aloof friend, Styx. Myers' style is sure to win readers, as is his story about quick-thinking, fast-talking Mouse, whose banter reveals both independence and vulnerability. An upbeat, entertaining tale. --Gerry Larson, Chewning Junior High School, Durham, NC
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The experiences of a group of Harlem teenagers come alive through Myers's use of their rhythmic vernacular. Mouse, 14, spends the summer playing basketball, preparing for a dance contest and--together with his pals--searching for a gangster's hidden loot with the help of a hot-headed kid and an ancient former gang member. But Mouse also has more mundane concerns: his new girlfriend is trying to come between him and his best friend, and Mouse's father, who deserted Mouse and his mother, has suddenly returned. Imbued by Myers with depth, credibility and a keen sense of humor, Mouse lends a strong narrative voice to this highly entertaining novel, which vividly captures the sights and sounds of a Harlem summer. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.