Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

When Alby's taste for cards gets him in financial trouble with a young but dangerous cardsharp, he knows he can't turn to his dad for help. It's not that his father won't give him the money; it's just that it won't come without another lecture. Instead, Alby decides to pimp his best friend, Barry; seeing a sign for a Man o' Might boxing competition, Alby is sure that the talented though untried Barry can take home [End Page 383] the purse and Alby can pick up enough action on the side to pay off his debts and have plenty left over. Barry is reluctant, but he's tempted—his father trained him to be a boxer, and he knows he needs to step up now to help support his mother. Rather incredibly, the high-school boxer defeats all comers in the competition, but when Barry finds out Alby is taking illegal bets on the side, he refuses the ill-gotten gain and turns his back on his best friend for using him. The relatively short text and high-interest themes of gambling and boxing will be a boon for reluctant male readers; even if they won't admit to relating to the tearful reunion of the two friends, they will certainly understand what it's like to be in over their heads, feel alienated from demanding fathers, and experience the pain of betrayal. Barry's internal dialogues and memories of his father are especially moving, acting as clear motivations not only for Alby's jealousy but also for his desire to reconnect with his own dad, which he is able to do, at least partially, as he struggles to regain his honor as well as his most important friendship.