Me, Dead Dad, and Alcatraz

Me, Dead Dad, and Alcatraz
Chris Lynch
240 pgs
Harper Collins (2005)

For the first fourteen years of his life Elvin has been told that his father is dead and that all other relatives of his are gone. One day Elvin comes home from school to find an uncle, that his mother had never admitted to knowing, sitting on his couch. Apparently Uncle Alex has been in jail but is now willing to become the father figure in Elvin's life. Growing up with only his mother, Elvin has a hard time adjusting to another man in the house and does not appreciate the 'fixing up' his uncle tries to do for him, including nearly killing him at the gym with a vigorous work-out, getting his hair cut, and questioning his masculinity infront of his friends. Elvin does not welcome his uncle at all and does all that he can to get rid of him.

Review: A humorous book that allows a fourteen-year-old boy to be himself and describes the difficulties of growing up and not being happy with one's self, as we all have done before.

Now You Know: There isn't anything in this book that would be seen as offensive.