Saturday, January 12, 2019

The Right Hook of Devin Velma by Jake Burt - ESSENTIAL

The Right Hook of Devin Velma by Jake Burt, 240 pages. Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), 2018. $17. 

Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS – ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

The men in Devin Velma’s family don’t have the best odds. Now his dad is in the gambling ring with his heart on the line. Devin decides it’s up to him to raise the money his dad needs for surgery. He surmises that the quickest way to get rich is by making a video that goes viral. First he attempts the infamous double backflip of doom off the monkey bars, but Addison drops the phone before getting the video. His plan B is to get on the Kiss Cam acting crazy behind a celebrity couple at a Clippers basketball game. When his moment arrives he accidentally flips over a railing. This time Addison is the hero, catching him before he falls. The whole thing is caught on camera, but instead of Devin becoming famous, Addison does. 

It's incredibly entertaining to follow Devin around as he attempts these crazy stunts. It's equally entertaining to watch Addison, his reluctant side-kick, who has social anxiety. Kids will totally relate to the whole social media thing and the basketball is an added bonus.

Valerie McEnroe, Media Specialist 

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