This is a brilliant book, full of history, mystery, and laughs. It reminded me of my small-town childhood, although my small town was never as delightfully weird as Norvelt -- Dave Barry A bit of autobiography works its way into all of Gantos's work, but he one-ups himself in this wildly entertaining meld of truth and fiction by naming the main character . . . Jackie Gantos * Publishers Weekly * Gantos, as always, delivers bushels of food for thought and plenty of outright guffaws * Booklist * A fast-paced and witty read * School Library Journal *