Miami - July 08, 2009

Notoriously B.I.G.

"Huge," by James Fuerst

During the all-too-hot summer, you like to keep your reading list light, as in tabloids, Ikea catalogs, and sunscreen instructions.

Tip the scale toward the heavier side with Huge, James Fuerst’s funny debut novel.

Its hero, Eugene “Huge” Smalls, is a scrawny sixth grader from the Jersey Shore who’s ignored by classmates and tormented by teachers. Armed with a hand-built bike and a knack for sleuthing, he sets out to prove his worth by finding the crook who tagged the sign outside his grandmother’s nursing home.

Both a detective caper and a nostalgic coming-of-age story, the book trails Eugene from arcade to shopping malls to football fields. Through both bad times (dodging a bully named Razor) and good (spying on his sister’s cute best friend), he comes to terms with his awkward childhood.

Does he solve the crime?

You’ll have to weight and see.

Available online at booksandbooks.com.

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