I truly hope that all of Felice Picano's books are this terrific of a read. The author truly has a way of describing his characters and developing these three short stories. The first has to do with growing up the in the East in a neighborhood much like the one that I grew up in. Against his 5th grade's teacher wishes, he insists on using both his left and right hands. But he takes something as simple as this (today it would not be significant but not in the 50's - in the forties and fifties left-handedness was frowned upon) and creates a wonderful story. In the end he rebels -- he experiments with sex in the basement of a neighbors (Susan Flaherty). His writing of this first story is truly incredible - couldn't put it down until I finished the first fifty pages.

In Pelicano's second story entitled "Valentine" the writer writes about a local neighbor boy Ricky Hersch who he obviously admired in all respects. The short story talks about his classmates in middle school but especially his adoration of Hersch, their adventuresome times. He writes about his first sexual experience as a juvenile with another boy and how the experience changes to love; their is no reciprocity of the feeling and the feelings are discussed in length; love and intimacy.

Picano's last short story, The Effects of Mirrors, centers around juvenile sexual play with a Franny Solomon -- an ice princess that both the writer and Franny engage in juvenile sexual escapades while being watched with the effects of mirrors by an adult. He's thirteen and writes a story centered around this situation, which is rejected --the rest affects - the truth. ( )

I truly hope that all of Felice Picano's books are this terrific of a read. The author truly has a way of describing his characters and developing these three short stories. The first has to do with growing up the in the East in a neighborhood much like the one that I grew up in. Against his 5th grade's teacher wishes, he insists on using both his left and right hands. But he takes something as simple as this (today it would not be significant but not in the 50's - in the forties and fifties left-handedness was frowned upon) and creates a wonderful story. In the end he rebels -- he experiments with sex in the basement of a neighbors (Susan Flaherty). His writing of this first story is truly incredible - couldn't put it down until I finished the first fifty pages.

In Pelicano's second story entitled "Valentine" the writer writes about a local neighbor boy Ricky Hersch who he obviously admired in all respects. The short story talks about his classmates in middle school but especially his adoration of Hersch, their adventuresome times. He writes about his first sexual experience as a juvenile with another boy and how the experience changes to love; their is no reciprocity of the feeling and the feelings are discussed in length; love and intimacy.

Picano's last short story, The Effects of Mirrors, centers around juvenile sexual play with a Franny Solomon -- an ice princess that both the writer and Franny engage in juvenile sexual escapades while being watched with the effects of mirrors by an adult. He's thirteen and writes a story centered around this situation, which is rejected --the rest affects - the truth. ( )