Craig Trilosky is a 12-year-old with a mom who embarrasses him, a teacher who wants him to do extra math and an irritating class clown for a friend. In short, he's pretty much like every other kid his age.
Craig is the protagonist in a novel, Fouling Out, written by Halfmoon Bay Elementary School principal Gregory Walters.
Walters launched his novel at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt recently in a most appropriate venue. The gallery walls were covered in children's art, including pictures drawn by students from his own school at Halfmoon Bay, on display for the Young People's Own Show. In the front row of the launch sat some of Walters' new fans, boys of an age close to that of the book's character, Craig.
The novel is set in Richmond involving locations scoped by the author while he was a Grade 7 teacher in that neighbourhood. He believes it will appeal to kids in grades 6 to 8."It's a book that I hope generates discussion between reader and parents," he said during the launch.
Although the title's term "fouling out" comes from basketball and refers to Craig's friend Tom and his love of the sport, the book is not really about the game. Instead, it delves deeper into the nature of friendship. Craig knows that Tom is abused by his alcoholic father and feels helpless to do anything about it. Instead, he becomes drawn into Tom's wise-cracking, obnoxious pranks. At first, he cruises along with Tom as a buddy, but after an incident involving a squirrel and a gun, Craig must let his conscience decide how far to go. Along the way he learns much about life, for example, that teachers are, in fact, human, and that it is possible for him to chat with a popular girl without blushing. At the launch, Walters spoke honestly about his first foray into the world of writing and editing. He began the book in March 1998, over spring break, labouring on a handwritten manuscript that he showed to no one. Later, when he submitted it to a publisher, he was told it was too long and he had to cut 20,000 words. While living in his new home in Langdale and commuting each day, he would sit in the car deck of the ferry with his two dogs, in the dark and cold, deleting words. The result was worth it. After a slow start, the book moves along rapidly with great humour and insight. Walters was ready to share it. When the package of manuscript proofs was mailed to him, he did not open it until he was with his students so they could all enjoy the experience.
Fouling Out is published by Orca Books and sells for $8.95. It appeals mostly to guys but is also an interesting read for girls. The three boys in the front row at the book launch who had all read the book were in agreement that it was a good one. What was good about it?
"Tons of stuff," replied one lad. There you go. The target audience has already declared it a winner.
