You Will Call Me Drog

Gr 4–6—This first-person narrative begins with 11-year-old Parker reminiscing about the day that he and his friend Wren were wrapping up a productive day of junkyard scavenging. While she thinks the bald, green-faced puppet she finds is creepy, Parker is intrigued by its creative possibilities. When he slips the puppet on his hand, it says, "You will call me Drog," and Parker can't get it off, no matter how hard he tries. It's difficult enough trying to hide a puppet stuck to his hand at school, but Drog also has the habit of saying exactly what's on his mind whenever he pleases. While this candor causes Parker's class to laugh hysterically, it also earns him his first trip to the counselor's office and then a psychologist's. Eventually, military school is in his future if he can't figure out how to get rid of his puppet. The protagonist has a rather introspective and mature voice for his age, and his positivity and struggle to find his way make him likable. A subplot about a man with a notebook spying on Parker doesn't quite work, but the suspense and creepiness at the beginning evolve into a thoughtful coming-of-age story.—Brenda Kahn, Tenakill Middle School, Closter, NJ