When Charlie Lawson saunters into an abandoned warehouse to snatch up adventurous neighborhood cat Pansy, he instead stumbles on a secret of (literally) epic proportions, a teenage giant. New to the sleepy Wisconsin suburb, his third home in two years, 13-year old Charlie sees his chance encounter with the 20-foot tall "emo caveman" as a quintessential and long overdue shot at companionship. But Dr. Sean Fitzgibbons and his assistant, Neil Barton, have other plans, securing a live test subject, extracting hundreds of pounds of GGH ("giant growth hormone"), and bolstering their otherwise listless careers. But as Barton, Fitzgibbons, and Fitzgibbons' son, Jamie, home in on Charlie and his new pal, Bruce (named after Bruce Lee), our heroes discover a covert ring of plucky giant smugglers and resolve to return Bruce to his family and freedom. Though the story's pacing occasionally stutters, the journey is nevertheless zany. Prepare for massive wedgies, stolen Hummers, impromptu parades, and more. Plus, Paul's and Solomon's treatment of trust, prejudice, and boundless loyalty is spot-on.

Gr 4-8 Charlie Lawson befriends a giant and names him Bruce. The local bully, whose dad works for Accelerton and is looking for the giant so that he can develop a formula to enhance growth in humans, has it out for the pair. Then there is Hank, who is trying to move the giant to a safe haven. Finally, there is Charlie's brother, Tim, who works for a traveling carnival and happens to be a giant-smuggler. Charlie is intent on saving Bruce and keeping him safe. The story moves at a quick pace as Charlie is involved in several dangerous altercations and high-speed chases. Though some of the bad guys may be stereotypical, the authors do not talk down to their readers as they paint a vivid picture of Charlie's trials and triumphs. VERDICT Middle schoolers with a need for action and adventure will scoop up this title. Elizabeth Kahn, Patrick F. Taylor Science &; Technology Academy, Avondale, LA