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Chessville
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Three moves Eleven year old Marcus is not mad all the time. It’s not because his Daddy left, or because his younger brothers have dedicated their lives to driving him crazy. It’s not because of that fool Latrell hassling him at school. And it’s certainly not because his sister died a year ago. If that clueless Ms. Tate, the principal, would only stay out of his way and let him deal with things. But no, now she’s got him going to the library to meet with some big guy called CM. Marcus can sure beat him, too... G. Neri’s free-verse novella, richly illustrated by Jesse Joshua Watson, takes us into the young man’s world of hurt, pain – and ultimately of promise.
I counsel kids like Marcus all the time: isolated pawns, blockaded by their raging passions and people who call themselves “friends.” Marcus is fortunate, however – this new found warrior will school him in the arena of the 64 squares, show him where he can put all that fighting to good use, and continually challenge him to think ahead three steps. It won’t be easy. Passed pawns have to be pushed. Neri’s storytelling is close and warm. He has a great ear for dialogue, and he knows how people can say and not-say something with the very same words. His characters are very real – and not surprisingly, as he is, as he notes on his website (http://www.gregneri.com), a storyteller, a filmmaker, an artist, and a digital media producer. His upcoming books Yummy and Surf Mules look awesome.
The author says he writes for “reluctant readers” (targeting grades 4 through 8) with the hope that his stories will “open minds to reading.” Average and avid readers – chess players and non-players alike – will enjoys Chess Rumble, as well. (They might want to check out the whole, impressive Lee & Low catalogue, as well.) While everyone’s minds are “open” they will have much to learn, too, from Neri, CM, and even Marcus. Because someday Latrell is going to walk into the library and see the chess sets and see Marcus – and what’s going to happen, then?
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Watson captures the emotions of each page, and pours them into his art work.
I liked his various uses of lighting, and especially enjoyed his wrap-around
cover. Sure, the streets behind Marcus are checkered, but note that
taggers added a pawn and a rook to a back wall as well.