Putting the Spin On: Yo-Yo Man by Daniel Pinkwater

It's every kid's worst nightmare. It's the first day of school, the No. 1 third grade bully is seated right behind you and singles you out for arm-twisting domination

"Who's your master? Richard Newton asks.

"OWWW!" I say.

"WHO?" he asks.

"You are! You are!" I wail."

Then the bell rings, and their teacher, Miss Mousetrap, hits them with spelling words and math test without further ado. Third grade is looking like an ordeal!

Finally recess arrives, and there's a surprise in the schoolyard. It's Ramon, World Yo-Yo Champion, shilling for Bob's Toyland with a mind-spinning demonstration of yo-yo legerdemain. Along with the demo all the kids get a free book of instructions on how to do all the tricks. Ramon promises to return for a Super Yo-Yo Tourney, with the prize of a fake diamond-studdend golden yo-yo for any kid who can perform all the tricks. Our kid now has a PLAN!

"I am going to become a yo-yo genius. I am going to become a yo-yo go-go, with yo-yo know-how. I am going to learn all the tricks in the book. I am going to get the golden prize when Ramon comes back."

And it happens! Bully Richard Newton turns out to be a yo-yo no-go, and our hero's self confidence rises with each new trick he learns. He even turns out to be the best speller in the third grade, so Miss Mousetrap doesn't scare him anymore either.

Of course, he wins the tourney with his perfect performance of the double flip-flop bouncing sleeper.

There are tears in Ramon's eyes as he gives me my golden yo-yo with diamonds.

Everyone admires me. I am a true yo-yo man.

And I can spell.

Daniel Pinkwater's Yo-yo Man is a simple story of the triumph of the nervous nerd over the brawny bully which proves again that mastery of cool skills provides the confidence to make kids bully-proof. Jack E. Davis' wonderfully goofy cartoon illustrations take Pinkwater's story over the top as a super kid pleaser, sure to be a comfort to the early elementary reader who knows those first-day of school jitters all too well.