Slot Machine by Chris Lynch

Lynch, Chris.  Slot Machine. New York: Harper Collins, 1993.
241 pgs.

    Slot Machine is a novel by Chris Lynch, a Scottish author who has written numerous award-winning novels for young adults.  This novel in particular was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.  The novel follows the story of Elvin Bishop a chubby white boy who faces the terrifying transition from middle school to an all-boys high school, Flagship Academy.  As an attempt to ease the pain, Elvin attends a summer retreat where he is told he will begin the transition to high school and have the opportunity to take part in fun activities for the sake of bonding with future classmates and becoming oriented with the school.  However, he finds that the retreat is nothing more than a sports training camp and, considering his figure, this is Elvin’s worst nightmare come true.  Moving across athletic slots, Elvin struggles to find his niche and define himself in the stormy sea of high school.  Elvin’s sense of humor and outlook on life make the novel relatable for adolescents while his commentary and letters home to his mom make light of his situation and make for a hilarious and highly-entertaining read.
    I think that this book is quite teachable for sixth or seventh grade students because of its humor and content.  It is very gender-specific so it might be best for a small group of boys or even for independent study.  I think that athletic boys would find the sports theme very relatable and interesting while those who are less-athletic would find comfort in Elvin’s experiences as an awkward adolescent.  Even in terms of a large class, the novel would be very relevant for middle-schoolers experiencing the awkwardness of adolescence and the transition to high school.  From the adolescent novels that I have read, the humor of the novel was something that I hadn’t seen before.  Although the story comes from a white author and fails to address any racial or social issues, I think that it is a great tool to introduce students to the ways in which reading can be fun and painless while still incorporating vocabulary and a somewhat mature writing style.