During the summer of the drought, a boy must decide if his neighbor’s ark is lunacy or a lifeline.
It’s the summer of the drought, but thirteen year-old Peter "Nemo" Grady has bigger problems on his mind than the weather. He hates his new home in the exclusive golf club community Willow Creek Landing. His parents are always fighting and he can't escape the memory of his last seizure - when he flopped around the gymnasium floor like a fish out of water - earning him his dreaded nickname. To top it all off, Peter has no friends but receives plenty of unsolicited attention from Chipper, the boy scout super-bully who also happens to be a resident of Willow Creek. His only companion is his little sister, CJ, who thinks she is Wonder Woman.
Peter is all too aware that you don’t need rain in the forecast to have dark clouds overhead.
Things change when he meets his new neighbor, the mysterious Joshua, who predicts the drought will end with a storm of biblical proportions. Peter looks to his visiting wheelchair-bound Uncle Herb and neighbors, Mr. James and Mr. Terry, for guidance as Josh prepares for imminent doom. With each passing day, Peter realizes that sooner or later he will have to rely on the strength of the lamest, most jelly-weak individual he knows - himself.
Reviews
"Peter is appealing, and readers will applaud his triumphs"
- Booklist
“A treasure for readers of any age, The Underdog Parade promises to be an instant classic reminiscent of works like To Kill a Mockingbird. Crack open this book, and you will not put it down!”
-Gary R. Brown, author of The Coney Island Fakir
“I fell in love with Michael Mihaley’s band of misfit characters. They show us anything is possible with a little bit of faith and a whole lotta heart.”
-Barbara J. Taylor, author of All Waiting Is Long
"I thought this was a great book! The book was interesting and thought provoking. The characters were well developed and I loved how the book revolved around real world issues. The characters were so unique and designed so intricately. The world building was also fantastic... Great family book."
-Paige Green, Pop the Butterfly Reads
"This was a really uplifting, inspiring read! This author did an amazing job of capturing the various struggles of each character and how they relied on each other to cope and build their strength. He perfectly captures the innocence yet perception of children, especially with struggles at home, while also capturing their optimism. I loved this book and would recommend it to any teen looking to build their own confidence!"
-Peculiar Bookworm
"I really liked the plot of the story. It revolves around themes like bully, adjustment problems at a new place, living with a person with disability, family problems etc. It is simple and can even be read to students since there is a lot to learn."
-Bookworm.fj