THE KING OF SLIPPERY FALLS

Lewis “Poisson” Hinton dreams of catching the giant trout he’s sure he’s seen behind Slippery Falls. A mysterious letter he receives from his mother, signed “J.A. Poisson,” seemingly links Lewis with King Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour. In a light, good-hearted tale about a boy abandoned at birth in search of glory and an identity, Hite offers a most unusual fish story with much to say about friends and community. When Lewis almost dies, readers see how much one young boy means to so many people. A likable protagonist, a mystery, a romance, a near-death in the roiling waters close to the falls, an elderly neighbor who saves his life, and a boy intent on life well-lived are the elements sure to hook many readers. (Fiction. 12+)