Stick & Whittle

Twenty-seven-year-old Melvin Fitchett (a.k.a. Stick) and 16-year-old Melvin Smyte (Whittle) may have the same first name, but they couldn't be more different. Stick is a disenchanted ex-Confederate soldier who's been searching for his lost sweetheart for eight long years. Whittle is a rough and tumble orphan who's seeking his fortune in whatever direction fate may take him. Together, they travel the wilderness in pursuit of adventure, or the whereabouts of Stick's beloved Evelyn--whichever comes first. They get a taste of both when Stick answers an advertisement to rescue a rich man's kidnapped daughter from an evil outlaw, and discovers that the daughter's governess is none other than his dear Evelyn! Stick and Whittle trace the bandit to his lair with the assistance of the shady Only Olsen and a helpful Cheyenne pair, Talking Rock and Brings the Rain. Along with gunshots, galloping horses, and blazing tumbleweeds, there's a happy ending. Despite Stick and Whittle's somewhat sanitized take on the Old West, the playful banter between the two unlikely friends will tickle the funny bones of younger teens.

'If you're thirsty, Whittle, you ought not talk so much. Words use up moisture when you say them.' 'If that's true, you must be dryer than dust.' Author Sid Hite takes his time jump-starting the action, but when Stick and Whittle finally get around to saving Evelyn, the skirmish is positively page-turning. A good Western read for the middle school set that will definitely rustle up a few laughs. (Ages 10 to 14) --Jennifer Hubert