Lynch, Chris, Me, dead dad, and Alcatraz.

LYNCH, Chris, Me, dead dad, and Alcatraz. HarperCollins. 240p. c2005. 0-06-059709-7. $15.99. (Lib. bdg: 0-06-059710-0. $16.89.) J

In this third tale about Elvin Bishop, following Slot Machine and Extreme Elvin, the self-deprecating 14-year-old is startled, to say the least, when his uncle Alex, who he was told was dead, turns up on his doorstep one day. Alex has led a colorful life, which included a jail term for stealing money from various people. Elvin and his mother are two of the people Alex stole from, and he's come to them in search of forgiveness and redemption. "Healthily skeptical" at first of this rather strange and scary man, Elvin soon starts to warm up to him as Alex makes an effort to be his friend and advisor. He introduces Elvin to spicy food, gym workouts, and the potential of the tuba. When Elvin gets a dreadful new haircut, in an attempt to look like his handsome friend Frank (and does he have a crush on Frank, he starts to wonder?), and then needs a crew cut to fix it, Alex gets a crew cut too. All too familiar with humiliation himself, Elvin feels for Alex when he makes an ill-advised attempt to reconcile with his children. Alex is far from perfect, but when at the end he vanishes again from Elvin's life, Elvin realizes he's gained a new sense of family roots and more self-confidence from their brief relationship.

This is a funny and poignant novel, and Elvin's fans will definitely want to read it; it can stand alone, too. However, the cover, which in the advance reading copy featured a portly boy playing a tuba, and the title, which doesn't indicate that this is a continuation of Elvin's adventures, may not draw an audience, so this fine novel might need some booktalking. Paula Rohrlick, KLIATT

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.