Grades 4-7
The David family has delivered The Cooper County Caller to residents of Steele, PA for as long as anyone can remember. Wil David’s twelfth birthday signals the day that he will take over delivery from his older brother Sonny, and he’s been practicing his tosses from his bike. When the circulation manager calls Sonny the day before Wil’s birthday to let the family know that the Caller has decided to discontinue home delivery in Steele in a cost-cutting measure, Wil is devastated. The more he thinks about it, the madder he gets: folks in Steele rely on that paper for important news and employment opportunities. Many are jobless since the factory shut down, and cable and computer service is iffy in their rural community. Wil’s family has always known he has a stubborn streak, and he puts that trait to good use when he goes up against the big corporation. While books such as Michael Winerip’s Adam Canfield series (2005, 2007) focus on the inside workings of newspaper production, Corbett offers a timely look at how our increased dependence on electronic news sources is impacting small newspapers and their audiences. Chapter titles resembling newspaper headlines give readers a foreshadowing of what is to come. As with Free Baseball (2006) and 12 Again (2002), Corbett weaves together a likeable protagonist, engaging secondary characters, realistic dialogue, and a fast-moving plot that both seasoned and reluctant readers will enjoy. Middle-grade students who have grown up surrounded by cable television and online news providers will have much to think about after they have turned the final pages of Corbett’s thought-provoking story, in terms of the digital divide and the future of print news sources.

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Wil David has been waiting for this his whole life - it's finally his twelfth birthday and time for him to take over the family paper route. David boys have been delivering the local paper in the small town of Steele, PA for generations. So when Wil gets the news that the paper will cease home delivery to Steele next month, he's understandably upset. Wil is determined to get the newspaper to reinstate delivery and possibly save a town that's been slowly dying ever since the local hairpin factory closed.

The story's a little bit quirky, but it's a compelling look at life in a small town. Between Wil's struggle to keep the paper arriving on Steele doormats and his uncovering of a scandal at the fair, there is plenty to keep the reader's attention. A host of eccentric characters round out this homage to Smalltown, USA. ( )

I grew up in the country but still remember my cousins who lived in town having a paper route. Will can’t wait until he turns twelve. He only has to wait one day for that to happen. He will then be able to take over his brother’s route. This route has been handed down generation after generation and Wil is excited to carry on the tradition. Then Wil receives the call that tells him the paper route is to be cancelled in his town. Wil of Steele is his nickname and it fits. Wil sets the wheels in motion that will solve this an several other problems in his small town. This was a great book. I held off to read it almost last as I really didn’t think I would like it. I was so wrong. The characters and setting were so developed that I wanted to live in his small town and be one of his friends. Corbett did an excellent job of pulling the reader in and keeping them entertained throughout the story. It brought back a piece of Americana long gone. ( )