Alex Hunter's Reviews > Sour Apples: A Novel For Those Who Hate to Read

Sour Apples tells the story of a young boy, Jimmy, and the summer that changes everything.

Jimmy is such a relatable character. He loves baseball and his tree fort, but dislikes reading (despite having a wonderful imagination).

Author Paul Jantzen's debut novel is a wonderful coming of age story about a young boy starting to understand the world around him. Jimmy's friendships are beautifully drawn (and often very funny) and I felt deeply nostalgic for my own childhood reading about their adventures and the scrapes they get into.

Setting Sour Apples in the 1970s is a clever choice. This was a world without smartphones or games consoles, and I enjoyed reading about kids who needed their own imaginations to soar in order to build lasting friendships.

Sour Apples reminded me in some ways of Swallows and Amazons. It's a cracking read, which left me longing for a tree fort of my very own.