Andrew Phillips's Reviews > Sour Apples: A Novel for Those Who Hate to Read

Reading Sour Apples, by Paul Jantzen, was like taking that first bite of apple pie after plopping a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Or sitting on the floor and sifting through the candy haul after a long night of trick-or-treating. It was like reaching the chocolatey center of a Tootsie Roll Pop after biting through the hard candy shell. Or discovering the treasure at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box. It was that first night in early summer, after a wet spring, when the lightning bugs suddenly began to flicker all across the yard. It was childhood…in all its glory, tragedy, adventure, shenanigans, hijinks, “do I hafta’s,” misery, up and down friendships, and first kisses. Sour Apples reminds us all that we were once kids, growing up in a world where the expression of bodily functions reached the heights of an art form and the smell of a leather baseball glove was like an exquisite perfume. If you are a young adult, read it and join the adventure. If you’re like me, read it and relive it.

Andrew C. Phillips
Author
In Jake’s Shoes (Launch date April 2026)