| "body"> | | | | one of the funniest and most endearing stories in the |
| Ham Loaf Hawaiian is a delightful romp through | | | | collection. Six-year-old Pete and his older brother, |
| boyhood during a time when kids actually played | | | | Rick, attempt to cook a special meal for Mother's |
| outdoors after school and weren't glued to their | | | | Day using The Betty Crocker Kid's Cookbook. The |
| computers or satellite TVs! This hilarious collection of | | | | boys earnestly try to interpret the recipes, prepare |
| short stories spans Mr. Pellissier's early boyhood | | | | the main course, and attempt to bake a cake that |
| exploits in central Pennsylvania, from 1962 to 1972, | | | | ends up a soggy, concave mess, much to the |
| many of which take place in a small, Catholic | | | | "delight" of their parents, who lovingly partake of the |
| elementary school. The rules were clear and simple. | | | | meal. From realistic descriptions of "dirt-ball" fights to |
| Parents and teachers were respected and rarely | | | | young Pete's first love, Mr. Pellissier doesn't hold back. |
| challenged. Kids obeyed, but frequently got into | | | | There is a refreshing sense of gritty reality that |
| light-hearted mischief. | | | | comes through in his work, unadorned by the political |
| Ham Loaf Hawaiian, the appealing title, is based on | | | | correctness of today. |