Soaked

by A.J. Cosmo

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What a way to start summer… I should have never stood up to that bully Jacob. It was just a water balloon thrown to save my friend’s behind during recess. Now we’re on a bus heading home and everyone gets the same text: “$500 gift card and full immunity to the kid that brings me Aiden- Jacob.” I’m Aiden by the way, and the entire fourth grade is staring at me. Hopefully, with my friend’s help, we can get off at the next stop, three miles from my house, and make it home before the entire neighborhood finds us.

Soaked is the first middle-grade novel by author/illustrator A.J. Cosmo. Filled with humor and suspense, this surprising page turner is a tale of friendship, courage, and standing up for what’s right. For 3rd-5th grade readers.

AMAZON

I’m a coward.

That was the first thing that crossed my mind when the water balloon splattered on Jacob’s face. Jacob, the boy who never needed a hall pass. Jacob, the kid who never ate his own lunch. Jacob, the one you cleared the bathroom for.

Cowards don’t do this, I thought. Cowards run. Let everyone who has ears to hear know that I, Aiden Jones, am a coward.

Jacob let go of Ben’s collar and let his victim join my side. Our classmates fell into a sick silence. No one knew what to do because no one had ever challenged Jacob before.

What about me though? What did Jacob have in store for me? Would he drag me into the bathroom and give me a swirly? Would he hold me under the water fountain? Would he stuff my pockets with water balloons and make me do jumping jacks?

Jacob just stared.

The summer sun pulled the water from his shirt, just as it soaked up the moisture from the plants and our skin. Since the drought began in the mid-west, our cozy little school had turned into a solar oven. The worst part was that the principal could have cranked up the air conditioning and given us all relief, but she didn’t, not even on the last day of school. That’s just the kind of lady she was.

“Jacob–I didn’t mean to–I mean,” I said.

“You almost got my phone wet,” he growled.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Soaked from A.J. Cosmo in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Once in a great while an author comes along that can write a story that kids can relate to, and A.J. Cosmo certainly has with his book, Soaked.

What in the world would make Aiden throw a water balloon at Jacob? Friendship, of course. This young character in Soaked shows a great deal of character in standing up to the school bully in an effort to save his friend, Ben, from a certain soaking. Life then takes a great deal of twists and turns on the last day of school for Aiden, Ethan and Ben as they do their best to avoid a confrontation with the school bully and his thugs.

Mr. Cosmo has a great sense of humor and wonderful insight into the world of bullying that shines through in Soaked. My grand-daughter and I are going to enjoy this last summer before she starts school reading through his numerous other children’s books and I can’t wait to find out what his writing has in store!

This is a wonderful book that should be on every school library shelf and in each teacher’s private collection! Thank you, Mr. Cosmo, for this wonderfully written book about friendship, loyalty and what might be making the school bully tick!

I highly recommend Soaked by A.J. Cosmo and give it five (ice-cold) cups of Room With Books coffee. 😉

A.J. Cosmo is the author and illustrator of over forty children’s books including the best-selling “The Monster That Ate My Socks”. He lives and works in Los Angeles, loves reading and video games, and is hard at work finishing the Monsters A to Z series. “Soaked” is A.J.’s first middle-grade novel.