I Smell Like Ham

by Betty Hicks

Boys, basketball, barf -- the pefect middle grade novel! Nick wants to convince the coach that he's a point guard, get rid of Dwayne-the-dork, and stop missing his mother. But that's tough to do when he can't keep the ball way from Carson Jones, the dork is his stepbrother, the honor code's a joke, and he's been splattered with something worse-smelling than ham.

Genres: Fiction

144 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2002

About the author

Betty Hicks has drawn on her experience and love for sports in Gym Shorts, her new series for seven to ten year-olds. Growing up, Betty enjoyed everything: basketball, swimming, softball, horseback riding, field hockey, ice skating, tennis, skiing, and more. As an adult, she’s an avid fan of college basketball and the Olympic Games, and, an average fan of just about everything else you can think of.

In Gym Shorts, Betty welcomed the opportunity to provide younger readers with books about different types of athletics—basketball, soccer, swimming, baseball, track, tennis—you name it! But she especially wanted to write books that weren’t just about the wins and losses on game day. Friendships, fears, school, parents, pets, homework—all the things that weave their way into the lives of kids who play sports—are a crucial part of every story.

Betty has also put her own single and stepparent experiences to good use in five additional books for eight to twelve year-olds. Depicting funny, true-to-life family situations, Betty brings laughter and meaning to the experiences of growing up, not just in a divorced family, but in any family.

Betty has a BA in English and an MFA in the Study and Writing of Children’s Literature from Hollins University. She has published stories in Highlights and Pockets magazines, is a member of The Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and has worked as a book reviewer for Children’s Literature.

She and her husband, Bill, live in Greensboro, North Carolina. She spends much of her non-writing time reading, traveling, playing golf, and pursuing her photography hobby. But her number one favorite pastime is hanging out with her five grandchildren. Not only do they bring her joy, they unknowingly give her exciting subjects and plots for every new book!

Reviews

[Nicholas Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read “One Brother Too Many” by Betty Hicks. I thought this book was very good. Nick Carson loved basketball. His mom died, and it was just him and his dad. Nick promised to his mom that he would be a star basketball player. A short while later, his dad remarried and suddenly Nick had a stepbrother. Dwayne Mitchell was thought to be a dork and weird, but Nick would have to get used to living with him. Nick’s best friend was Magic. He always hanged out with him at school, and they played basketball. Nick’s first week of basketball didn't go so well, because a kid named Carson stole the ball from him all the time. At Halloween Nick really looked forward to going with his friends. Then, his stepmom said she would be out of town on business and said Nick had to take Dwayne with him. Nick could not say no, but he knew his friends always picked on his brother, and his friends would not like that Dwayne would have to come along. Nick was right. They picked on him but allowed him to come along anyway. After going for candy, Carson said they should go to Satan’s circle where no one had ever come back from, but they all said no. They decided to go to Carson’s treehouse and smoke. Dwayne did not like this, but they told him it would not hurt anything, and to try it. Dwayne tried and threw up all over Nick. The next day everyone picked on him. When the coach announced the starting lineup, Nick thought he had no chance to play with Carson being so good. Carson said he would not be at practice because he had to go to his neighbors house to pick up the trash from halloween night. Nick thought maybe he would have a chance now, but at practice Carson made up an excuse that he had a funeral. Nick was not happy, and told his parents everything. The next day, the coach said a family member had talked to him about Nick deserving more playing time. Nick was really mad. Nick thought his mom had talked to the coach. He went home, and he yelled at Dwayne for what his mom did. The next morning Dwayne disappeared. They could not find him all day. Nick knew if Dwayne wanted to prove something, he would go to Satan’s circle. Nick found him there. Dwayne said he tryed to prove to Nick that he was not afraid. They talked, and after that Nick loved Dwayne.


Nick was the main character in the book. He was kind of selfish and did not want anything to do with Dwayne. Dwayne was just really shy because he was new to town, and had just moved there with his mom to live with Nick’s dad. The author described these characters very well. Magic was Nick’s best friend. He was called Magic because he always disappeared when something bad was going to happen.


This story takes place in a small town in Virginia where it was just changing seasons from fall to winter. It was getting cold outside, and Halloween had just taken place. Basketball season had just begun. Nick was in middle school, and he knew everyone in the middle school so it had to be a small town.


The author’s message in this book was do not judge a book by its cover. Nick just assumed his brother was a dork and did not give him a chance. Just because he looked a certain way, it didn’t mean he acted like that. Treat everyone like they are family, especially when they are family. Always keep an open mind when you are not sure about who they are.


I thought this book was very good and kept me interested. I always wanted to keep reading. The message was very good, and it was very easy to understand. I would recommend this book to anyone in middle school and high school. This book was not all about sports, so more people would like the story.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nick is still trying to get used to his "new family": step mother, Miriam, and a geeky step brother named Dwayne. He is also trying to make the basketball team as point guard, even though Carson continues to show him up in practice. And then there's his friend Magic: dubbed that because he always seems to disappear when trouble is eminent. And his Dad who thinks relating with his son means asking the question "What did you learn in school today?" All of this is pretty tough for a middle school kid to handle - especially paired with the fact that step mom serves nothing but organic health foods and makes them wash their hair with cloves shampoo - hence the ham smell.

Funny

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

J Another combined family story by Betty Hicks, this isn't as good as Out of Order but still compelling. A middle school boy, who has been happy to be alone with his father, (his mother died in a car accident years ago), has to make room in his home and heart for a new, health conscious stepmom, (ie. tofu, etc.) and her "dorky" third grade son.

[Koqua · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was fun. it had adventure. it was also funny.

[Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a very interesting book because it is about brothers.