Cadet Command

by Sidney Offit, William Heyer (Illustrator)

"Stretch" Wheatley had acquired his nickname on account of his enormous height. He was tall, lanky and dreadfully unsure of himself. Being in charge of a squad at Washington Arms Military Academy was a real problem to him. Somehow the other cadets didn't seem to respect him and, in moments of depression, he couldn't really blame them. When Bruce Newell, Stretch's roommate, who was also in his squad, suggested that he go out for the basketball team, Stretch thought Bruce must be joking. But Bruce prevailed on him, and to Stretch's astonishment the venture was an enormous success. At last his height was an asset to him, and his fellow cadets went wild over the victories he won for Washington Arms. With his great triumph, Stretch's former difficulties seemed to vanish bringing him new confidence. When he met a girl whom he liked, he even found the courage to tell her so.

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1962

About the author

Sidney Offit has written novels, books for young readers, and memoirs including, most recently, Friends, Writers, and Other Countrymen. He was senior editor of Intellectual Digest, book editor of Politics Today, and contributing editor of Baseball Magazine. He wrote the foreword to Look at the Birdie, a collection of Kurt Vonnegut’s unpublished short fiction.