BOOK REVIEW FROM WYOMING STATE LIBRARY
March 1, 2018
Meet the Boys of Casper
By Dallas Jones
[United States]: Guy Talk Press, 2017. © 2017
This book is about six boys living in Casper in 1975, with their stories presented from the perspective of an alien sent to study the irrationality of human life on earth. The characters profiled in this book are diverse, relatable, and well developed. They are entering high school during the period of the alien’s visit, but their backstories extend back so that you have a good understanding of what brought each boy to his current circumstances and attitude. Their stories each pull you in and keep you reading. The boys deal with various family difficulties and changes, breaking up with a first girlfriend, insulting nicknames, bullying, crushed dreams, and more. The context of an alien observer adds some humor, but this would be an enjoyable read even without that element. The serious issues and humorous moments are enjoyably balanced. The book is also full of local and nostalgic details that makes growing up at that time in Wyoming come alive again.
Rykki Neale, Children’s Librarian
La Barge Branch Library
About Dallas
DALLAS JONES was born and raised in Casper and is a graduate of the University of Wyoming and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Though currently residing in Colorado, he still loves everything about Wyoming except the wind.
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