In real life, Lucas is small and unathletic. But as Trunkzilla in the online game Smashtown Frenzy, he's the biggest, toughest fighter on the streets. No wonder he prefers games to real life! He plans to spend all summer battling his way through the Smashtown tournament with his team, but his parents have other plans for him: volunteer work. Lucas signs up to be a Senior Sitter and gets matched with a cool old librarian named Isaac who likes cats and detective novels. Mornings with Isaac and afternoons gaming are working out great until Lucas's Smashtown success hits a speed bump and Isaac's health takes a tragic turn. Lucas saves Isaac's life but then finds himself burdened with a new sense of moral responsibility that gets him thrown off his team, banned from Smashtown, and made into a meme for internet haters. Some reward for being a hero! Lucas has one last shot to prevail, win back his friends, and show his parents how much gaming means to him.
"Thirteen-year-old Lucas has one plan for his summer: to spend it climbing the leaderboard of Smashtown Frenzy. But his parents want him to spend "off screen" time, so he agrees to help a retired legal librarian, Isaac Biddle. After Isaac has a stroke, Lucas stands up to a popular online gaming personality and becomes the target of cyberbullies. Sidelined from the game, Lucas finds unexpected allies and enemies in this warm-hearted tale from Minneapolis author Kurtis Scaletta. (Capstone, $16.99)"
