Eddie King dreams of drag racing. When Eddie's dad ditched the family, he left behind a '69 Chevy Camaro, and Eddie's determined to get the old beater back into racing shape. He even sets out to get his dad's help with the project. When Eddie's dad shows up with an expensive new carburetor, Eddie can't help but wonder where it came from. Is his dad involved in illegal activity? And will Eddie get drawn in—or rise above it and compete in the big race? Includes real tech specs and tuning details for the '69 Chevy Camaro.

The Classic: '69 Chevy Camaro (Turbocharged)

Readers who love classic cars and tinkering will appreciate the details Author Stevens includes as Eddie fulfills his dream of fixing up his Camaro. There are a couple of moderately exciting races and car chases as well, but they're few and far between--not enough to keep a reader hungry for action satisfied.

Otherwise, there's not a whole lot to recommend this book. The plot is stilted, the dialogue wooden. The relationship between Eddie and his father is sad, but not developed well enough to make readers care about either character. This is a series Lerner Publishing developed to engage older and possibly reluctant readers, but although the subject may catch an older reader's eye, the book will probably not hold their interest.

Profanity/Language: 4 mild obscenities

Violence/Gore:  None

Sex/Nudity: Reference to condoms.

Gambling debt, cheating, stealing.

Two adults drink beer.