In this warm and funny portrayal of life in a simpler time the author creates a vivid story line about one boy s quest to be the best. Even though young David Lee hasn t a clue about how to manage it, he s determined to be declared the smartest boy in school. The lengths to which he goes, and the depths to which he falls in pursuit of his goal frame an intimate tale set against the backdrop of life in the 1950s in the greatest city in the world."