PLEASE RETURN TO: Toby Solano

by Frank Morelli, Alexandra Frey (Illustrator)

Overview

Toby Solano never asked to leave El Paso. He never wanted to be the new kid in Mapleton, or sit in a classroom full of strangers, or endure the snooze-worthy ramblings of his new English teacher, Mr. Norbert M. Finkelstein. But that’s what he got--a life sentence in Boringville, USA--and it all happened on the same day his dad lost his wrestling career, his mom lost her teaching job, and he got expelled from school.

If he hadn’t found his new teacher’s top-secret journal lying in the streets of Mapleton on his first day in town, Toby would have nothing to do at all. But now that he’s armed with a full-blown knowledge of Mr. Finkelstein’s hidden life as a professional wrestler and the inner thoughts of good-for-nothing, new classmates like Jimmy Baker and Maya Providence, he might as well make good use of the intel.

As Toby scribbles his thoughts on the pages of Norbie’s original journal, he must decide whether he’ll fall back on his old ways and bully his new classmates into submission, or if he’ll help Sensei Clement shape the Mort-tician into a Lucha Libre wrestling legend so he can regain his crown as king of the MWF. You’ll find it all and more on the super-private and slightly-wrinkled pages of Please Return To: Toby Solano.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781947796485
Publisher:	Intense Publications
Publication date:	03/27/2020
Series:	PLEASE RETURN TO: , #2
Pages:	330
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.74(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Frank Morelli is the author of the young adult novel, No Sad Songs (2018), a 2019 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers nominee. His short fiction and essays have appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, Philadelphia Stories, Jersey Devil Press, Change Seven Magazine, and Indiana Voice Journal, among others. His short story "In the Pen" was shortlisted for the 2015 Earl Weaver Prize, awarded annually by Cobalt Review. He was named a finalist in the 11th Annual NYC Midnight Short Story Competition. He has written numerous articles and essays for the young adult and children's market, including features in Highlights for Children Magazine, Stories for Children, Youth Imagination Magazine, and the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
Frank is a Philadelphia native who graduated from Albright College with a degree in English, and moved to New York City to become a teaching fellow. He earned an MFA in Fiction from National University while living in a house under the trees with his best friend and muse, their obnoxious alley cat, and two hundred pounds worth of dog. You can find him on Twitter @frankmoewriter or visit his author website at frankmorelliwrites.com.

Editorial Reviews

“Frank Morelli can write like nobody’s business! Read a few pages of Please Return To: Toby Solano, and you’ll be transported to a middle school world with all the associated insecurity and awkwardness. To make things worse for Toby, he's the new kid. But, while you’re holding your breath or shaking your head at his impulsive actions, you’ll fall in love with the tender heart that beats underneath his teenage bravado. A funny, poignant, intensely readable book!”

-Ann Campanella, author of Motherhood: Lost and Found and a founding member of AlzAuthors.

“No matter your age, you can’t help but smile at the middle school life of one Toby ‘El Machina’ Solano, whose hijinks isolate him from his peers and whose sour taste for life is brightened only by his dream to be a championship wrestler, because thanks to the clever story-telling of Frank Morelli, you soon realize that young Toby is just a boy who wants to fit in and you find yourself cheering wholeheartedly for ‘El Machina’ to win his place in the world.”

--Landis Wade, author of The Christmas Redemption: A Courtroom Adventure and host of Charlotte Readers Podcast

“Good books contain great characters who tell great stories while teaching valuable life lessons. Morelli delivers all three in his second book in the middle school ‘Finklestein’ series. Please Return to: Toby Solano is a winner and is sure to please audiences of all ages!”

--Mary Ann Drummond, author of Grandma and Me, Meet Me Where I Am, and I Choose to Remember

“ The defiant and mischievous new kid, Tony Solano, grabs your attention by taking everyday school experiences and turning them into hilarious, cheeky adventures. Oh, and always obsessing about how all can be applied to his beloved sport of wresting. A relatable and funny quick read for middle school kids.”

“What was there to like about the mischievous wrestling know-it-all new kid, Toby Solano? His cheeky, resourceful and courageous efforts at managing life in a new place and a new school never cease to entertain and amuse. Hilarious, spirited and relatable for kids in middle school.”

“Hilarious new kid, Toby Solano, is bully, nerd and hero all rolled into one. What adventure will he get into next as he defies the norm while manoeuvring his life in a new place and at a new school in this entertaining and authentic fun read for kids?”

(All 3 of these) --Kathryn Harrison, author of Weeds in Nana’s Garden

From the Publisher