War and Pizza by Robert Allen introduces us to Marvin, who is a 15-year-old outcast. He lives in a junkyard owned by Mr. O. The town is called Upper Squares and, like many places, the rich get richer while they grab for power and the poor are treated like nobodies; in fact the rich just want to get rid of them. Marvin decides to fight back and he has a bunch of orphans to back him up. Marvin gets on a baseball team and finds his personal arch-nemesis, the power hungry Boyd Lakes. He would prefer to just ignore Marvin and get rid of him. Marvin, however, is made of stronger stuff than that and will not be forced off the team.

This is a great story and an inspirational read. We need more young adult books like this; creative and interesting, while giving a story that has a strong moral and a great group of characters. Marvin is a kid who just does not seem to have anything in his life, but he still wants to fight; he still finds something to fight for, and gives of his best. This is something that all of us need to learn to do in our lives. Robert Allen has written a book that teaches a lesson to both kids and adults alike, and can be enjoyed by anyone. It is a page turner that I would highly recommend.

War and Pizza is a middle grade novel by Robert Allen which focuses on social class issues and the hidden power of being an underdog. The plot centers on the sport of baseball in a neighbourhood called Upper Squares, where the class divide between rich and poor is so extreme that children, like our hero Marvin, are living on rubbish dumps just to survive. Marvin winds his way onto a baseball team, filled with boys from well-off backgrounds, and immediately angers their influential coach Boyd Lakes. Despite Marvin’s endless persecution from his coach and fellow teammates, his dedication to the sport of baseball makes him a winner in the eyes of the watching fans. So much so, in fact, that a powder keg of political activism is about to be lit right beneath his feet.

As an adult reading War and Pizza, I found myself wondering whether its legislative and political themes would have been better suited to a young adult audience than a middle grade one. That said, Robert Allen has produced a well written novel with an engaging troupe of characters in Marvin and his junkyard friends, with vivid descriptions and a clear commitment to glorifying the sport of baseball. The social issues of the novel are handled simply, but they deliver a warm-hearted message about success depending on what you can do rather than what you’re born into. Overall, I found War and Pizza to be enjoyable read with an uplifting message and a fast paced, easy to follow plot.