My Friend, My Hero - Book Review


My Friend, My Hero
by Jerald L. Hoover

In today’s world where all forms of challenges and madness attack you, it’s difficult to stand strong and steadfast. But, it’s not impossible! It’s just a matter of choosing the right people to surround you with. In Hoover’s book, My Friend, My Hero, two high school buddies prove that true friendship exists.


My Friend, My Hero falls under the Young Adult (YA) genre. But, its message is so powerful it qualifies as a recommended reading for elementary and high school students. Written by Jerald L. Hoover, the story revolves around Bennett Wilson. The lad is the eldest of three siblings. Their single mother struggles to raise them righteously. Bennett studies at Mount Vernon High School, an educational institution known for its athletic accomplishments. Specifically, the school excels in and produces a basketball star in the lad.

Bennett and Kirby: Their High School Life

The story of My Friend, My Hero begins with Kirby reminiscing his high school years with Bennett. He brings the readers into a flashback. Being Bennett’s best friend, Kirby recalls how their lives had been in 1972-1973.

The two friends live in the projects, go to the same school, and play on the same basketball team. But, their friendship is not smooth sailing. Sometimes, they fight together and at other times, they fight each other. Notwithstanding, Kirby is always by Bennett’s side, especially during the latter’s difficult periods.

Bennett goes through challenging times. Threats of eviction, a mother feeling ill, losing a scholarship, and losing a friend are among his heavy burdens. He needs to do something to solve these problems. To worsen his situation, a very strong temptation gets in the way. Someone offers him an easy way to financial stability and wealth.

Will he or will he not succumb to the temptations? Follow Bennett’s life journey and find out how he faces all his challenges.

The Book and the Author of My Friend, My Hero

My Friend, My Hero is not just a typical novel. It’s a true-to-life depiction of what the real world is. Like most teenagers, Bennett faces many trials that come with this age bracket. Being impulsive and vulnerable to temptation, Bennett must choose between right and wrong.

I commend how the author presents Bennett’s situation. Jerald Hoover skillfully weaves his story to directly shoot his message across his target readers. His campaign against certain destructive activities is neither too aggressive nor too exacting. But, his message is very powerful.

Moreover, the author uses dialogues that are relatable to teenagers. His writing is simple and straightforward. My Friend, My Hero highlights values and morals students need to adapt.

What I like the most in this book is the strong support Bennett’s mother gives him. She says,

“The good Lord, all in His infinite wisdom, will test you with the things you love most, just to see how strong you are and how long you can endure.”

My Friend, My Hero: The Technical Side and Its Rating

Jerald Hoover makes sure that My Friend, My Hero is proofread well. I don’t see any major typographical or grammatical errors in the book. Of course, I don’t count the words used in the dialogues as errors. Those words are simply meant to enliven the conversations. Likewise, the author leaves no loose ends untied.

Overall, I give My Friend, My Hero a rating of 5 out of 5 stars, and I highly recommend it to readers and children 12 years old and above. I also suggest that teachers include this book as reference material for elementary school children and high school students. The book is also a good topic to talk about in organized youth discussion groups. There are a lot of things to learn from My Friend, My Hero.

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