In this adventure, Firecracker and Chub try to find out what happened to their friend and high school football idol, Ted Packard, who suddenly moved away, without even a goodbye. Through some clever sleuthing, the boys track him down and find out his secret. But the story doesn't end there, Firecracker and Chub manage to pull off a wild scheme to honor their football hero friend.

     Throughout the book, Klim's small pencil illustrations, often like doodles on a page, underscore what is going on in the story. Klim also offers readers a pictorial glimpse into his author's mind by printing a thought map on a page. Much like the amoeba-like brainstorming that many English teachers suggest for thinking through an essay, Klim's thought map is full of sketches, scribbles, and early notes about his character Firecracker Jones.

     Though the boys in this book are supposed to be freshmen in high school, they behave more like middle school students. That may or may not be a flaw in how Klim has drawn them. I just was confused at times, wondering just how old these boys were. Though a fourteen-year-old is only a year or two older than a twelve- or thirteen-year-old, that single year can often make a big difference, especially if that fourteen-year-old is in high school. I may also be a bit spoiled because the high school freshmen, I've known were a bit more mature.

      Regardless, Firecracker Jones is a hit. I liked him and want to see him in many more adventures. Come on, Christopher Klim, what other kinds of scrapes can Firecracker get himself out of?