Description
The main character, Riley Mitchell, has a secret that’s not much of a secret – he’s short. He hangs out with his two favourite mates, Karl and Alex, who are both huge while Riley is known as Midget. He has one long-time arch-enemy, a big guy called Vince McGerk, a school bully and all-around bad guy. His Mum and Dad have not long split up and his girlfriend Kelly has dumped him.
The story starts with a broken arm. The Doctor tells Riley that his growth is seriously delayed and refers him to the growth clinic. While standing in the gym changing rooms, Riley’s friends Alex and Karl are bragging about their muscles when Vince overhears them and offers everyone a free shot. Riley can’t believe his bad luck. Upset about all the rotten stuff happening in his life he has a momentary lapse in sanity so when Vince taunts him saying, “Give it your best shot cripple.” Riley hits him square in the head with his cast-protected arm.
Instantly Riley realises it was suicide to floor Vince McGerk in front of his peers, one thing was certain, there would be payback still that one second of glory would be with him until then. However, payback is not immediate. Vince tells Riley he wants him to suffer, “To expect it, when he least expects it.” This has the effect Vince desires and Riley becomes quite jittery and tries to avoid Vince at all costs. In between all this Riley is worried that he may never grow and finds solace in reading a poem his mum wrote him when he was young, called Giant in Disguise. Worried that someone might find him reading the poem and think he’s a sissy, he hides the poem under the bed.
He may be short but Riley is good at sport and desperately wants to get back into it to keep his mind off all his problems so as soon his cast comes off he signs up for the softball team, but unfortunately so does Vince.
Now Riley is not up against Vince McGerk in an opposing team but something far worse, they are on the same team!
