In chapters 1, 4 and others, the main character uses the term “SHAZAM!” The Captain Marvel reference is partially explained in chapter 4 of The Smart Kid. Each letter refers to Captain Marvel’s Elders: Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, Mercury. … Continue reading
In chapter 4 of The Smart Kid, the British TV show Doctor Who is mentioned. The first episode aired, Nov. 23, 1963, the day after JFK was shot. It ran continuously for 26 years. Then it was re-started in 2005. … Continue reading
Here’s the Final Cover for The Smart Kid … Continue reading
In chapter 4, Oklahoma is discussed. Sooners is the name given to settlers from the Southern United States who entered the Unassigned Lands in what is now the state of Oklahoma before President Grover Cleveland officially proclaimed them open to … Continue reading
In chapter 4 of The Smart Kid, Charlene, the school counselor uses a Polaroid camera to take photos of her students. (The story takes place in 1979.) The SX-70 is a folding single lens reflex Land camera which was produced … Continue reading
In chapter 3 of The Smart Kid, the school counselor goes to a grieving support group. The leader of the group describes the five real stages of grief as: Denial, Anger, Control, Depression, and Acceptance. How could the smart kid, … Continue reading
In chapter 3 of The Smart Kid, the St. Cloud Correctional Institution is discussed. It has the longest granite wall in the world, and is one of the nation’s oldest prisons. AKA “Graystone College” All of the granite for the … Continue reading
The first half of The Smart Kid occurs in St. Cloud, MN during Oct & Nov of 1979. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Cloud,_Minnesota This is the city that Bob Miller grew up in. He attended primary, secondary, and post-secondary schools in that city. Most … Continue reading
Current book cover image for The Smart Kid
In chapter 1, Tom Howardson is wearing a Beatles sweatshirt during his sixth grade phy-ed class. The Beatles name on a shirt is mentioned again in chapter 2. The specific reason for doing that was to hint at the connection … Continue reading