THE SOAP-BUBBLE MILLIONAIRE
By
A chain reaction of events is set into motion when young Peter Frolich is suddenly overcome with a talent for forecasting the local football pools in a small town in Germany. Formerly on outcast at school, Peter is the center of attention when his calculations are stolen and the gang at school winds up with a fortune. Now the situation snowballs. Haberlein, the unscrupulous director of the pools, sets up a trap for the boy genius; the hypolist kidnaps Peter; and 48 bicycles, manned by the gang, get rolling to recover him. Despite his celebrity status, Peter still hasn't earned a mark. And so, once more, he calculates the pools - this time for himself. Apparently the same force that endowed Peter with his original talent now works a disadvantage. For when personal greed enters the picture - the blessing is lost. Too bad? Not really. Peter's real blessings are more substantial -- the friendship of his schoolmates, the respect of his teacher, and for the first time -- a desire to learn arithmetic. There are clever touches of whimsy tucked away in a swift moving, lively plot. But Peter's characterization like his talent is encased is a soap bubble which remains intact, revealing little.