The O-Team

Marc Portelance is a graduate business student and researcher at
Laurentian University.

The Odd-Job Team (aka the O-Team) is a summer business that 11-year-old
friends Max, Pigeon, and Hoddy establish to earn spending money. The
unforeseen arrival of Max’s cousin, Woody, who is to spend the summer,
complicates the partnership. Although it gets off to a positive start,
the company and its reputation suffer from Woody’s best efforts and
unfortunate lack of coordination. The team is defeated in its attempt to
establish a successful venture, as one contract after another is lost
thanks to the team’s hapless efforts, but its initial goal is
ultimately achieved, largely due to Woody’s hobby.

The authors introduce several concepts—environmentalism, taking
responsibility for one’s mistakes, learning to appreciate the
differences between people, and cultivating tolerance. Most themes are
well researched, although the outcomes are somewhat transparent. The
book is generally well written, and the plot moves quickly enough to
maintain the reader’s attention. The vocabulary is well adapted to an
8- to 12-year-old audience. Recommended.