Title: Call Me Al

Author: Rob Riolo

Publisher: Brand Marquee Publishing (2023)

Language: English

Format:  Paperback  (Novelette) 85 pages

Genre: Family Fiction

ISBN-13:  979-8-218-95773-5 

Reviewer: Janice P Kehler, MA MSc

A Reading Experience for All Ages

Author Rob Riolo has conjured up a delightful tale about the lives of Green Bay Football Fans. Whether you are a fan or not, this story will draw you into a child’s world and their unadulterated love of sport. The tale begins inside the head of two brothers on the verge of presenting the ultimate gift to their sister. Their antics mimic the game of football as they prepare the stage, huddle to confirm their strategy, and ‘hold the line’ as their plan unfolds, only to have their play interrupted by the unexpected arrival of their lively gift. 

The author's writing is a master class in craft: foreshadowing, seamless narration between characters, his deployment of word patterns, and redundant expressions that embrace a formal style. Word sounds will echo in your head long after the story is read. Two of my favorites: double Dutch doors and sneak a peek. All of this adds up to a style and voice reminiscent of sitting on the lap of a benevolent elder grandpa listening to family lore.  

Call me Al…Twelve chapters, embedded with wit and wisdom, 85 pages of pure delight.

Reviewer Janice P Kehler, MA MSc, writes personal essays and short stories. Her hybrid memoir, Ode to Olympic Dreams, published in November 2023, is her first book-length publication. Currently, she is posting a series of Untold Stories on her blog (jpkehler.com) that connect the past and inform the future, stories that ripple between science, history, and present-day events.