In Josh Berk's The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin, Hamburger Halpin is actually the screen name used by Wil Halpin, an overweight, deaf high school boy who has recently left his special school for the deaf to attend Carbon High School. On a field trip to a coal mine, one of his classmates, a popular jock named Pat Chambers, is murdered. Wil teams up, Hardy Boys style, with his friend Devon Smiley, to solve the case. I enjoyed learning more about deaf culture, hearing the many deaf-themed jokes that Wil and his friend share, and following the pair on their adventures. This is a solid mystery with an unusual protagonist, and I liked it a lot.There is one thing that bothers me about this book, though. The plain, dark blue cover features cartoon drawings of some of the characters from the book, suggesting a book appropriate for a younger audience. And the story is well suited for elementary or middle school kids. However, the sexual references/innuendo sprinkled throughout the book give me pause, enough that I would be more comfortable recommending this book to older teens.
I felt the same way about I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President, by Josh Lieb. I remember noticing a considerable amout of sex talk when I read this book, too. I appreciated the humor in both of these stories very much, but I wonder if these authors' choice to write for a more mature audience has shrunk what may have been a robust market for their books?
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