I thought this book was pretty funny. The main character makes a lot of jokes even though he only has one leg ( )

Alastair, who nicknames himself Stump lost his leg at age 8, after he jumped from a ski lift. He is now 13, his parents are divorced, and he must spend the summer with his father and the new wife, a very wealthy double amputee named Skyla. Stump struggles with the bitterness and anger he feels toward his dad for leaving his mom. He also develops a crush on Skyla's niece, ateenage soap star Jessie; enters a triathlon to impress her; and meets a cranky, retired swim coach, who teaches Stump to swim and much more. ( )

The One Where the Kid Nearly Jumps To His Death and Lands in California (Mary Hershey): The book takes place with the main character is sent away to California while his mom and aunt go to a lesbian retreat to try to get him mom sober. When he was 8,he found his dad in bed with his dad’s boss. As a result, he tried to jump off a chair lift and ended up breaking his leg so badly, he had to have it amputated. While in CA, Stump, as he asks to be called, tries to make life difficult for his step-mom and father. His step-mom owns a business and is very wealthy. His father is superficial and is the town’s most hated man because he tries to claim the public stairs down to the beach as their own. is trying to impress his stepmother’s niece, Jesse, and enters a swimming race with her. She is a soap opera star and is very beautiful and finds Alistair very cute, but in a brotherly way. Alistair recruits the town’s retired, tough as nails, football coach to train him to become a competitive ocean swimmer. Through all of his problems with his dad, he ends up enjoying being with his step-mom as she is a double amputee and relates well with him. Alistair debates running away, but doesn’t want to let Jesse down or his coach. He has worked very hard to train for this event as well. In a turn of events, Alistair’s dad has to join their team as their adult alternate. Although there is a turn of events at the race and a surprise, sad ending, the book finishes up very neatly with all questions being answered and a happy ending for Alistair. ( )

Alastair is furious at his mom for making him go spend the summer in California with his Dad, who walked out on Alastair years ago. He is prepared to not give anyone a chance including his new stepmom, Skyla. But Alastair has a lot more to deal with than just his forced vacation. He promised a girl he would join in an adventure race with her at the end of the summer. The only problem: he only has one leg; he is not in shape; he has never swam in the ocean. But slowly, as summer progresses, Alastair learns about himself, his dad, and even a little about swimming.