The Eyes of Kid Midas

November 30, 1992
It's no coincidence that this novel's title and protagonist hark back to Greek mythology; this modern fantasy has the resonance and power of an ancient myth. Shusterman ( The Shadow Club ; What Daddy Did ) starts with a question--What if a typical seventh-grader could have anything he wanted?--and proceeds to a conclusion that makes time stop and the very universe dissolve. Along the way there is plenty of comedy and even sly foreshadowing in the shape of a good-natured jab at the sci-fi genre: ``That's what you get for messing with time and space,'' says Kevin, Midas's best friend, when a comic-book hero gets sucked into a black hole. Kevin gets sucked into a black hole of his own when he dons magic sunglasses that make his every wish come true, resulting in the near-annihilation of reality itself. Imaginative and witty, this fable for the '90s convincingly proves the dangers of the narcissistic ethos of having it all. With its original premise, unpredictable plot and whiz-bang finish, this book will handily captivate its audience. Ages 10-up.