Book excerpt: Written in the humorous, gross style of the 2:52 line, designed to ignite the interest of boys.Devotions to Make You Smarter focuses on the mental side of boys’ natures, helping them to grow wiser, the way Jesus did as described in Luke 2:52. In thehumorous, cheeky, and sometimes gross style that makes the 2:52 series so engaging and fun, this ninetyday devotional guides boys ages eight to twelve in developing their minds. It explores many facets of the mental process, such as learning, making decisions, and thinking before acting and speaking. It also warns of the dangers of zoning out, being impulsive, and harboring a critical attitude. Combining important principles with practical messages, the book teaches lessons boys need to learn and helps them put this valuable knowledge into practice. Each devotion presents a Bible verse, explains it, and shows how it relates to boys’ lives, then offers tools to help boys cope with growing up, inspiring them to make choices that will ensure they grow up smart.ED STRAUSS By his early teen years, Ed Strauss was writing several novels at once. He had a dresser for his clothing, but Ed had different priorities. The bottom drawer held his comic books—mostly Spider-Man, Tarzan, and Turok. The middle drawer overflowed with his story notes, research, and maps.The top drawer was stuffed with clothing. On a nearby shelf was Ed’s favorite reading material, an encyclopedia set he had won on a nationwide kiddie show. Ed lives in Chilliwack, BC.