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@Asher—I thought the same thing about the “short” name Yash!
As far as your comment that “all of GK’s books have the one unbelievable thing that one has to buy for the story to work“—yes! I think part of the Korman brand is characters with larger-than-life personalities and often a noteworthy (or even over-the-top) personality trait. Usually it just requires a mild suspension of disbelief from the reader—it’s not TOO hard to imagine a precocious little scam artist like Artie Geller, or a rich kid with a sense of entitlement like Jett Baranov, or a juvenile genius inventor like Elmer Drimsdale. I love encountering Korman character analogs in real life—I’ve been reminded of Rootbeer Racinette and Emile Querada and Emmanuel Harris and Slim Kroy and a dozen other Korman crazies when I’ve met people with a vibe like them.

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Now, Chapter 6 (Kaden Cooperman)

> “My body works okay, but no two parts of it function properly together.” Love this!
> Way to go, Kaden, stepping up to Yash’s request for a football training partner.
> I love how perceptive Kaden is. Yash didn’t realize Kaden had picked up on how close the atomic model set came to being knocked away from him in the mall. And Kaden clearly recognizes that Yash is not super excited that HE is the one to volunteer as football partner.