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Sports stories punt readers into fall
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Published: August 17, 2008
Hannah has become a third-generation high-school cheerleader, seeing how athletic prowess in other sports involving balls genetically escaped us. However, like any sporting endeavor, cheerleading requires coordination, stamina, commitment and a good memory. But no worries if sports aren't part of your weekly routine. Books about fall sports score winning points for a way to relax athletically.
FOOTBALL HERO. By Tim Green. HarperCollins. Ages 8 and up. 304 pages. $16.99.
Every young football player should love this book by former Atlanta Falcon Tim Green. Ty, the main character, wants to play football just like his older, superstar brother Thane. His desire is squelched by his no-good uncle, Ty's guardian. Until Uncle Gus realizes that he can profit from Ty's football playing, Ty is stuck working in Uncle Gus's janitorial business.
When Thane makes it to the NFL, Uncle Gus sees dollar signs and gets Ty to give him injury reports to increase his gambling wins. When both the Mafia and the FBI get involved, Ty realizes he is in over his head and that Thane could be in real trouble. Action-packed with a ton of football references, Football Hero weaves a story of sports, relationships and the beauty of doing the right thing.
OUT OF HIS LEAGUE. By Pat Flynn. Walker. Ages 12 and up. 304 pages. $16.95.
This gritty, guy-centric novel introduces readers to Ozzie, a rugby-playing exchange student from Australia. When his new classmates see what he can do on the field, they recruit him to play for their Hope, Texas, high-school team. Ozzie dazzles sports fans and befuddles opponents with plays common in rugby.
What he doesn't count on is losing touch with his friends in Australia or falling prey to how stab-you-in-the-back American athletics can become. Ozzie must choose between his native land and his new one in America.
IN THE POCKET: Johnny Unitas and Me. By Mike Leonetti. Chronicle. Ages 8-12. $15.99.
A biography of the famous Baltimore Colts quarterback, Johnny Unitas, is woven into this book about a young boy who idolizes Unitas. After watching Unitas win one of the most "revolutionizing" games of the NFL in 1958, Billy is even more inspired to become his team's quarterback.
PLAYING WITH THE BOYS. By Liz Tigelaar. Penguin. Ages 12 and up. 288 pages. $8.99.
When Lucy's dad moves them from Toledo to California, Lucy's life turns upside-down. She doesn't fit in at her new school and has even more difficulties finding friends when she doesn't make the soccer team. The soccer coach notices Lucy's spectacular aim and suggests she try out for the school football team after their kicker is injured.
Lucy's only friend, Benji, also tries out for the kicker's position. Lucy makes the team, against the coach's opinion and her father's wishes. Lucy learns that liking the star quarterback for his good looks does not compare with enjoying Benji's steadfast friendship. Great book, great names (a character is named Pickle), and great dialogue for an easy, enjoyable read.
ME, IN BETWEEN. By Lauren Baratz-Logsted. Simon & Schuster. Ages 9-13. 208 pages. $6.99.
Lacey Underhill has two big problems -- on her chest. At 12 years old, not only is she the physical equivalent of an 18-year-old, but she is also a year younger than all the kids in her grade because of her intellect. Nicknamed Lacey "Underwire" at a young age, Lacey does all she can to minimize her maximum assets.
Popular opinion shifts when Lacey is asked to be on her private school's cheerleading squad. She is the only eighth-grader with this distinction. Lacey, who lives with her grandmother, has other problems when her grandmother becomes hospitalized. Lacey ends up at home alone, and the attention she has attracted from an older boy leads to some key decisions ... and learning that "looks can be deceiving." In a believable tale with middle-school drama, morality lessons are woven into the plot, but Lacey's complaining wears thin.
For nonfiction sports stories:
WINNING WORDS: Sports Stories and Photographs. By Charles R. Smith Jr. Candlewick. Ages 10 and up. 80 pages. $17.99.
AND NOBODY GOT HURT 2! The World's Weirdest, Wackiest, Most Amazing, True Sports Stories. By Len Berman. Little, Brown Books. Ages 8-12. 144 pages. $6.99.
■ Monica and Hannah Young can be reached at cyoung9@triad.rr.com. View book reviews at the Journal in Education site at www.jie.journalnow.com or by visiting www.myspace.com/youngreading.
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