Harrell, Mary. The Mythmaker. 2018. 148p. ISBN 978-1-63051-500-3. Available at FIC HAR on the library shelves.
Katie Neumann comes from a large family, but the birth of the youngest member also brings about her mother’s death, and at thirteen Katie finds herself motherless. Her father, overwhelmed with seven children to take care of, quickly remarries to a woman who doesn’t care about the children, since they are not “blood” related. Growing up without a mother is tough, and Katie finds herself having to figure out being a woman by herself, without the caring help a mother can provide.
When an angel first comes to visit, Katie is pleased that her mother sent her some help. Over the course of the next three years, as Katie grows up and begins to understand who she is, she establishes a trusted relationship with the angel, who provides her with guidance and comfort as she deals with younger sibling, an uncaring step-mother, and a father who won’t understand reason.
A personal myth of sorrow and growth, The Mythmaker will be appreciated by anyone who has suffered the loss of a close relative.
Gardner, Kati. Brave Enough. 2018. 320p. ISBN 978-1635830200. Available at FIC GAR on the library shelves.
Cason Martin has been working her whole life towards joining the Studio Company of the American Ballet Theater, the best ballet school in the country. The best dancer at her mother’s school, Cason breathes and lives ballet. In the last few days leg has been strained, a presence so painful her knee and tight are swollen and every movement sends stabbing shards of pain up her spine. A perfect performance in her audition for a spot at the Studio Company will take her away from Atlanta and her controlling mother, but a discovery right after her performances has her struggling for more than dance. She has cancer in her leg, and the best outcome includes several chemotherapy sessions and physical therapy, while the worst, short of death, involves a leg amputation. Arrested for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, Davis Channing did a stint in rehab and avoided prison by being sentenced to community service in the oncology service of the Children’s Hospital, the same place he spent time as a cancer patient four years ago. Haunted by the decisions he made while using drugs, his brain still craves for one more hit, and sobriety is a constant daily battle. When Davis enters Cason’s room, she at first believes he can’t understand what she’s going through, plus she knows of his arrest and sentence. For his part, though he can’t relate to her desire to dance again, Davis knows what it’s like to live with cancer and to be addicted to something, and he knows that Cason will need a friend in the weeks and months ahead. As they spend more time together, however, they soon discover that they have more in common than they thought. An accident in the shower and the re-apparition of Alexis and Ethan, Davis’ ex-girlfriend and his dealer, however, threaten both of their futures. Are they brave enough to confront their demons and move forward? Cason’s frustration at being a cancer patient, then an amputee, come through clearly in the vivid descriptions of daily life. Davis’ struggles with addiction are palpable and realistic. Natalie’s powerful conversion from smothering dance coach in complete denial about her daughter’s cancer to understanding and caring mother adds an element of healing to the story. However, the myriad discussions on going to Camp Chemo throughout the book build an expectation that is not fulfilled at the end, and though Cason dances again, the conclusion feels rushed and incomplete. Sparse use of swear words and authentic descriptions of drug abuse make this book more appropriate for older teens. Fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars or of A.J. Bett’s Zac & Mia will enjoy this story of healing.
Hollar, Sherman, ed. Barack Obama. Part of the Profile in Leadership: Pivotal Presidents series. 2013. 80p. ISBN 1-61530-945-4. Available at B OBA on the library shelves.
Though all American presidents are different, most follow a similar path to the highest office in the land: become a lawyer, serve in state or national government either in elected office or through military service, then run and get elected president of the United States. Most have spent decades honing their political skills and burnishing their credentials. Barack Obama, however, reached the presidency at a relatively young age with what many considered to be a lack of experience. However, his motivational speeches and the power of change that he represented propulsed him to the highest office in the country.
Born in Hawaii in 1961 of a White mother and of a Kenyan father, Barack Obama spent his youth in Indonesia when his mother remarried, before returning to the United States. He was a fastidious student and attended college before becoming a community organizer in Chicago. He then went to law school, before returning to Chicago. He served in the Illinois State Senate, and successfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004. As a up-and coming new prospect, he delivered a keynote address to the Democratic Convention in 2004, which turned him into a superstar. Two years later, Obama launched his presidential campaign, defeating Hillary Clinton for the nomination before obtaining a majority of the popular and electoral votes over John McCain, his Republican opponent.
As president, Obama oversaw health care reform, managed an economy in full recession, and military campaigns in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Losing his Democratic majorities in the House of Representatives and in the Senate, his agenda was hampered by members of the Tea Party and by other Republicans.
This book discusses Obama’s life, and presents information about his first term of office and his 2012 reelection, but does not cover the second term of his Administration. Many photos are included, and significant people that interacted with Obama are introduced. A glossary and a list of resources are also included. Fans of presidential histories will enjoy reading about the 44th President’s life and times.
Flynn, Ian. Sonic the Hedgehog / Mega Man: Worlds Collide, Vol. 1. 2013. 102p. ISBN 978-1-61988-887-6. Available as an eBookfrom Overdrive.
Two worlds collide in this graphic novel. Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends have been fighting against Dr. Eggman’s evil plans to take over their worlds. Mega Man and his friends have been fighting against Dr. Wily and his evil minions. When both Dr. Eggman and Dr. Wily manage to get in touch with each other, they realize that their plans dovetail perfectly together, and that each other’s nemesis may be the key to destroying their most hated enemy.
Armed with a Chaos Emerald, which allows travel between the two worlds, the evil geniuses set a plan in place. They kidnap all of Sonic’s friends, then unleash them on Mega Man’s world along with a mechanized Sonic, hoping to lure him away from his own world. Meanwhile, Sonic himself gets attacked by a Mega Man look-alike. Thus, when both heroes run into each other, the battle is on! Dr. Eggman and Dr. Wily cannot help but laugh in glee as they watch Sonic and Mega Man fight each other. But with the fate of two worlds in the balance, will the two blue heroes realize their mistake and thwart the doctors’ plans, or will they destroy each other?
Fans of video games and of graphic novels will appreciate the sharp lines and fast-paced action displayed in this book. Enough background information is provided for the reader who is not familiar with either video game icon.
Green, Tim. Football Genius. 2008. 256p. 309 mins. ISBN 978-0-06-112272-9. Available as an audiobookfrom Overdrive.
Troy White lives football. He loves the game, and enjoy playing it with his friends, burly Nathan and fast on her feet Tate. And though he doesn’t like the coach of his team nor his son Jamie, who is the star quarterback, he loves playing for his team, the Duluth Tigers. Being from Georgia, Troy always cheers for the Atlanta Falcons, but they’re having a tough season. Troy, however, is sure he could help them. He has the uncanny ability to see all of the play patterns on the field and call the current play before it happens. Troy wishes he could share this ability with his father, but he doesn’t know anything about him.
When his mother gets a job as a publicist with the Falcons, Troy cant believe his luck. Dared by Jamie to bring back an official ball from the game, Troy crosses town and goes to the gated community where Seth Halloway lives, with Tate and Nathan. He gets in, retrieves a football, but gets lost on the way back and is confronted by a security guard. He manages to escape, but barely.
He gets to attend their first game, against the Dallas Cowboys. Seeing a play develop, he tries to tell Seth Halloway, the best defensive player for the Falcons, but his advice is ignored and the Falcons lose the game. In the process, he gets taken away by the stadium guards after the Coach Krock, the defensive coach complains, and he almost gets his mother fired. Now Troy has to figure a way to share his gift with the Falcons so they can turn a losing season into a winning one. When Troy realizes that Coach Krock is ensuring that the team loses on purpose so he can get the head coach position, he has to act fast. But with his mother’s job in the balance, can Troy risk making contact with Seth one more time?
Filled with accurate and realistic sports descriptions, this story sees Troy confront bullies and persevere to reach his goals. Fans of Dairy Queen or Run for Your Life will enjoy Troy’s struggles to become his own person.
Markey, Karen. Online Searching: A Guide to Finding Quality Information Efficiently and Effectively. 2015. 297p. ISBN 978-1-4422-3885-5. Available at PROF 025.04 MAR on the library shelves.
With the wealth of information available online, retrieving valid and reliable resources to answer a question has become progressively harder. Searchers have to be knowledgeable in advanced searching techniques, and must determine the accuracy and accountability of the information they look at. Librarians are ideally positioned to provide search and information location services to patrons due to their training, but with the evolution of search engines and the multiplication of databases, these tasks are becoming harder.
In Online Searching, Markey presents the best techniques to retrieve information online. She proposes a process comprised of seven steps, from finding out the information needs of a patron, locating sources that will best suited to find this information, creating research facets that can be looked for, determining if a wide subject search or a specific item will better meet the information need, develop a research query to be used in the appropriate sources, conducting the actual search, and sifting through results to assess and determine their validity before presenting them to the patron.
New searchers and experienced librarians alike will appreciate Markey’s techniques and will feel better equipped to effectively conduct an online search and locate the appropriate information.
Meyer, Marissa. Renegades. Book 1 of the Renegades series. 2017. 556p. ISBN 9781250044662. Available at FIC MEY on the library shelves.
When supernatural abilities emerged in people, humanity rebelled. Individuals who could fly, could manipulate elements, or could become invisible were hunted down for representing a danger to society. Known as prodigies, they eventually banded together and rebelled. Societies were destroyed as groups of prodigies formed rival gangs and fought together and against normal humans in what became known as the Age of Anarchy. Ace Anarchy, the leader of the most powerful group, the Anarchists, had led the fight to ensure that every prodigy could live a life free of fear, but in the process had not been able to re-establish a new social order.
Another group of prodigies arose to challenge Ace Anarchy, with the express goal of rebuilding an orderly society. Naming themselves the Renegades, they confronted the Anarchists and in an epic battle in the city of Galton, triumphed when Ace Anarchy was killed by the Renegades’ leader, Captain Chromium. Now the city is governed by the Renegades, who have been slowly restoring order and social services throughout the area. The Renegades have attracted more prodigies to their banners, and are even exporting training and prodigies to other areas of the world to create new Renegade branches.
Nova Artino witnessed the murders of her parents and her younger sister when she was six. Her father had the ability to create wonderful items, and he had worked with some of the villain gangs, but had sought the protection of the Renegades. Nova had just enough time to hide in the closet, but was found by the killer anyway. She used her prodigy power of sleep to neutralize the killer, and her uncle, Alec Artino, also known as Ace Anarchy, found her near the sleeping killer. He wiped out the villains who had sponsored the murders, and adopted and began to train Nova, until he was defeated by the Renegades.
Ten years later, Nova has vowed revenge on the Renegades for failing her family and for killer her uncle. Living with the remaining Anarchists in a station of the former subway system, she is known as Nightmare, a villain who creates her own weapons and gadgets and who is able to put her victims to sleep. Hiding for 10 years, the Anarchists are planning to take out Captain Chromium and the Renegades Council at the annual parade that commemorates the end of the Age of Anarchy, but they are stopped by the Sentinel, a new kind of Renegade and who possesses more than one prodigy power. Nightmare manages to wound a Renegade and stabs the Sentinel but barely escapes the encounter.
Adrian Everhart is the adopted son of the two most powerful men on the Renegades Council, Captain Chromium and the Dread Warden. Known as Sketch, Adrian has the ability bring to live anything he draws. Wanting to impress his parents and become a better superhero, Adrian has designed the Sentinel to be his new persona. He drew new powers and added them to himself as tattoos. His first big reveal does not go as planned, however, when Nightmare gets the best of him and he accidentally injures members of his own team.
Nova is convinced by remaining Anarchists to participate the Renegades’ trials to win a coveted spot with the group, so she can infiltrate and obtain more information about them. Adrian is desperately looking for Nightmare and redemption for the Sentinel. Both of them are hiding their secret identity, but both of them end up working together. As Nova learns about the Renegades from the inside, she realizes that they are more complicated than first appeared. But with Anarchists still on the loose and events spiraling out of control, Nora has to decide where her loyalties lie: To her family, who adopted her and trained her, or to Adrian and her teammates, who genuinely wish to help society?
Fans of Meyer's Lunar Chronicles will love this new offering by a master of science fiction and romantic tensions. The story continues in Archenemies.
Nielsen, Jennifer A. The Mark of the Thief. Book 1 of the Mark of the Thief series. 2015. 352p. 507 mins. ISBN 978-0-545-56154-9. Available as an audiobook on Overdrive.
As a lowly mining slave, Nic Calva has no rights. Working the mines is punishing and physically demanding, but at least it keeps Livia, his sister safe. Always looking for an opportunity to escape, or at least cause mischief, Nic does not kindly accept the abuse from his master. When other slaves discover the sealed chamber where Julius Caesar’s treasure was buried, Nic knows it is only a matter of time before Rome’s rich and powerful attempt to seize it. Even though more than three hundred years have passed since Caesar’s death, the magic that was given to him by the gods is still very much present.
General Radulf, head of the Praetorian Guard and commander of the Roman Army comes to the mine to retrieve Caesar’s treasure. He orders Nic to enter the room and retrieve a bulla, an amulet that Caesar would have worn as a child. The two previous slaves that entered the room either died or went insane, so Nic is not keen on doing so. He extracts a promise from Radult that he will take care of Livia. In the cave, Nic is confronted by a griffin, but when he puts the amulet on he suddenly feels the magic that powered Caesar fill his veins, and the griffin stops its attack. He manages to escape the caves, but is recaptured by the slavers and shipped to Rome. During the trip, he is guarded by Aurelia, a surly girl who is an expert with a bow and a knife, but who has no lost love for Rome’s elites.
Once there, Nic realizes that he is at the center of a dramatic power play between General Radulf, who seeks to unseat Emperor Tacitus and destroy Rome from within, and those Senators who are opposed to this action. With enemies on all sides, Nic must quickly find out who he can trust, before Caesar’s magic costs him his life.
A good fantasy set in Roman times, Mark of the Thief provides a very descriptive recreation of the Roman Empire of the 3rd century. Fans of historical fiction might balk a little at the presence of magic and mythical creatures, but will enjoy the political conspiracy at the heart of this book’s plot.
Gratz, Alan. Refugee. 2017. 338p. ISBN 978-0-545-88083-1. Available at FIC GRA on the library shelves.
Over the history of humanity, conflicts have always created waves of refugees seeking to escape horrific conditions. In the last five years, the plight of refugees has been brought to the forefront of people’s consciousness and it has been featured repeatedly in the news. The Syrian civil war pushed millions of people away from their homes. It is in this climate of fear and destruction that in 2015 Mahmood’s apartment in Aleppo is destroyed by a missile. His parents and younger brother and sister survive, but they must escape the combat zone. Mahmood’s father decide they must risk the trip to Germany and safety. But this will involve crossing many international borders in countries that are hostile to Syrian refugees, and which will include a desperate raft trip from Turkey to Greece.
In 1994, Cuba is experiencing social tensions due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. The subsidized fuel and food it provided the Communist island have now ended, and Fidel Castro’s dictatorship is barely able to hang on. Isabel’s father participated in a demonstration and was arrested and beaten by the security forces, who promised to return and hurt him more. When Castro announces that anyone who wants to leave can, Isabel, her father and heavily pregnant mother secure passage aboard their neighbor’s hastily constructed raft and strike out for Florida. If they can reach land, they will be safe and welcomed by the Americans. If stopped in the waters, they will be returned to Cuba.
In 1939, Josef and his family are persecuted in Germany for being Jewish. His father spent time in Dachau, the infamous concentration camp, and when the opportunity presents itself to book passage aboard a ship for Cuba, the family does not hesitate. Josef’s father is a broken man, however, and the pain and torture he endured have destroyed his spirit. Josef must step up and become the man of the family. Despite sailing away from Germany, the St. Louis’ crew is German, and portraits of Adolf Hitler still adorn the dining rooms and hallways.
As all three teens set out to escape, they will live horrors beyond words, but also encounter friends and forge a determined identity. Though separated by decades, the lives of these refugees intertwines at the end of the novel, demonstrating that actions today can have a powerful impact in the lives of those not yet born.
Deibel, Zachary. Manifest Destiny and the Mexican-American War. Part of the Primary Sources of Westward Expansion series. 2018. 64p. ISBN 978-1-5026-2643-1. Available at 973.62 DEI on the library shelves.
With the purchase of the Louisiana Territory and its exploration complete, the United States turned to surveying and occupying this new land. The idea of Manifest Destiny, that Americans were destined to control the continent from sea to sea, became anchored in the popular imagination. Who else was better suited to rule this space than White Protestants English speakers? As it continued to grow, the country began to encroach on European colonies, and acquisitions by peace or by force were inevitable. The new country acquired Florida, and open revolt in Mexico led to the establishment of Texas as a Republic. The conflict simmered and led to the Mexican-American War, where the United States army defeated the Mexicans. In the resulting peace settlement, the United States acquired Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and California.
Relations with Native American groups encountered during the western expansion were also negative, with Americans stealing land and forcing Native Americans to move under duress. Manifest Destiny also impacted foreign relations, with the United States announcing that no European powers could dabble in the affairs of the American continents.
Waid, Mike & Fiona Staples. Archie, Vol. 1. 2016. 176p. ISBN 978-1-62738-880-1. Available as an eBookfrom Overdrive.
Archie and Betty have been best friends since they were toddlers. They did everything together. Now juniors in high school, things continued apace until Betty’s friends tried to change her so she would become one of the girls, and not continue her pursuits of mechanics and video games. They wanted her to reveal her inner “hotness,” but the process undermined her relationship with Archie through the now infamous “lipstick” incident.
Now apart for the first time, Archie and Betty are trying to navigate life and high school. Jughead keeps a cool head and attempts to help his friends by not rushing them back together. Unfortunately Veronica Lodge moves to town and attends Riverdale High, her first experience of public school, and she is immediately smitten by Archie as he accidentally destroys her new house. Anything that makes her daddy mad is a good thing for Veronica. Reggie Mantle, meanwhile, plans on getting in Mr. Lodge’s good graces. When approached by Betty and Jughead to break up Archie and Veronica, Reggie is only too happy to oblige.
Archie’s band and universe is all back in this re-imagining of the town of Riverdale, updating it to today’s smartphones and contemporary clothes but retaining the essential elements of interpersonal conflicts and relationships. With crisp illustrations and smart dialogues, fans of graphic novels will appreciate this new take on a story 75 years in the making.
DeStefano, Lauren. The Girl with the Ghost Machine. 2017. 214p. ISBN 978-1-68119-444-8. Available at FIC DES on the library shelves.
The sudden death of her mother left Emmaline and her father, Julien, bereft and sad. Emmaline misses her mother dearly, but has adapted to life without her. Her father, however, has not. Over the last two years, Julien has been spending most of his time in the basement, working on a machine designed to bring their mother back. Not her physical self, but her ghost self, since Julien thinks that souls are like water. They evaporate away from the body but never really go away, and it should be possible to condense the soul back into a manifested ghost. His work on the machine has left Emmaline to fend for herself.
With her friends, twins Guliver and Oliver, Emmaline continues to live her life, going to school, working on projects, and stretching every dollar. Gully is the logical and pragmatic one, and he likes to count steps between destinations. Oliver is the dreamer, and he lets Emmaline’s mind soar. She loves them both as friends.
One fateful night, Emmaline, who has been sick of the Ghost Machine that took her father away from her, sneaks in the basement and attempts to destroy the Ghost Machine, only to instead make it work. Her mother appears and spends some time with Emmaline, making her feel better. However, this comes at the cost of a memory, the same memory that brought her mother back in the first place. Emmaline is shocked and distraught at the loss of this memory. When she mentions this to the twins, Oliver decides to run his own experiment and brings back their dog for a few minutes. Gully, who was against this course of action, is upset that Oliver would lose such a memory, but Oliver counteracts he has countless memories of their dog.
Her father discovers that Emmaline made the Ghost Machine function, and he is thrilled. Such a device could help a lot of people, but it could also cause great mischief. Emmaline wants the machine destroyed, but she can’t convince her father to do so. When tragedy strikes again, Emmaline is faced with a stark choice. Should she use the machine once more?
A very well written bittersweet story about family, friends, grief, and the power of memory to bring people together, middle school students will enjoy this story and will be able to relate to Emmaline’s desire to have both her mother and her father back with her.
Armstrong, Jennifer. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World. 2011. 227 mins. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive.
The age of exploration seemingly came to an end when the South Pole was reached in December 1911. Sir Ernest Shackleton had dreamt of being the first one there, but with Roald Amundsen’s team getting there, followed soon after by the Scott expedition, there seemed nothing left to do. Shackleton and his backers decided then to be the first ones to cross Antarctica on food and with dog sleds. With England at war with Germany, the expedition almost did not happen, but the prestige of the country demanded it. Aboard Endurance, a ship specially designed to sail the ice-covered waters of the southernmost continent, 28 sailors, researchers, and scientists embarked on what became a story of survival and triumph over nature.
Despite being summer in Antarctica, ice prevented Endurance from reaching the continent, and before long the ship became encased in ice. With nothing to do, the crew endured and panned on patiently waiting until the following summer. When the ice began pushing against the ship, however, it became clear it would not survive the winter. With only three small boats, the crew had to make a hard decision. Should they attempt reaching the continent, or should they sail back to the closest land, Elephant Island, some 600 miles across the most treacherous and dangerous seas? Shackleton and his crew abandoned the expedition and managed to arrive on Elephant Island. Shackleton himself and five crew members then boarded the sturdiest of their three small craft and sailed 800 miles across open seas to South Georgia, to reach a human settlement and organize a rescue of the people left on Elephant Island.
An amazing and true story of survival and heroics, Shackleton’s expedition did not complete its goal of crossing the Antarctic, but they demonstrated that humans can survive the worst that Earth can offer if they work together. Filled with pictures taken during the expedition, this book will be appreciated by fans of harrowing true stories.
Bray, Libba. Before the Devil Breaks You. Book 3 of the Diviners series. 2017. 552p. ISBN 978-0-316-12606-9. Available at FIC BRA on the library shelves.
Having defeated the sleeping sickness that was affecting people in Chinatown and beyond in Lairs of Dreams, the Diviners discover that they have been lied to by Evie’s uncle Will and by Sister Walker about the origins of Project Buffalo and their involvement in it. Angry at the deceptions that seem to be piling around them, the Diviners break with the Museum of the Paranormal and begin investigating on their own.
The Shadow Men from the defunct U.S. Department of Paranormal are now working with Marlowe and his companies, as they attempt to reopen the gate to the world of ghosts. The King of Crow, meanwhile marshalls his forces of desperate ghosts and directly confronts the Diviners on the battleground of Ward’s Island, where one of the city’s insane asylum houses Luther, a soldier who served with Evie’s brother and who attempted to kill her, and Connor, another teen who has special abilities.
Isaiah is still threatened by old man Bill Johnson, who is slowly sucking life out of him to heal his blindness. Memphis finds himself caught in gang warfare between Papa Charles and his White rivals. Theta discovers that her husband Roy, whom she mistakenly believed dead, has found her and is blackmailing her. Jericho moves in with Marlowe and becomes the subject of an experiment. Mabel falls in with a crowd of anarchists bent on destroying Marlowe. Ling and Henry continue to surf the dream world, but even they cannot find the answers they seek. Sam Lloyd finds himself trailed by the Shadow Men, while the elderly sisters in the Bennington are about to pay the King of Crow’s price.
As enemies with different agendas surround them on all sides, can the Diviners remain united in their desire to put a stop to Project Buffalo and prevent the King of Crow’s dominion over humans?
Lupica, Mike. Travel Team. 2004. 274p. ISBN 0-399-24150-7. Available at FIC LUP on the library shelves.
Danny Walker only has one thing on his mind, and that is basketball. He lives and breathes the game, practising for hours outside his mom’s garage and playing whenever he can. Danny’s father, Ricky Walker, gained famed as the shortest basketball player to win a national tournament, and played on the first high school team to be broadcast on ESPN. Drafted in the first round by the Golden State Warriors, his career was ended when a car accident left him crippled. Now running the circuit of sports shows, Ricky rarely drops in his son’s life. Danny, however, can’t get enough and watches all of his father’s games on Youtube.
When the local travel team holds tryouts, Danny is excited to participate. His father first gained national attention when he played on this very team. Danny himself made the team last year, and fully expect to do so again this year. Unfortunately, Danny is the shortest player on the court, and this year the new coach has decided to go big. There is no room for Danny on the team, despite his obvious talent. Despondent, Danny is ready to give up on basketball. Ricky, who has returned for an extended visit, tells Danny that instead of feeling hurt, they should start their own travel team. Overnight, all of Danny’s friends are enrolled in this new team.
At first, this Bad News Bears team is simply horrible, with no coordination and no hope, despite a pool of talent. Slowly, however, under Ricky’s coaching, the team improves and begins to win. When Ricky is hurt in another car accident that leaves him unable to coach, it’s up to Danny to guide his team to victory, especially since they’re about to play his former travel team, the best team in the league. Will the many practices and games Danny and his friends performed pay off?
Fans of basketball will appreciate the excellent description of the games and will enjoy the shaping of Danny’s team into a contender. For a similar read about a middle school kid and his love of basketball, take a look at Bad Shot.
