Simplistic, but a reluctant reader–friendly fast read with positive messages about hard work and being a good teammate.
A high school senior cut from girls’ soccer becomes the football team’s new kicker.
Rather than making the varsity team with her best friend (hijabi and star player Aisha), Riley (depicted on the cover as white) finds herself cut from the JV team to make room for younger players. She has the strongest corner kick but isn’t fast enough. She pulls out of her disappointed funk when a call goes out for an open tryout for the football team’s kicker position and—after some practice adjusting kicking mechanics—she goes for it and makes the team. While a girl trying out initially surprises players and coach alike, the characters are all supportive of her, with the exception of bullying star defensive player Sean. Athletic but not a prodigy, Riley struggles with unevenness; sometimes she performs well, but she’s still picking up the technique for consistency. After some tough games—losses for which Sean holds her responsible—she must find her own confidence to play as well as she can. The bullying storyline is never directly addressed or concluded; rather, the focus is on Riley’s internal conflict. Diversity’s present in character names; aside from Aisha, the other prominent secondary character is Chava Gutierrez, the supportive quarterback. Three other titles in the Gridiron series publish simultaneously: False Start, by Paul Hoblin, and The Late Hit and Showdown, both by K.R. Coleman.
Simplistic, but a reluctant reader–friendly fast read with positive messages about hard work and being a good teammate. (Fiction. 10-16)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5124-3981-6
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Darby Creek
Review Posted Online: Aug. 20, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice.
A teenage, not-so-lonely loner endures the wilds of high school in Austin, Texas.
Norris Kaplan, the protagonist of Philippe’s debut novel, is a hypersweaty, uber-snarky black, Haitian, French-Canadian pushing to survive life in his new school. His professor mom’s new tenure-track job transplants Norris mid–school year, and his biting wit and sarcasm are exposed through his cataloging of his new world in a field guide–style burn book. He’s greeted in his new life by an assortment of acquaintances, Liam, who is white and struggling with depression; Maddie, a self-sacrificing white cheerleader with a heart of gold; and Aarti, his Indian-American love interest who offers connection. Norris’ ego, fueled by his insecurities, often gets in the way of meaningful character development. The scenes showcasing his emotional growth are too brief and, despite foreshadowing, the climax falls flat because he still gets incredible personal access to people he’s hurt. A scene where Norris is confronted by his mother for getting drunk and belligerent with a white cop is diluted by his refusal or inability to grasp the severity of the situation and the resultant minor consequences. The humor is spot-on, as is the representation of the black diaspora; the opportunity for broader conversations about other topics is there, however, the uneven buildup of detailed, meaningful exchanges and the glibness of Norris’ voice detract.
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice. (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-282411-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
Heartbreaking, historical, and a little bit hopeful.
January 1945: as Russians advance through East Prussia, four teens’ lives converge in hopes of escape.
Returning to the successful formula of her highly lauded debut, Between Shades of Gray (2011), Sepetys combines research (described in extensive backmatter) with well-crafted fiction to bring to life another little-known story: the sinking (from Soviet torpedoes) of the German ship Wilhelm Gustloff. Told in four alternating voices—Lithuanian nurse Joana, Polish Emilia, Prussian forger Florian, and German soldier Alfred—with often contemporary cadences, this stints on neither history nor fiction. The three sympathetic refugees and their motley companions (especially an orphaned boy and an elderly shoemaker) make it clear that while the Gustloff was a German ship full of German civilians and soldiers during World War II, its sinking was still a tragedy. Only Alfred, stationed on the Gustloff, lacks sympathy; almost a caricature, he is self-delusional, unlikable, a Hitler worshiper. As a vehicle for exposition, however, and a reminder of Germany’s role in the war, he serves an invaluable purpose that almost makes up for the mustache-twirling quality of his petty villainy. The inevitability of the ending (including the loss of several characters) doesn’t change its poignancy, and the short chapters and slowly revealed back stories for each character guarantee the pages keep turning.
Heartbreaking, historical, and a little bit hopeful. (author’s note, research and sources, maps) (Historical fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-399-16030-1
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2015
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