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Searching... Silver Falls Library | YA DEUKER | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Salem Main Library | TEEN FICTION Deuker, C. | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Levi was simple, like a child. It was the best thing about him, and it was the worst, too. nbsp;
When high school senior Jonas moves to Seattle, he is glad to meet Levi, a nice, soft-spoken guy and fellow basketball player. Suspense builds like a slow drumbeat as readers start to smell a rat in Ryan Hartwell, a charismatic basketball coach and sexual predator. When Levi reluctantly tells Jonas that Hartwell abused him, Jonas has to decide whether he should risk his future career to report the coach. Pitch-perfect basketball plays, well-developed characters, and fine storytelling make this psychological sports novel a slam dunk.
Author Notes
Carl Deuker is the popular, critically acclaimed author of Payback Time , Gym Candy (a Texas Lone Star title), and Runner (a Booklist Top 10 Sports Book). He lives with his wife and daughter in Seattle, Washington. Visit his website at www.membersauthorsguild.net/carldeuker .
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up-Jonas Dolan never thought he'd go to college-his parents can't afford it. But Coach thinks he has a real shot at a scholarship with a Division Two school. Sure enough, Monitor College wants his point guard skills if he can improve his academics. When his dad gets laid off, the family relocates to the Seattle area. Jonas keeps his basketball skills sharp through the summer, when he befriends Levi, and they are joined by 20-something Hartwell. As Jonas starts his senior year, it's evident that his new coach sees things differently from Coach Russell. Jonas is relegated to second string by Coach Knecht, who favors old-school basketball with no fancy handiwork. The guys are thrilled when Hartwell is hired on as the assistant coach, but even he cannot convince the elderly head coach to change his philosophy. Jonas sees his chances at a scholarship slipping away. When Knecht collapses at a game and Hartwell steps up to head the team, he allows them to play more assertively, leading to several victories. As Harding High's fortunes improve, Jonas notices that Levi is increasingly sullen and withdrawn. Eventually, Levi admits that Coach Hartwell has been sexually molesting him, but refuses to let Jonas tell anyone. Jonas confronts the assistant coach, but Hartwell threatens blackmail. Jonas must decide if he will protect himself and keep his scholarship secure, or protect potential victims. Deuker's ability to create fully realized characters who wrestle with moral dilemmas while incorporating plenty of game action raises his novel above typical sports fiction by several notches. This one will satisfy the author's longtime fans and win him many new ones.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
When 17-year-old basketball player Jonas Dolan moves to Seattle, he not only has to earn a spot on a new team, he also needs to spend enough time on the court to impress a college coach interested in giving him a scholarship. When the team's coach is injured, and young Coach Hartwell takes over with a fast-break style that's in line with Jonas's own, the team starts winning-and Jonas finally has a starring role as point guard. But Deuker (Payback Time) provides enough foreshadowing for readers to understand that something is wrong with the new coach, who served beer to players at a party at his apartment and was involved in the accident that landed Coach Knecht in the hospital. The novel includes descriptions of many basketball plays and strategies, which should make this book particularly appealing to fans of the game. The plotting is otherwise somewhat slow-despite short, rapid-fire chapters-but once Jonas (and readers) figure out what's going on with Coach Hartwell, the pace quickens, and Jonas's struggle to do the right thing intensifies. Ages 12-up. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Jonas Dolan is an up-and-coming basketball star in the Bay Area. When his father loses his job and the family moves to Seattle, Jonas befriends new neighbor Levi, who plays power forward for Harding High. Jonas, a point guard, joins the team, but old-school Coach Knecht doesnt find much playing time for him. Thankfully, assistant coach Ryan Hartwell (who is more appreciative of Jonass fast-breaking style) is there to take over when Coach Knecht is injured, and Jonas starts to blossom once more. But something about Hartwell feels wrongcould it be the beer and porn he shares with Jonas, Levi, and some of their teammates, or the fact that Hartwell encourages Jonas to cheat in chemistry class? Though Jonas is hesitant to rock the boat, eventually Hartwells misdeeds lead to tragedy, and Jonas must find the courage to do whats right. Deuker occasionally overdoes the sports clichs, and the characters arent always believableJonas is a little too self-aware and Levi, an observant Christian whom Jonas describes as simple, like a child, is just too angelicbut basketball fans will love the realistic hardwood action. Most chapters clock in at four pages or less, so the pacing is brisk. This one isnt exactly a slam dunk, but sports fans will find much to cheer about. sam bloom (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
After his dad loses his job, basketball point guard Jonas Dolan starts over with a new team. To earn a college basketball scholarship, Jonas needs to play well and improve his grades. Both tasks become trickier, however, when the family moves to Seattle from Redwood City, Calif. His new coach, Knecht, plays old-school, by-the-book basketball and barely lets Jonas on the court. Jonas thinks he has a better shot when the charismatic new assistant coach, Hartwell, takes over the team. Despite his charm, Hartwell's judgment starts to seem questionable when he invites the team to a party at his apartment where he serves alcohol and when he helps Jonas cheat on a chemistry test. His sinister side isn't revealed in full, however, until Jonas' friend Levi discloses that Hartwell has repeatedly sexually assaulted him. Jonas' friendship with Levi, a sensitive, generous, loyal, devout Christian from Arkansas, gives the novel a strong, emotional center. The basketball action is well-drawn, and Jonas' frustration at Knecht's style of play is palpable. More attention could have been given, however, to the complexities of deciding how to respond to a friend who has been sexually assaulted and doesn't want to tell anyone. A largely well-executed exploration of team spirit, friendship and the devastating impact of untrustworthy adults. (Fiction. 12-18)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Sports novelist Deuker has created an intense story in which excellent basketball action is tautly woven into a plot about teen-coach ethics. Jonas moves with his parents to a new state, just as he's about to enter his senior year in high school and with the promise of a possible college basketball scholarship hanging over his head if he can keep his grades up and get enough varsity game time. Jonas makes a new friend, Levi, who appears to be both simple and steadfast but is ultimately far more complex than he had realized. Meanwhile, he acquires powerful leadership skills that help him make a difficult decision: stand up for the truth or preserve his own future. Deuker creates a textured cast of parents, coaches, and teens and deftly handles themes of personal ethics, teamwork, burgeoning friendships, and coping with an abusive adult. Without ever dragging or inserting unbelievable plot twists, Deuker elevates his sports novel to the level of a literary work, inviting readers to empathize with Jonas and use his experiences to consider their own values.--Goldsmith, Francisca Copyright 2010 Booklist