Reviews (1)

"new" edition not necessarily an improvement
I used the first edition (1996) of Bill Schneider's book on hiking in the Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns National Parks with as close to 100% satisfaction as I ever get from this sort of thing. This new edition includes a scarcely modified version of Mr. Schneider's original text, which was direct, accurate and detailed. No problem there. No need for a new edition, but I know how the publishing industry works and am aware, also, of the sense that some readers have that everything needs to be "updated" every year or two. Well, the Guadalupe Reef and the caves under it have not changed very much since the mid-90's. Nor have the trails. So the author's text stands at five star level. Here are the changes you will see in the "current" book, leading me to give it four stars rather than the five I gave the 1996 edition:
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Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Sports / Recreation    2. Children's Books/Young Adult Misc. Nonfiction    3. Hiking    4. Parks & Campgrounds    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Travel    7. United States - South - West South Central (General)    8. United States - West - Mountain (General)    9. Walking    10. Travel / United States / West / Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, UT, WY)   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Juvenile Nonfiction    4. Lacrosse    5. Lacrosse for girls    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation - General    8. Sports & Recreation - Racket Sports    9. Racket games    10. Sports coaching   

Reviews (12)

High Heat - Great Baseball Book
Shane Hunter, a sophomore at Shorelake High School had it all; money, great friends and baseball.One day, his perfect world changes when Shane's father is arrested for money laundering and commits suicide.Shane's family must move to the "other" side of town that Shane despises.Shane has a difficult time adjusting to his new life and gets arrested for stealing and his punishment is repairing a local baseball diamond.This brings back memories of his old life, and Shane is faced with the decision of whether or not he should join the team and continue playing the game his father taught him.Will fear of failure overpower him or will he step up to the plate?Read this book and find out!
DO YOU LIKE SUSPENCE?BETTER YET DO YOU LIKE BASEBALL?
If you like either of thse two things High Heat by Carl Deuker is the perfect book for you!High heat is about a kid that is a closer for his school team.He was really good, until all these tragedys happened to this pour kid.It is really suspenceful.It is just about the best book ever made.The story in this book is so fantastic.Once you read the first 3 pages you wont stop and befor you know it you will be half way through the book.Believe me and please read this book i know you will like it if you like baseball or even suspence.

Brandon's review
I liked this book because it was a great book. I play baseball so I thought it would be a good book to read.
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Subjects:  1. Baseball    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Family - Parents    5. Family problems    6. Fathers    7. Fiction    8. High schools    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Social Issues - General    11. Social Issues - Suicide    12. Sports & Recreation - Baseball    13. Juvenile Fiction / Sports & Recreation / Baseball   

Reviews (2)

Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Free Throws
Josie and Cami, with their very different personalities and quirky families, seemed very realistic to me as I read this book. It held my attention very well (which doesn't often happen) and I have reread it over and over again. I loved the plot and characters. This is definitely a must-read!

Holds Pre-teen Interest
This book is about the friendship of Josie and Cami, two teens who love basketball and are fast friends.But then, they both fall for the same boy.Josie and Cami, as well as their families, are entertaining and believable.While the adults are imperfect, they are not exaggerations or caricatures.
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Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Humorous Stories    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Love & Romance    7. Social Issues - General    8. Sports & Recreation - Basketball    9. Juvenile Fiction / Love & Romance   

Reviews (16)

The Outside Shot By Walter Dean Myers
The Outside Shot is a type of book that makes you want to read it more and more as you get further into the book. When you put the book down you feel like picking it back up. The Outside Shot is about a "cat" named Lonnie. He is one of the few African-Americans going to Montclare College on a basketball scholarship. He is from Harlem, New York.The college is pretty small but it has a lot to offer. Montclare could help Lonnie get into the pro's.When he arrives to college he realizes that the work is harder where as before he could easily pull of B's. This book has some good obstacles and conflicts to over come and has a variety of ways to entertain the reader.
great book
this book is a boy name Lonnie Jackson who leaves Harlem because he got accepted to Montclair State in Indiana to play on their basketball team. In the beginning he'll have trouble fitting because he thinks that it's not the right place for him. He also has trouble with his schoolwork because he didn't because he wasn't taking things seriously before. The only thing he knows is how to play ball, while in college he is tempted to fix games with local gamblers. He has a hard time focusing until sherry comes along. She is a determined track star and she's also very independent. Which attracts Lonnie but he's also going crazy because he doesn't like that fact that has on-again, off-again relationship.

Editorial Review
Ages 12 and up. The book The Outside Shot written by Walter Dean Myers is mostly about a boy named Lonnie heading off to play basketball for a mid-western college called Montclare. When going off to college Lonnie has to fit in with the others he is going to be living with. Lonnie has a scholarship for playing basketball, but Lonnie Jackson does not have the street smarts ne needs to pass those tough classes of his. He does not want his scholarship to go to waste, so he gives it all he`s got. While in class Lonnie meets an attractive girl named Sherry. Sherry, who in an athlete determined to be a track star.She keeps Lonnie in shape by telling him to give it all his best, and to try hard when it comes to his classes. Sherry`s independence attracts Lonnie,they have an on and off relationship that drives Lonnie crazy.The moral or the theme of the book "The Outside Shot" is that you can help others and at the same time you can achieve your dream.This works for Lonnie.I like that the book has Lonnie taking things easy and how he tries really hard to be the best basketball player that he really is.He does not get angry when things get bad,he just steps up his game, and shows others that he is ready to be on the basketball court.Also succeed off of it as well. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Afro-Americans    2. Basketball    3. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. People & Places - United States - African-American    8. Sports & Recreation - Basketball    9. Universities and colleges    10. Juvenile Fiction / Ethnic / African American   

Editorial Review

This darkly funny look at growing up male in America is narrated by chubby, 14-year-old Elvin Bishop, who describes, with sublime sarcasm, his increasingly painful efforts to find his appropriate athletic "slot." Mature readers will find this unusual sports story both hilarious and poignant; in a starred review, Read more

Reviews (14)

Slot Machine
The book that I read was Slot Machine by Chris Lynch. This book is about a boy named Elvin who is 14 years old.Elvin and his friends decide to go to this camp over the summer because they had nothing else to do.The camp was called 21 Nights with the Knights and it was for mainly overweight people.Once they got there they found out that they had to pick a slot.A slot meant that you would pick a sport and try to get better at it over the summer.Then Elvin found out that some of his teachers were there from school to help.The first slot that Elvin picked was football and the first day of practice he got hurt. After he was in the football slot, he got moved to wrestling and baseball slot.You will have to read the book to find out the ending.
Amusing and Thought-Provoking
Chris Lynch packs a whallop in Slot Machine.Any young adult who has searched for his slot, his place to "fit in", will identify with Elvin Bishop. Readers will cry, moan, and eventually laugh with Elvin as he suffers through defeat, rejection, and then triumph.Lynch manages to sum up many readers' entire adolescence in three weeks of an action-packed,bully-infested, humiliation-filled summer camp. And yet our hero, Elvin Bishop, emerges stronger than he went in.He is secure in his knowledge of who he is, even as he watches his two best friends lose a bit of their perfection.Even though this tale is a bit tall, Lynch's writing contains realistic dialogue and character traits that young adults will identify with.Slot Machine is the epitomy of "coming of age" books, leaving readers a little more secure in the knowledge of who they might become.

a good book for teens
I read the book Slot Machine by Chris Lynch.It is an adventure/comedy book and is very entertaining and I never wanted to put down the book.I choose this book because when I looked at it it seemed interesting because of the title of the book.I loved the book because of the predicament that the main character was in.Also, there was kind of a diffrent story on the side which included one of the main characters two best friends.I would recomend this book to people from the 6th grade to the 10th grade.Chris Lynch has written other books including the Shadow Boxer and Iceman.Lynch has a masters degree from the writing program at Emerson College.Read more

Subjects:  1. Boys / Men    2. Camps    3. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Fiction    6. Identity    7. Social Issues - Adolescence    8. Social Issues - Friendship    9. Sports    10. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Friendship   

Reviews (1)

The Outside Groove
On the surface, this well-written, fast paced book is about the amateur race car circuit.Beneath the surface is a story about family.High school senior Casey LaPlante is the younger sister of Wade "The Blade" LaPlante, an up and coming stock car star.Everything in Casey's family revolves around Wade, his racing and the opportunities to move into the big leagues.With all her parent's attention on Wade, Casey feels invisible.Her achievements and acceptance to the college of her choice are not even a blip on the family radar screen.Her announcement that she wants to enter a stock car race, just to see what it is like, is greeted with skepticism and ridicule by her father and brother.Readers quickly connect with Casey and her attempt to be known as more than Wade's sister.She is a strong minded, goal oriented girl in a man's world and she lets nothing, including the ridicule of other drivers and her father's attitude, stop her.She enlists the aid of Uncle Harvey, her father's estranged brother, to help her train.Readers who know nothing about motor sports will have a greater appreciation of the strategy involved in racing and the geometry and physics that drivers use to find an edge as they careen around the track.The descriptions of the races are exciting, authentic and put the reader in the front seat with Casey.As she begins to win races, Casey's successes may jeopardize Wade's chances to move up the circuit.Wade's realization of the importance of family at the end of the story seems manipulated, but it's something that Casey has known all along.This story is unusual in that it features an independent female character in a sport where women are in the minority and it has appeal for a wide variety of readers beyond the obvious NASCAR fans. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Automobile racing    2. Brothers and sisters    3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    6. Family - Siblings    7. Family life    8. Fiction    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Sports & Recreation - Miscellaneous    11. Juvenile Fiction / Family / Siblings   

Reviews (6)

Good for the sports-minded kid
Very good reading.My eight year old enjoyed the story very much.

A great baseball and friendship book
Nick and the the Thunderballs can't find a coach for their baseball team so who else offers for the job but NICK'S MOM.Nobody likes the idea at first, but when the team beats the Tornadoes,(Their arch rival) to win the pennant.An extraordinary book that teaches you lessons in friendship as well as baseball.

A great baseball and friendship book
Nick and the the Thunderballs can't find a coach for their baseball team so who else offers for the job but NICK'S MOM!Nobody likes the idea at first, but when the team beats the Tornadoes,(Their arch rival) to win the pennant.An extraordinary bookthat teaches you lessons in friendship as well as baseball. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Baseball    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Fiction    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Sports & Recreation - Baseball    7. Juvenile Fiction / Sports & Recreation / Baseball   

Reviews (2)

A Very Cute And Light Read
I love winter anyway but this book was a very cute and light read. The character of Kristen was great and someone I could relate too. All in all the book was a quick no brainer that was very enjoyable to read.

Cute wintery romance.
This book is about Kirsten, a senior in high school, who goes to live with her older sister, Gretchen, for a couple of months. Gretchen is a divorced 24 year old with a 3 year old son named Brett, so when she fell and broke her leg skiing someone had to come help with things around the house. Lucky for her, Kirsten was nice enough to come help out.
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Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Romance    2. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Dating (Social customs)    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Love & Romance    8. Snow    9. Social Issues - Adolescence    10. Social Situations - Adolescence    11. Social Situations - Dating & Sex    12. Social Situations - New Experience    13. Sports & Recreation - Winter Sports    14. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Adolescence   

Reviews (42)

A glimpse into teen angst
Ironman is an insightful fictional study into what makes teens behave badly. It raises questions about parenting styles and explores the reason why some teens act up. The protaganist's quest to be an 'ironman' in a gruelling triathlon is the reason for the title in the book. It is a good read in a sometimes tongue-in-cheek style.
Ironman Review
Ages 16 and up. Bo Brewster let his anger get the best of him. He finds himself in Mr. Nak's Anger Management class filled with people who are bulleys, future American Gladiators, and people who have problems at home. Bo fits in this class well because he also has problems at home. Bo is training like crazy throughout the school year for Yukon Jack's triathlon. He meets Shelly, from his Anger Management class, and falls in love with her. She helps him train for the race. She even puts 500 dollars on Bo against Wyrack's relay team. Will Bo crack under the pressure of the race and the money or will he rise to the occasion?
Not for the literate child.
The language used by the author in my opinion is vulgar and not necessary to tell his tale. It teaches that rude and crude behavior is accepted in the struggle to succeed. Rather than encourage foul language as the norm, Crutcher should try to educate by using BIG words himself rather than resort to base and inferior words tomake his characters seem hip - cool doesn't cut it when it comes to learning proper words and how to use them.
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Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Family - Parents    4. Fathers and sons    5. Fiction    6. Interpersonal relations    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Social Issues - Adolescence    9. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    10. Social Issues - Physical & Emotional Abuse    11. Sports & Recreation - General    12. Triathlon    13. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Adolescence   

Reviews (118)

If you can look past the agenda . . .
I read Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes when I was taking a young adult literature class in college.I'd just finished reading Chinese Handcuffs, also by Crutcher, and even though I'm not interested in sports at all, I really enjoyed it.Feeling in the mood for some more angst, but wary of the emphasis on sports in a lot of his books, I decided swimming would be an interesting sport to read about and picked up Staying Fat.It wasn't bad.In fact, it was very similar to other books of Crutcher's I've read in that it deals with sports and angst.
Two Teen's Couragous Battles Because ofBeing VeryDifferent.
When I began the book, I felt like it was going to be just some teen complaining because life isn't perfect.However, Eric was couragous and well beyond his years because he accepted himself completely.Beyond the teasing and tormenting that his peers gave him was a growing deep confidence in himself.
Can I get an extra star?
I'm an ELA teacher. This is one of my favorite YA novels. After you get comfortable with the main character and hisrelationship with Sarah Byrnes, it's impossible to put this book down. The characters are new/strange and well defined.The issues are a bit heavy as is the language, so I'd keep it at 14 or older.
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Subjects:  1. Bildungsromane    2. Child abuse    3. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Fiction    6. Friendship    7. Literature (Young Adult)    8. School stories    9. Social Issues - Friendship    10. Social Issues - Physical & Emotional Abuse    11. Social Issues - Violence    12. Social Situations - Friendship    13. Social Situations - Physical & Emotional Abuse    14. Social Situations - Violence    15. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Friendship   

Reviews (1)

a russian skater's life
this book is aimed at young readers, and it tells the story of Ekaterina Gordeeva and her late husband Sergei Grinkov's first meeting, first success as a pairs team, Olympic glory and to her life now without Sergei.Aninteresting topic and well worth reading as Gordeeva is talented and strongminded young women that young people can admire. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography - Sports & Recreation    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Biography    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Figure skaters    6. Gordeeva, Ekaterina    7. Ice dancing    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Russia (Federation)    11. Skaters    12. Sports & Recreation - Winter Sports    13. Women figure skaters    14. Biography: general    15. Grinkov, Sergei   

Subjects:  1. Basketball    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Fiction    5. High schools    6. Historical - United States - 20th Century    7. Historical Fiction (Young Adult)    8. Juvenile Fiction    9. Schools    10. Social Issues - General    11. Sports & Recreation - Basketball    12. Juvenile Fiction / Historical / United States / 20th Century   

Reviews (1)

Ultimate Sports
This book is a great for sport lovers of all ages.I found this book to be interesting.It has sixteen awsome sort stories for you.I reallyquote "Check this book out" ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthologies    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Juvenile Nonfiction    5. Short Stories    6. Sports & Recreation - General    7. Sports & Recreation - Miscellaneous    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / Sports & Recreation / General   

Reviews (7)

I love this series!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These books are awesome.They have adventure and humor. That's just what I like in a book. They have really influnenced my Christian life. Everyone should read this series!

Why can't I rate this 999999999stars?
This is a GREAT book. I LOVE the Incredible worlds of Wally McDoogle!! I have read every single one, the first one I ever read was My Life as Dinosaur Dental Floss. My favorit is My Life as a Prickly Porcipine from Pluto. The book I am reveiwing is GREAT and RRREEEEAAAAALLLLYYYYY funny. I love Wally McDoogle.
Outragest!!!!
This book is definetly funny. I especially liked it when Gary and Wally were in a compition of love.It was very humorus and tells about wisdom and kindness. I recomend it for ANY kid!!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure - General    2. Bullies    3. Camps    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 4-6    6. Christian life    7. Fiction    8. Humorous Stories    9. Juvenile Fiction    10. Religious - Christian    11. Sports & Recreation - General    12. Adventure stories    13. Bullying    14. Burritos (Cookery)    15. Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure    16. Teen Fiction   

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography - Sports & Recreation    3. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    4. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    6. Entertainment & Performing Arts - Actors & Actresses    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Martial Arts & Self-Defense    10. Martial artists    11. Motion picture actors and actr    12. Motion picture actors and actresses    13. Physical fitness    14. Sports & Recreation - Martial Arts   

Reviews (37)

Suicidal Football

Life Through the Eyes of Teens
Lying in bed, not wanting to move, and fearing the thought of getting up is how Austin Reid feels every morning.Austin, a star football player for the Panthers, popular in the eyes of his peers, finds himself hating everything.Everything that used to matter to him just doesn't faze him anymore, Austin has a secret that he doesn't want to let out - he is depressed beyond desire.Austin finally confronts Heather, his girlfriend about his issues but she gets scared and freaks out, causing Austin to open up to an early friend who has cared from the beginning.You get the feeling that his friend straitens his life out and helps him on his way to a less stressful life.
"Damage"-great YA read
The book Damage will surely keep and young adult reader on edge! Austin Reid, a senior and star on star football team has everything going for him. Everything in Austin's life is perfect, or so it seems. He is popular, does well in school, is the star on the football team, and his girlfriend Heather, is the hottest girl at school. There is only one problem, Austin is not happy, and nothing at all seems to help. At a young age Austin's father passed away, which could very well be the root of his depression. Day in and day out, in the small Texas town of Parkers Ville, all Austin feels is depression. Eventually he grows farther and farther away from his friends and family, and the only option he sees is suicide. It is as if Reid has everything to live for, yet can't find an interest to live for anything! The unique second person viewpoint Jenkins uses adds some creative flavor to his novel. In the case of this book the second person view did not work so well. The feelings and emotions of other characters were not able to be seen. The whole mood throughout the book is one that is well, depressed. Many young adults can relate with a book like Damage, that is what makes it a great read! This novel is very real and is perfect for teens and young adults! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Depression (Psychology)    4. Depression, Mental    5. Fiction    6. Football    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Social Issues - Adolescence    9. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    10. Social Issues - Special Needs    11. Social Situations - Adolescence    12. Social Situations - Emotions & Feelings    13. Social Situations - Special Needs    14. Sports & Recreation - Football    15. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Special Needs   

Reviews (11)

Romeo and Juliet from a gay prospective
This is a great casual read.Roeder does a very good job of conveying the conflicting feelings that all teens have in their relationships.He also does a great job of building up enough sympathy for the main characters that you definately feel moved at the end of this Romeo and Juliet tribute.
Important On Many Levels!
This is my second Mark Roeder novel. I too read "A Better Place" prior to reading "The Soccer Field...". I enjoyed both pieces, however, I found "The Soccer Field..." somewhat redundant. The author tells us every other page how much these two guys love each other (we get it already). Even though the writing is relatively mediocre I must say I love Roeder's work. I have purchased every title in "The Gay Chronicles" and look forward to reading them as well. As an adult, I identify with so many of the situations presented in his books. They are real and true, I can also say as a teacher I see many of these situations occur on school campuses everyday. The books are great reading for straight readers as well, especially adoloscents, who would benefit greatly from reading these stories. Keep up the good work Mark. I highly recommend everyone who is sensitive to the issues presented here, pick up a copy and see some real life situations that so many kids in our schools today are going through. What Mr. Roeder depicts is not far from the truth!

Soccerfield Is GREAT
I was told om Mark's books, and I didn't start with The Soccerfield Is Empty. But when I read it, I enjoyed it thoroughly. Both characters Mark and Taylor are well writen, Mark A Roeder does a excellent job with both characters. I highly recommend his books to straight boys/Men, I am straight and I like his books I read so far. Start with The Soccerfield Is Empty, and read his books in chronological order. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    2. Fiction - Romance    3. Juvenile Fiction    4. Romance - General    5. Social Issues - Dating & Sex    6. Social Issues - Homosexuality    7. Sports & Recreation - General    8. General & Literary Fiction    9. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Homosexuality    10. Literary studies: general    11. Literature of special Gay interest   

Reviews (4)

Cute Romance - But read "Hot Summer Nights" from this author!
One of my oldest books in my romance collection is Elizabeth Chandler's "Hot Summer Nights". It is a short book from my teenage years, but it has everything that you could want in a romance book - wit, depth, and, of course, romance! This book is reminiscent of that earlier book, but I found that, although I wished "Hot Summer Nights" was longer, this version was not as mature, witty, and memorable as the other.Nonetheless, I am glad that Ms. Chandler has decided to add to her young adult romance series! I look forward to reading more of her books of this type and maybe (just maybe!) she might consider adult romance! ;)

Head Over Heels!!!!!!
This is one of the most heart warming stories I have ever read.Great for people who love books about romance and all the struggles that come with it.I read this book in one day it was so good, and it is also something that ever one can relate too.I fell head over heels for this book and recommend it to everyone.This is one of Chandler's best pieces' yet!

A Great Fun in the Sun Read
I loved this book! I love all the books by this publisher but this was definitely one of my favorites. This book was about Jamie, a sports-loving college-bound freshmen, and her quest for love. She meets the wrong guy, the right guy, and learns about love at first site. It's a great book to read while lounging around by the pool. :] ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    3. Dating (Social customs)    4. Fiction    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Lifestyles - City & Town Life    7. Love & Romance    8. Social Issues - Adolescence    9. Social Issues - Dating & Sex    10. Social Issues - New Experience    11. Sports    12. Summer    13. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Adolescence   

Reviews (6)

shakespeare bats cleanup
I liked this book because it is short sweet and funny and it was a quick read. I think it was for 7th and 8th graders because they talk about going to the bamboo field and they make out and stuff, and
Book Review
This book follows the life of a kid at the age of fourteen. He is diagnosed with Mono and is but in bed for the remainder of the school year. He finds a poetry book in his Fathers collection and starts testing his own skills out. He tries Pastoral, using couplets, a sestina, and blank verse to name a few. Koertge formed his character through different kinds of poetry and I believe does and amazing job. After the first few poems you really start seeing this character come to life. I would recommend this book to any reader.

Shakespeare Bats Cleanup
Shakespeare Bats Cleanup is a funny, breezy, cute book. I don't think it relies as much on the themes of baseball, or even poetry, as it does on the theme of young love. Occasionally this theme becomes inappropriate as he writes poems about making out with girls in the bamboo forest and, in a sick metaphor, reaching Home Base.
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Subjects:  1. Authorship    2. Baseball    3. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Poetry    8. Social Issues - Death & Dying    9. Social Issues - General    10. Sports & Recreation - Baseball    11. Juvenile Fiction / Sports & Recreation / Baseball