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Summary
Summary
Award-winning author, Sharon G. Flake, presents a powerful novel about a teen boy and girl, each tackling disabilities.Autumn and Adonis have nothing in common and everything in common. Autumn is outgoing and has lots of friends. Adonis is shy and not so eager to connect with people. But even with their differences, the two have one thing in common--they're each dealing with a handicap. For Autumn, who has a learning disability, reading is a painful struggle that makes it hard to focus in class. But as her school's most aggressive team wrestler, Autumn can take down any problem. Adonis uses a wheelchair. He has no legs. He can't walk or dance. But he's a strong reader who loves books. Even so, Adonis has a secret he knows someone like Autumn can heal. In time, Autumn and Adonis are forced to see that our greatest weaknesses can turn into the assets that forever change us and those we love. Told in alternating voices, Takedown explores issues of self-discovery, friendship, and what it means to be different.
Author Notes
Sharon G. Flake's groundbreaking novel, The Skin I'm In , brought a bold dimension to literature for young readers. Now considered a modern classic, The Skin I'm In has sold over a million copies worldwide and has been translated into numerous languages. The novel is required reading in classrooms and communities around the globe. Since its publication, Flake has authored over a dozen books, winning multiple Coretta Scott King Honor Awards; ALA Notable and Top Ten Recommended Books citations, and an NAACP Image Award Nomination, among many accolades. Her latest novel, The Life I'm In , a companion to The Skin I'm In , has earned four starred reviews, and has been deemed one of the most anticipated sequels of the decade.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Ninth-graders Autumn and Adonis are polar opposites. Academics don't come easy for Autumn, especially reading, but she's a killer wrestler and the only girl on the school team. Adonis was born without legs, but is self-confident, disciplined, and an exceptional student; he's also kind of a jerk. She's crazy about him anyway, but he wants nothing to do with her: "Nothing about her appeals to me. All those muscles. Not to mention her IQ. I'm sure it's exceptionally low." Flake (You Don't Even Know Me) avoids tidiness, constructing two authentic, distinct voices that expose the strengths and flaws of both teenagers-Adonis is cerebral, conceited, and eloquent, while Autumn's narration is openhearted and raw ("If grades was trees, mine would be the root.... Nobody did worse on this test than me"). The unflinching honesty with which Flake approaches her characters is what sells this story; the romantic tension and fiery back-and-forth between these headstrong teens and their respective efforts to make the most of their lives, only sweeten the deal. Ages 10-14. Agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Ninth-grader Autumn is great at some things -- wrestling, for one; cooking, for another. Reading is not one of her skills, due in part to multiple moves during her early childhood and parents who also dont read well. She tells her story in a forthright, colloquial way: I dont wanna go to college. I wanna be a chef. Her chapters alternate with those narrated by Adonis, whose speech is formal and whose opinion of himself is lofty: I do not dull my light so other people will feel better about themselves. Born without legs, Adonis manages the school wrestling team on which Autumn is the star (and the only girl). She unabashedly loves Adonis, despite his prickly superiority and oft-avowed rejection, but she doesnt know the secret that he and her best friend, Peaches, share. Autumn and Adonis, in addition to the supporting characters -- parents, teachers, and friends alike -- have distinctive personalities and voices, enhancing the storys depth and complexity. Additionally, Autumns viewpoint on reading (that its more trouble than its worth), along with the respect given to the sport of wrestling and the books touching, tentative romance, may appeal to reluctant readers. susan dove lempke (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Autumn is a champion and the only girl on the high-school wrestling team, but she is three grades behind in reading. She has a crush on her brilliant classmate, Adonis, the team manager, who was born without legs. Fierce and independent, he tells her bluntly, Leave me alone . . . I don't like you. But why then does he dream about her? Told in the teens' alternating first-person, present-tense voices, the story is packed with surprising revelations about family, friends, and enemies, as well as tough questions. Should Autumn cheat? Others do. Her mom cannot read her paycheck, and she is determined that her daughter will do better, even if it means that Autumn must leave the wrestling team. But more than the plot's twists and turns, what will hold readers is the teens' tense shifts between standoffs and romance, told without sentimentality or messages. Autumn tries to forget Adonis ( It's hard . . . I love him ), until finally she asks him to help her learn to read.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2010 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 6-10-Two African American students with disabilities-Autumn, who struggles to learn to read, and Adonis, who was born without legs-learn that they are not so different after all in this unexceptional novel. Autumn is the only girl on the wrestling team, and though she excels at sports and cooking, she can't find success in the classroom. She is in love with Adonis, who finds her annoying and pushes her away at every opportunity. Adonis is an A student, almost too perfect, and rigid when it comes to his views on other people-especially Autumn. Given that he dreams about her and thinks about her constantly, however, readers will suspect that he has some hidden feelings. Told from alternating points of view, the story mostly dwells on the teens' school problems and spends less time on their potential romance. Parents and teachers all seem too good to be true, and the outcome is entirely predictable. The main characters are unique and interesting, but while the novel has a well-meaning message, it is didactic and lacks real drama. Teens are likely to be more interested in the romance and friendships than in the constant focus on Autumn's poor reading skills and will miss the gritty details and urban settings they may have expected from this author. Those who loved Flake's excellent The Skin I'm In (1998) and Who Am I Without You? (2004, both Hyperion) will be drawn to this novel but may ultimately find it disappointing.-Miranda Doyle, Lake Oswego School District, OR (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Two unlikely teens find a connection despite the reluctance of one and the vastly different life obstacles they confront. Autumn Knight is good at several things: She's a great friend, a terrific cook and a fiercely competitive wrestler, the only girl on her team. She is not good at reading or most of her other school subjects. Despite this, she is drawn to the smartest boy in school and determined that he will like her in return. Adonis Miller, severely physically disabled since birth, wants no part of Autumn. She is everything he hates: "I despise her. Nothing about her appeals to me. All those muscles. Not to mention her IQ. I'm sure it's exceptionally low." Since he was a little boy, he has striven to be the best at whatever he attempts, from academics to school leadership. His role as manager of the wrestling team often brings him into contact with Autumn, and he has trouble reconciling the successful athlete with the irritating girl who haunts his dreams. This brilliantly realized story is told alternately in their two distinctive voices, and readers will cheer Autumn's spirit and Adonis' drive. The narrative is further enriched by intriguing secondary characters, including Autumn's best friend Patricia (aka Peaches), who has her own secrets, and the loving parents and caring teachers of both teens. An uplifting story that convincingly celebrates the power of perseverance. (Fiction. 14 up)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Excerpts
Excerpts
From Pinned Autumn When Miss Baker walk in class smiling--like reading is fun--I pick up my pencil and draw two hearts. We gonna read a play today, she saying. "Open your books." She walk over to me, squeezing my shoulder. "Autumn. Read the part of Kayla." I tap my pencil on my book. She winks. "I know you can do it." I don't like to read. It's boring. I tell Miss Baker this all the time. She say not to give up. She gonna help me read better. That ain't gonna happen. Teachers tried before. I'm still reading three grades behind.... My goal is to be the best wrestler ever. Not the best reader. Adonis I try to keep Autumn out, but she chases me. I have to run fast to get away. Autumn is wearing track shoes. She says they are magic, superfast. Now she is ahead of me, staring back at my legs. "Where your wheels at?" she wants to know. "I have legs. See." I stop to give her a better look. "Those are just pretend. I got real ones. Wanna wrestle?" Poof! My legs disappear. Excerpted from Takedown by Sharon G. Flake All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
