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|---|---|---|
Searching... Oakdale Library | J FICTION LUP | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Wildwood Library (Mahtomedi) | J FICTION LUP | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
What happens when a star player ends up on the worst team? He either learns to lose or he stops playing the game he loves. These are the choices facing Jake, who has gone from champion to last place, testing his sportsmanship every time his soccer team gets waxed. It is his teammate Kevin who shows Jake that being a good captain means scoring and assisting off the field as much as being the star player on it.
The latest in #1 bestseller Mike Lupica's Comeback Kids novels is a cheer-worthy ode to the one sport played by more kids across the country than any other--in the summer of the next World Cup.
Author Notes
Michael Lupica (born on May 11, 1952 in Oneida, New York) is an American newspaper columnist. At the age of 23, Lupica began his newspaper career covering the New York Knicks for the New York Post. In 1977, he became the youngest columnist ever at a New York newspaper when he started working for the New York Daily News. He has also written for numerous magazines during his career including Golf Digest, Playboy, Sports Illustrated, ESPN: The Magazine, Men's Journal and Parade. In 2003, he received the Jim Murray Award from the National Football Foundation. He has been a television anchor for ESPN's The Sports Reporters and hosted his own program The Mike Lupica Show on ESPN2.
Lupica has written both fiction and non-fiction books. His novels include Dead Air; Limited Partner; Jump; Full Court Press; Red Zone; Too Far; Wild Pitch; and Bump and Run. He also writes the Mike Lupica's Comeback Kids series. He co-wrote autobiographies with Reggie Jackson and Bill Parcells and collaborated with William Goldman on Wait Till Next Year. His other non-fiction works include The Summer of '98; Mad as Hell: How Sports Got Away from the Fans and How We Get It Back; and Shooting from the Lip.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-In Mike Lupica's latest addition (Philomel, 2010) to his Comeback Kids Series, Jake has gone from being on a star soccer team to his new school's horrendous one. He tries to have a good attitude and do the best he can while boosting the morale of his teammates. However, Kevin, one of the team members, won't have anything to do with Jape, and he won't even really play the game. Jake's coach urges him not to give up on Kevin, who has recently lost his mother to cancer. While the story is a bit didactic and is resolved too neatly, the sports aspect is exciting. Keith Nobbs's narration is expressive and well-paced. A good choice for reluctant readers and those wanting more contemporary books than those by Matt Christopher.-B. Allison Gray, Santa Barbara Public Library System, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
With quick feet and a passion to "take it all the way," Jake rules in soccer. But his glory days on championship teams fade away after his family moves to a new town--and Jake joins a losing squad. Realistic soccer commentary and lively dialogue bolster this story of a believable group of athletes whose personal struggles match their challenges on the turf. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Jake is accustomed to being a soccer star on winning teams, so when he ends up on the losing side, he is flummoxed. His teammates think he is arrogant, and he has trouble getting along with one in particular. Jake's ability to read the flow of a soccer match makes him a good player, though, and he gradually learns to develop a similar ability with his teammates' personalities, eventually earning their respect and bringing the story to a victorious close. An enjoyable sports story with lots of action.--Morning, Todd Copyright 2010 Booklist
