Racing California

Lynch, Janet Nicols     Racing California       

 Holiday House     2012  182p    $16.95      978-0-8234-2363-7       ms/hs   E-BN    Realistic fiction

Evan and his girlfriend have plans to go to college together and become medical doctors. Their senior year is idyllic until Evan is given the chance to become a member of a newly formed pro cycling team that will take on an almost-700-mile race in seven stages over less than two weeks. Once on the team, Evan is surprised to learn that the pro cycling world is filled with physicality during the race, enormous egos, closely-held team strategies, and a wild lifestyle after the racing is completed each day.  Feelings of exhilaration, of being used, and of disappointment all spin in Evan’s head during the race itself.  For fans of cycling, the race logistics and the thrill of speed are graphically presented.  For those new to the sport, the vocabulary of racing is well explained, and the insights into strategy, physical effects and physicality of the race will make watching a pro race on television or in person all the more interesting.  Some recurring themes of the story are parents' hopes and dreams, staying true to oneself, sibling rivalry, and the ways that dreams can both be realized and be shattered at the same time.  This book represents excellent sports fiction about a sport not often covered in fiction.  It is also an outstanding look into the mind of a professional athlete trying to balance his job and his personal life.  It is highly recommended.       

E-BN        Lois McNicol      Bicycle racing, Sports