Alexander,
Kwame. Booked. Houghton Mifflin 2016
314p $16.99 ISBN 978-0-544-57098-6 ms/hs
Sports VG-BN
In this novel in verse, Nick Hall is an avid soccer player
whose father subscribes to Verbomania and forces Nick to read from “his”
dictionary and learn a variety of uncommon words to prepare him for college. He
has issues with paying attention in class as well as completing assignments,
like any middle-school student who is distracted at times. He has a crush on
April and a fun-loving, insistent librarian, as well as an overbearing
language-arts teacher. Just when Nick learns that his team and best friend
Coby’s team have been invited to play in the Dallas National Soccer tournament,
he learns of his parents’ intent to separate.
This well-written novel in verse is sure to engage and entertain young readers. It will appeal to adolescent readers, as Nick experiences and learns to balance sports, school, parents’ requirements, romance, and his demanding teacher and librarian. When Nick encounters an unavoidable situation that threatens his ability to compete in the National Soccer Tournament, he must come to grips with it and differentiate between what he needs and what he desires. Readers can’t help but root for Nick on his life journey.
This well-written novel in verse is sure to engage and entertain young readers. It will appeal to adolescent readers, as Nick experiences and learns to balance sports, school, parents’ requirements, romance, and his demanding teacher and librarian. When Nick encounters an unavoidable situation that threatens his ability to compete in the National Soccer Tournament, he must come to grips with it and differentiate between what he needs and what he desires. Readers can’t help but root for Nick on his life journey.
Booked will appeal not only to avid adolescent
readers, but to struggling and reluctant readers as well. The story is written
as a poem with few words on each page, and it will not intimidate reluctant
readers. The many themes and twists in the plot will appeal to readers and give
them a strong connection to the protagonist.
Summary: In this novel in verse, Nick Hall is an avid
soccer player whose father subscribes to Verbomania and forces Nick to
read from his dictionary and learn a variety of uncommon words to prepare him
for college; and just when he learns his team and his best friend Coby’s team
have been invited to play in the Dallas National Soccer tournament, he also learns
of his parents’ intent to separate.
Soccer-Fiction --Virginia
McGarvey
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