Maddox, Jake. Skateboard Idol. (Jake Maddox JV)

Maddox, Jake.  Skateboard Idol. (Jake Maddox JV)  Capstone/Stone Arch  2016  96p  $18.99  ISBN 978-1-4965-2631-1  elem/ms  Conflict    VG-BN

Griff and Annika are both excellent skateboarders. When a hometown hero who made it on the national skateboarding competitive circuit returns to town, they are very excited. A treasure hunt for three golden skateboards is under way, with daily clues given until all three boards are found.  When only one more board is left to be discovered, Griff and Annika read the clue together, and Annika is the one to decipher the location of the golden board, but Griff gets there first and claims it. Discord in their group of friends, who are rivals, makes Griff rethink his decision, and he admits that Annika solved the riddle and should be the one to skate with the famous hometown skater. Action on the skateboards, the intensity of the treasure hunt, and social interactions are all very well executed and will keep the reader engaged. Discussion questions, writing prompts, a glossary and skating facts complete the book.  The book is appropriate for grades 4-8, but it could also be a hi/lo book for grades 8-9, as the reading level is 3rd-4th grade.  

Summary: When skateboarders Griff and Annika find that a famed skateboarder is coming to town and will offer three winners of a treasure hunt the opportunity to skate with him, conflict arises between the friends.  Gr 4-8. Fans of Maddox’s previous shorter novels on sports will be able to continue reading his work into middle school as the new series, Jake Maddox JV, is set in middle school. The competitiveness, skills, and hard-core skateboarding action found in the earlier Tony Hawk book series continues in this series.

Skateboarding-Fiction, Competition-Fiction, Friendship-Fiction

--Lois McNicol

Terrell, Brandon. Horizon.

Terrell, Brandon.   Horizon.  Capstone/Stone Arch     2014  128p  ISBN 978-1-4342-6032-1  series: Tony Hawk’s 900 Revolution  ms/hs  VG   Science fiction  

For fans of the series Tony Hawk’s 900 Revolution, this final installment brings together the core members of The Revolution along with characters thought to be dead or missing.  The teens once again face off with The Collective to determine who can gain possession of and assemble the final pieces of the mythical skateboard that will allow world domination.  For new readers to the series, sorting out the numerous characters, which side each one supports, and past relationships and conflicts will be overwhelming.  But for fans of the series, it will seem as if they are happily reuniting with old friends.  Plot lines are resolved with logical explanations.  As expected, The Revolution manages to outsmart The Collective. There is lots of biker and board action mixed with a science-fiction twist that includes the zombification of adults.  As with all books in the series, there is a graphic novel embedded within the text to provide visual impact. 

This is a sure winner for reluctant readers and those who cannot get enough skateboard action in fiction titles.  A nod to the legendary Tony Hawk’s Foundation and an author interview complete the book.  One editing note: On page 86, the third line a sentence needs a better word choice: “The Collective to (may??) already be here waiting for us.”                

Summary: The final installment in the Tony Hawk’s 900 Revolution series continues the fight between good and evil, mixing action, adventure, and radical skateboard maneuvers with a science-fiction plot that includes zombies. Grades 6-11.

Skateboarding-Fiction, Science fiction                      --Lois McNicol

Terrell, Brandon. Above.

Terrell, Brandon.  Above.  Capstone/Stone Arch  2014  72p  ISBN 978-1-4342-4084-2   series: Tony Hawk: Live to Skate  elem/ms     VG    Sports     

Nate usually spends time in the skateboard park right after school. On this particular night he is not watching the time and he gets home late, only to find that the apartment building he and his mom lived in was on fire.  All is lost, including the video project he was working on for publication.  Now they do not have a home and have to stay with relatives out in the country.  At first Nate feels out of place and angry at the injustices of the world.  Then he somehow connects with his cousin on a different level, and is able to find his creativity for filming skateboard videos and for the simple enjoyment of the skateboard park.  While there, he and his cousin meet up with a girl who is super great with the skateboard and wants Nate to film and publish his video. All goes well, until one night when everything seems to go wrong.  Now Nate must revisit his ideas about skateboarding to see if it is what he really wants.
Half illustration, half text, this book will be of interest to the younger crowd. There are good lessons to learn from the characters.  An interesting book.

Summary: When a fire burns down the apartment building where Nate and his mom live, the loss of Nate’s videos, computer and his mom’s possessions leave them both in the street.  How will he ever be able to get back all the work he put into his video project?                     

Skateboarding-Fiction, Video tapes–Fiction                       --Magna Diaz