The Sports Pages

November 1, 2012

Gr 4 Up-In his introduction, Scieszka states, "In keeping with the competitive spirit of sports, here is a collection of the fastest, strongest, funniest, wildest, and best sports stories." But this anthology is uneven and doesn't live up to that claim. It presents 10 short stories by 10 different authors, including Joseph Bruchac, Tim Green, and Gordon Korman plus autobiographical pieces by TV sportscaster James Brown and LA Kings hockey star Dustin Brown. One of the best is Dan Gutman's "How I Won the World Series," which is fun and funny. The same can be said about Anne Ursu's "Max Swings for the Fences," about a boy who claims to be the son of a famous baseball player to impress a girl he likes at his new school. Chris Rylander's "I Will Destroy You, Derek Jeter" is another fun tale. In it, a boy who was humiliated on TV when attempting to catch a ball hit into the stands by Derek Jeter comes up with several convoluted plots (including a witch doctor's spell) to "get even" with the Yankee star. Of the two nonfiction choices, James Brown's writing style and emphasis on education is much more impressive than Dustin Brown's. In general, these stories tend to leave readers unsatisfied-either with too many unanswered questions or wanting more of the best ones. This may lead them to search for more information or to read some of the full-length stories by the authors they liked. Maybe. There is no urgent need to add this one to your collection.Kate Kohlbeck, Randall School, Waukesha, WI

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2012
Grades 5-8 In the third volume of his Guys Read series (the first focused on humor, and the second on thrillers), editor Scieszka turns his attention to sports, serving up 10 stories about baseball, football, basketball, running, hockey, and mixed martial arts. The contributions come from the likes of Jacqueline Woodson, Gordon Korman, and Joseph Bruchac, andin a nod to nonfictionthere are two mini memoirs by hockey phenom Dustin Brown and CBS sports anchor James Brown. The overall tone is light: Anne Ursu turns in a story about a little white lie that turns into a whopper; Chris Rylander conjures up a tale about a boy who dreams of exacting revenge on no less a sports luminary than Derek Jeter; and Korman offers a good-natured story about the kidnapping of a sports trophy. In his introduction, Scieszka wisely notes that good stories and good games are alike: Both reveal character and truths bigger than the game or the story. Readers, boys and girls alike, need look no further than these stories for the proof of that.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

July 15, 2012
Ten writers and athletes contribute sports stories written exclusively for this volume. The third installment in Scieszka's Guys Read Library of Great Reading again seeks to lure young male readers into the world of books. Following Funny Business (2010) and Thriller (2011), The Sports Pages offers a smorgasbord of sportswriting--fiction and nonfiction--to appeal to every sports enthusiast. From baseball to football, ice hockey to track and mixed martial arts, there is plenty here for sports-minded readers to like, with lively action, humor and even a dose of mysticism in the form of magical grapefruit and a witch doctor. James Brown's "The Choice" and Dustin Brown's "Against All Odds" are fine nonfiction entries, akin to the motivational talks athletes often present at sports banquets. Tim Green's "Find Your Fire" has the liveliest sports action, featuring a young offensive lineman learning to deal with changes in his life. Maximilian Funk, in Anne Ursu's "Max Swings for the Fences," tries to fit into the social scene of his new school and chooses the wrong way, with disastrous consequences. (Chris Crutcher's "The Meat Grinder" is slated for inclusion but was not seen.) The stories here offer action, humor and lessons about life and may well do the trick of connecting boys and books. (Short stories. 9-13)

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January 1, 2013
This collection of sports-centric short stories by Dan Gutman, Tim Green, Chris Crutcher, and other popular authors spans a variety of sports and addresses such athletics-related struggles as overcoming pressure, high expectations, teamwork, and gaining confidence; there are two brief autobiographical pieces by real athletes. Some stories are less exciting than expected, but most will engage the target boy audience.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)