Gridiron Trailblazer

Description: Eighth-grade Audrey, hopes to ease the pain of moving by joining the school football team, but faces the challenge of proving her skills and gaining acceptance from teammates, all while uncovering the reasons behind their hostility toward her new friend, star receiver Ryan.

Brief description: Who is Jake Maddox? Athlete, author, world-traveler - or all three? He has surfed in Hawaii, scuba-dived in Australia, and climbed the mountains of Peru and Alaska. His books range from the most popular team sports to outdoor activities to survival adventures and even to auto racing. His exploits have inspired numerous writers to walk in his footsteps - literally! Each of his stories is stamped with teamwork, fair play, and a strong sense of self-worth and discipline. Always a team-player, Maddox realizes it takes more than one man (or woman) to create a book good enough for a young reader. He hopes the lessons learned on the court, field, or arena and the champion sprinter pace of his books can motivate kids to become better athletes and lifelong readers.

Review Quotes: In these latest additions to the popular sports-themed chapter books for kids, readers will meet a girl who joins a boys' football team at her new middle school, a soccer player who must to learn to play with his teammates in mind, a softball player who struggles mightily with her temper and impulsive decisions, and a Cherokee boy who deals with some bullies on his new lacrosse team. These first chapter books dig a little deeper into the subject of sports, focusing on players' relationships with each other and themselves, exploring the why and not just the what of the game. Black-and-white illustrations are frequent, and while multiple paragraphs appear on each spread, the text is spaced just enough for newly independent chapter book readers. A glossary, discussion questions, writing prompts, and more information about each sport is ­appended. VERDICT Purchase where the Jake Maddox sports books are popular or collections where books about lesser-known sports like lacrosse need representation.-- "School Library Journal"