The Extra Point

February 1, 2018

Gr 6 Up-The "Gridiron" series follows the different stories of high school players united by their love of football. In Showdown, Toby and Walter are rookies on their varsity team, but must lead their team to victory after a prank war with a rival school takes out their best players. Busby and Anton are determined to win the big game to keep their economically depressed school open in The Late Hit. When Anton gets injured and has a severe concussion, Busby must decide what is more important: winning the playoffs or his friend's health. Jeff and Scooter narrate alternating chapters in Late Start, showing their differing perspectives on Scooter earning the football scholarship Jeff thought was his. When she loses a spot on the soccer team, Riley decides to try out for the kicking position on her school's all-male football team in The Extra Point. To be successful, she must overcome a player who doubts her abilities as a girl and her own lack of confidence. VERDICT With action-packed sequences on the field and riveting plots off of it dealing with timely topics, such as sports injuries and sexism, this series will appeal to hi-lo readers on a fourth grade reading level.

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September 1, 2017
A high school senior cut from girls' soccer becomes the football team's new kicker. Rather than making the varsity team with her best friend (hijabi and star player Aisha), Riley (depicted on the cover as white) finds herself cut from the JV team to make room for younger players. She has the strongest corner kick but isn't fast enough. She pulls out of her disappointed funk when a call goes out for an open tryout for the football team's kicker position and--after some practice adjusting kicking mechanics--she goes for it and makes the team. While a girl trying out initially surprises players and coach alike, the characters are all supportive of her, with the exception of bullying star defensive player Sean. Athletic but not a prodigy, Riley struggles with unevenness; sometimes she performs well, but she's still picking up the technique for consistency. After some tough games--losses for which Sean holds her responsible--she must find her own confidence to play as well as she can. The bullying storyline is never directly addressed or concluded; rather, the focus is on Riley's internal conflict. Diversity's present in character names; aside from Aisha, the other prominent secondary character is Chava Gutierrez, the supportive quarterback. Three other titles in the Gridiron series publish simultaneously: False Start, by Paul Hoblin, and The Late Hit and Showdown, both by K.R. Coleman. Simplistic, but a reluctant reader-friendly fast read with positive messages about hard work and being a good teammate. (Fiction. 10-16)

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