Center Court Sting

January 1, 1999
Gr 4-8-Hothead Daren McCall can't control his temper. He thinks the world is out to get him and blames his errors and failures-both on and off the basketball court-on everyone else. When his friends are barely speaking to him and the coach has threatened to bench him or kick him off the team, Daren finally realizes his problem. This is a good story with plenty of game action. It gets its lesson across without being preachy and holds readers' interest. The characters are clearly drawn and likable. Although they are probably junior-high age, and the subject matter, theme, and action, will keep older readers engaged, the reading level and simple explanations of basketball plays and defenses make the story accessible to younger children. Mark another one in the win column for Matt Christopher.-Kate Kohlbeck, Randall School, Waukesha, WI

January 1, 1999
Gr. 3^-5. Daren McCall, the hot-tempered star forward of the Rangers, is blaming everyone but himself for how badly the team is playing--especially center Lou Bettman. Lately Lou's game has been off, and Daren has been taking every opportunity to point it out, usually in front of their teammates. It's not only Lou Daren finds fault with. A young neighbor who has just taken an interest in basketball, the team's towel boy, and even Lynn, Daren's best friend and teammate, fall victim to his sharp barbs. His conversion to Mr. Nice Guy, which occurs halfway through the book, is much too quick to be convincing, and the novel's outcome is predictable. What Christopher handles better is the exciting basketball play-by-play; it's edge-of-your-seat suspense that won't disappoint the author's many fans. ((Reviewed January 1 & 15, 1999))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1999, American Library Association.)