The Rookie Bookie

August 25, 2014
Seventh-grader Mitch Sloan loves sports, though his football knowledge doesn’t extend to actual athletic prowess. Mitch’s family has just moved to Indiana, and although his parents’ art shop is off to a slow start, they refuse Mitch’s business advice, another area of his expertise (“I want to be the next Warren Buffett,” he tells readers). Mitch’s new best friend, a girl named Jamie, is a football expert, too, and together they start a middle-school betting ring, which is eventually found out. In their first book for children, Wertheim and Moskowitz, the writing team behind Scorecasting, create a relatable protagonist in Mitch and a fun venue for readers to learn a bit about business, football, and math. Mitch’s struggles with bullying are realistic, as are his relationships with his parents and older brother. While Mitch’s explanations of various statistical concepts can take on a lecturing tone, overall this story hits its mark and should intrigue readers with information about how number-crunching can make an impact on the gridiron. Ages 8–12. Agent: Carrie Hannigan, Hannigan Salky Getzler, and Scott Waxman, Waxman Leavell Literary Agency.

September 15, 2014
Best-selling authors Wertheim and Moskowitz (Scorecasting, 2011) team up again on their first novel for children. Unsurprisingly given their expertise, their foray into middle-grade fiction will appeal mostly to sports fans with a passion for statistics and playing the odds. Seventh-grader Mitch Sloan is the new kid at Jonasburg Middle School, and he's determined to fit in. Unfortunately, it's a little easier said than done in this small, football-obsessed Indiana town, as Mitch is more into talking about sports than actually playing them. What Mitch is really into is money-namely, figuring out how to make a lot of it as quickly and as easily as possible. When tomboy and fellow sports fan Jamie Spielberger turns up as a potential business partner and best friend, the kindred spirits turn their sports and business know-how into a wildly successful, and possibly illicit, middle school gambling ring. While Wertheim and Moskowitz cleverly introduce elements of probability, economics and business, these bits of wisdom often get bogged down in sports talk, and the book often winds up feeling too much like a how-to manual for aspiring bookies. Still, there is a heart to Mitch's tale, and his desire to protect his family and to forge true friendships will resonate with readers. The sports fan's alternative to The Lemonade War. (Fiction. 9-13)

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October 1, 2014

Gr 3-6-After being bullied at his middle school, Mitch is looking forward to a fresh start when his family moves to a different state. He and his first friend, Jamie, start a football betting ring, hoping to make new friends, and maybe a few bucks. Jamie has a hunch that gambling may be against school rules, but they forge ahead anyway. When they find out the hard way that Jamie was right, their friendship is tested, as is Mitch's newfound sense of confidence. That is, until he finds a new, productive use for his sports smarts. This is a cleverly written story, with an astute take on what makes middleschoolers tick. Strong supporting characters, and a good balance of tension and humor keep the pages turning. While there is a lot of academic content woven into the story-financial literacy, statistics, logic, even a little Shakespeare-it is not heavy-handed. It's all explained in a simple, engaging way, sure to appeal to readers not totally smitten with sports or math. Wertheim, an editor for Sports Illustrated, and Moskowitz, a professor of finance, have combined their fields of expertise, resulting in a thoughtful and highly entertaining read.-Jenna Lanterman, formerly at The Calhoun School and Mary McDowell Friends School, New York City

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2014
Grades 4-7 Mitch has never been popular, so when he starts seventh grade in a new town, he comes up with a scheme that gets him in everyone's good booksor so it seems. Cursed with a star athlete for an older brother and no talent himself, Mitch does have a head for numbers and business. When a quick look at statistics wins him a bet on a football game, other students begin asking to place bets, too. Mitch sees the money-making potential of this venture, and soon he and his friend Jamiewho he Does. Not. Have. A. Crush. On. start running a gambling pool, which has higher stakes than he ever imagined. Careful to not glorify gambling, this draws attention to its shadowy underside while doling out lessons in honesty and friendship. Mitch's joking tone and genuine desire to gain friends make him a sympathetic character in spite of his lapse in judgment. A rare offering for both the sports enthusiast and the kid who is always picked last for the team.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)