The Academy

December 15, 2013
Seles returns with the second in her series about teens in training to become elite athletes and envied celebrities (Game On, 2013). Maya is settling into her stay at the Academy after enduring a few months full of drama on and off the tennis court. Jake's betrayal with her archrival was a blow, but now she is determined to improve her game as she makes her way on the professional women's tour. Despite coming up short against a veteran player, Maya's unexpectedly strong performance garners attention from the press and a possible agent. When she gets back to school, she is welcomed and encouraged by the solid friendships of Cleo and Renee, who help her cope with the additional distractions of paparazzi, gossip sites, a possible modeling job and an entanglement with Jake's brother, Travis. Maya has learned a lot during her time at the Academy, but the high-stakes combination of competition and celebrity create new challenges for the savvy 16-year-old. This installment provides a look behind the scenes as the all-important image-making of young athletes unfolds. Here, a headline can give sought-after exposure, or an influential blogger's targeted comments can bring misery. Seles does a good job of portraying the pressures of Maya's need for financial success, unlike some of her peers. Readers will find themselves pulling for this scrappy teen as she navigates fame and relationships. (Fiction. 12 & up)

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December 15, 2013
Grades 8-10 Seles newest young-adult novel, the second in her Academy series, is again centered on the unpredictable events in Maya Hart's blooming career as a professional tennis player. Maya attends an exclusive academy for promising young athletes, and she's finally starting to get some attentionmaybe more than she is ready for. Here, the focus is on Maya's struggle to market herself as a pro athlete without sacrificing her personality, all while two good-looking boys vying for her attention make life even more complicated. An enticing combination of suspense, romance, mystery, fashion, and, of course, sports.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)