Rich Wallace lives in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. He has worked as a sportswriter and news editor, and is now the coordinating editor of Highlights for Children magazine. He coaches his sons' youth sports teams year-round, including soccer, basketball, and track and field.
With the same "you are there" immediacy that characterized his first novel, Wallace returns to the small-town setting from Wrestling Sturbridge; this time the game is soccer. Geared mostly for boys (the female teens in this novel are reduced to cats with sharpened claws), this play-by-play account of sophomore Barry (Bones) Austin's second soccer season balances sports action with introspective moments off the field. After finally breaking last year's losing streak (2-11-1), the Sturbridge High players are suddenly at 3-0 and psyched to win the league championship. But the coach says they must first "work together" as a team and overcome "personality conflicts"‘not an easy task for Bones, whose best friend Joe (a more aggressive forward) captured the attentions of flirtatious Shannon just when Bones was about to make his move. Wallace's ear for locker-room banter and knowledge of fragile adolescent egos shine through in his vibrant characterizations of young contenders. Young adults will gleefully cheer Bones on as he grows both as an individual and as an athlete, and hurdles personal obstacles to attain victory. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)
Gr 5-10‘Life in a small town in Pennsylvania isn't too exciting for 15-year-old Bones and his buddies, but they find ways to amuse themselves. They focus on their soccer, hang out by the Turkey Hill convenience store, and watch girls. Bones and Joey have always been close friends, but suddenly things are different. It starts over a girl but quickly escalates into every part of their relationship‘from soccer to their part-time jobs. The tension spreads to the rest of the team, causing problems between teammates and making the coach furious. It takes a while for them to resolve their differences, but both boys come out of the experience with some new knowledge about their lives, and about themselves. Wallace has created a cast of characters that is three-dimensional and interesting. The situations and emotions that Bones experiences are all very real, and young people will relate to them. This is a book that will appeal to many different readers, although non-sports fans may get lost in some of the detailed descriptions of the soccer games. The writing is simple enough to entice reluctant readers. A deftly written book, and a solid addition to any YA collection.‘Dina Sherman, Brooklyn Children's Museum, NY
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