Review by Booklist Review
Richie is the shooter for his eighth-grade basketball team. Shooters are critical to the team because their main focus is to score points. Richie has spent hours perfecting his shooting skills and really never plays any other position. After a killer first game, Richie finds himself falling into a slump he just can't pull himself out of. Cammy, one of the team's statisticians, plays lacrosse herself and tries to mentor Richie, stressing the importance of being an all-around player who helps the team in anyway they can. At first he ignores her advice, but soon he starts helping his team win with rebounds and assists. Maybe she is right there might be more to winning than just racking up the points by himself. Bowen's Sports Story series, while often overlooked, regularly offers stories that are engaging, action-packed, and a great next step for struggling readers ready to move beyond the usual high-lo offerings available to them. This quick, satisfying installment is no different and should find easy appeal among reluctant readers looking for novels about athletes.--Tomsu, Lindsey Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-Richie Mallon is a shooter. He has known this since the day he realized he had an inherent love of and talent for basketball. The swish of the ball hitting the net and the pleasure of scoring the most points in a game are all that matter to him. While trying out for the basketball team during his eighth grade year at Plaza Middle School, Richie is confident that his shooting ability is not only enough to get him on the team but also all he needs to be the team's go-to guy for every win. When challenged by his coach and others to think about every aspect of the game, Richie feels a bit discouraged but soon discovers that basketball is about more than scoring points. It is also what happens off the court that counts. Bowen has again written a sports story that is purely and simply about the love of the game. Smartly using sports terminology and internal monologue from the protagonist's point of view, this latest novel is bound to engage and entertain young readers who double as basketball players and/or fans. VERDICT A must-purchase where basketball fiction is popular.-Nikitia Wilson, Queens Library, NY © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
After rigorous tryouts, Richie Mallon makes the middle-school basketball team under a new coach. Richie's unembellished first-person narrative traces his development over the season, from egocentric jump-shooter to a cooperative team player who passes, rebounds, and plays good defense. The feel-good if message-heavy sports story includes a final postscript discussing history of the jump-shot and great real-life shooters. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
