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Bowen, Fred
6 Reviews
(4)
4-6
Fred Bowen Sports Story series.
Middle schooler Trey Thompson believes he made the Ravens baseball team thanks to a lucky piece of blue sea glass. When he loses it and goes into a playing slump, caring adults and teammates encourage him to rely on practice, not superstitions, to become a top-notch player. Lots of game action lightens the story's messaging; an interesting addendum highlights superstitions of past baseball greats.
Reviewer: Jack Forman
(4)
4-6
Fred Bowen Sports Story series.
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.
Reviewer: Jack Forman
(4)
4-6
Fred Bowen Sports Story series.
Nate Osborne is on a competitive U-14 soccer team training hard to avenge their U-13 championship loss. While Nate's aunt, a former Division I player, helps with his goal-scoring, she also teaches Nate the value of winning the right way, a lesson not easily accepted by his team. The approachable, if preachy, sports novel includes an appendix with real-life stories of sportsmanship.
Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan
(3)
4-6
Jay Wagner was "the best quarterback Franklin High School ever had," but college makes him realize there are plenty of better QBs; his little brother Jesse, a high-school freshman, doesn't believe he could ever play quarterback. A brotherly "deal" challenges the boys to tackle new roles. Bowen's approachable underdog story is well suited to sports-loving reluctant readers.
Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan
(4)
4-6
Fred Bowen Sports Story series.
Isaac is focused on pitching a perfect game--so much so that he loses focus on everything else. Then he's encouraged to help with the Special Olympics. Previously using words like "retarded" and "weird," he has a lot to learn, but soon gets a new perspective on what perfect means. The character development is predictable, but the book's lesson is laudable.
Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Charles S. Pyle.
Bowen's sophisticated text zooms in for a close-up of the Red Sox legend's 1941 season when "the Kid" racked up a whopping .406 batting average. Pyle's Norman Rockwell-esque paintings, though a little stiff, ably convey the era. A handful of black-and-white archival photos and Williams's '41 stats are included.
Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger
6 reviews
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