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List: $17.00 Our Price: $11.90 You Save: $5.10 (30%) Availability: This title usually ships within 24 hours.
Reading Level: Young Adult |
Reviews and Commentary for Shots on Goal
From Kirkus Reviews , 07/15/97:
Wallace flattens the sophomore jinx in this taut, present-tense tale of an underdog high-school soccer team battling internal dissension, set in the same Pennsylvania town as his strong debut, Wrestling Sturbridge (1996). Friends and soccer nuts since grade school, Barry and Joey bring new life to a team that was 2-11-1 last year, but their relationship is undergoing a power shift. Joey's need to dominate is getting on Barry's nerves, on the field--where his reluctance to pass the ball is costing games--and off: He cuts in on Barry's pursuit of Shannon, a luscious schoolmate. The more the buddies drift apart, though, the harder Joey plays, and through a series of exciting games he takes the team to a climactic try at the local league championship. Meanwhile, Barry arranges to be alone with Shannon at a party, and Joey retaliates by getting him fired from the inn where they both work. The friends' rift is healed by an exchange of knuckles and twin attacks of common sense. Wallace's teenage characters--all involved in athletics--are drawn from life and mostly likable; adults stay in the background, but Barry enjoys an unusually close relationship with his savvy college-age brother, Tommy, a font of good advice. Thanks in part to occasional descriptive asides, Sturbridge takes on a distinctive character, too: It's a small, ethnically diverse, sports-focused town, limited in its opportunities but not as confining as it seemed in the previous book. Engrossing fare. (Fiction. 11-13) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Synopsis:
The author of the critically acclaimed Wrestling Sturbridge returns to Pennsylvania for another incisive look at what it means to be a teenager in small-town America. Sophomore Bones Austin and his soccer team are struggling to make it to the district playoffs--against tremendous odds.
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Reading Level: Young Adult |
Reviews and Commentary for Soccer Shots
From Booklist, 12/01/95:
Gr. 6-9. Set during the emotionally charged time of Germany's reunification, this novel follows the story of 16-year-old Karl Neumann, who leaves his East German home to pursue his dream of becoming a professional soccer player in the West. He carries with him a piece of the Berlin Wall, which he refers to as his "Martin Rock," in remembrance of his brother who was shot down as he tried to scale the wall and escape. Despite the lack of polish and the predictably happy ending, this compelling story has more to offer than the average sports novel. Intrigue, suspense, and light romance complement the action-packed soccer scenes, and the striking contrast between poor, hardworking Karl and his wealthy, lazy Western cousin illustrates the drastic difference between Eastern and Western lifestyles and values. The popularity of soccer should make the book attractive, especially to boys who are otherwise reluctant readers.
Copyright© 1995, American Library Association. All rights reserved
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List: $17.00 Our Price: $11.90 You Save: $5.10 (30%) Availability: This title usually ships within 2-3 days.
Reading Level: Young Adult |
Reviews and Commentary for Tangerine
Young Adult Editor's, Recommended Book, 05/01/97:
So what if he's legally blind? Even with his bottle-thick, bug-eyed glasses, Paul Fisher can see better than most people. He can see the lies his parents and brother live out, day after day. No one ever listens to Paul, though--until the family moves to Tangerine. In Tangerine, even a blind, geeky, alien freak can become cool. Who knows? Paul might even become a hero! Edward Bloor's debut novel sparkles with wit, authenticity, unexpected plot twists, and heart. The writing is so fine, the story so triumphant, that you just might stand up and shout when you get to the end. Hooray!
From Booklist , 05/15/97:
Gr. 7-10. Although Paul needs thick glasses to enable him to see well enough to do things other kids do, his instinctual vision isn't impaired. It's 20/20, allowing him to "see" behind the facade of Tangerine County, Florida, where his family has recently moved. He chronicles his adjustment to this bizarre new place, describing his triumph at soccer, making new friends, and tending a tangerine grove. He also unravels the horrible truth about his disturbed, menacing older brother. There's a lot going on in the story--perhaps too much--and with the exception of Paul, the characters are little more than intriguing, shadowy shapes. Paul's musings occasionally seem too old for his years, as well. Still, the book has a lot going for it, especially the atmospheric portrait of the eerie community, where lightning strikes more often than it does anywhere else and a school is swallowed by a sinkhole. One thing is for sure: this dark debut novel proves that Bloor is a writer to watch.
Copyright© 1997, American Library Association. All rights reserved
From Kirkus Reviews , 02/01/97:
A legally blind seventh-grader with clearer vision than most wins acceptance in a new Florida school as his football-hero older brother self-destructs in this absorbing, multi-stranded debut. Paul's thick lenses don't keep him from being a first-rate soccer goalie, but they do make him, willy-nilly, a ``handicapped'' student and thus, according to his new coach, ineligible to play. After a giant sinkhole swallows much of his ramshackle school, Paul is able to transfer to another school where, with some parental collusion, he can keep his legal status a secret. It turns out to be a rough place, where ``minorities are in the majority,'' but Paul fits himself in, playing on the superb soccer team (as a substitute for one of the female stars of the group) and pitching in when a freeze threatens the citrus groves. Bloor fills in the setting with authority and broad irony: In Tangerine County, Florida, groves are being replaced by poorly designed housing developments through which drift clouds of mosquitoes and smoke from unquenchable ``muck fires.'' Football is so big that not even the death of a player struck by lightning during practice gets in the way of NFL dreams; no one, including Paul's parents, sees how vicious and amoral his brother, Erik, is off the field. Smart, adaptable, and anchored by a strong sense of self-worth, Paul makes a memorable protagonist in a cast of vividly drawn characters; multiple yet taut plotlines lead to a series of gripping climaxes and revelations. Readers are going to want more from this author. (Fiction. 11-15) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Synopsis:
While legally blind, nerdy Paul is nevertheless able to see that his parents use praise to cover up his wicked brother's behavior, and when the family moves to Tangerine, Paul finds himself a member of the tough soccer team. Jr Lib Guild.
Card catalog description :
Twelve-year-old Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero brother Erik, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness and slowly begins to remember the incident that damaged his eyesight.
The author, Edward Bloor , 02/07/97:
Starred review in Kirkus Reviews, February 1
"A legally blind seventh-grader with clearer vision than most wins acceptance in a new Florida school as his football-hero older brother self-destructs in this absorbing, multi-stranded debut. Paul's thick lenses don't keep him from being a first-rate soccer goalie, but they do make him, willy-nilly, a "handicapped" student and thus, according to his new coach, ineligible to play. After a giant sinkhole swallows much of the ramshackle school, Paul is able to transfer to another school where, with some parental collusion, he can keep his legal status a secret. It turns out to be a rough place, where "minorities are in the majority," but Paul fits himself in, playing on the superb soccer team (as a substitute for one of the female stars of the group) and pitching in when a freeze threatens the citrus groves. Bloor fills in the setting with authority and broad irony: In Tangerine County, Florida, groves are being replaced by poorly designed housing developments through which drift clouds of mosquitoes and smoke from unquenchable "muck fires." Football is so big that not even the death of a player struck by lightning during practice gets in the way of NFL dreams: no one, including Paul's parents, see how vicious and amoral his brother, Erik, is off the field. Smart, adaptable, and anchored by a strong sense of self-worth, Paul makes a memorable protagonist in a cast of vividly drawn characters; multiple yet taut plotlines lead to a series of gripping climaxes and revelations. Readers are going to want more from this author."
The author, Edward Bloor , 01/10/97:
Junior Library Guild
The Junior Library Guild, 29 John Street, New York, NY, has chosen Tangerine as one of its selections for 1997. This insures that 4,000 copies will circulate in public libraries and school libraries.
Customer Comments
12/14/97, rating=6:
Not appropriate for most 12 year olds!
Psycho siblings and childhood trauma. I'm glad I decided to read this one before giving it to my son. The book has good character development and Mr. Bloor is clearly in touch with kids, but this book is definately for the older teen!! I was haunted by this one and would prefer to shield my kids while I still can.
from Vermont , 10/01/97, rating=10:
This book is very satisfying all the way through. It does not have a weak ending like many books for this age level. I would recommend it to students aged 13 and up. If it is read before this age, the reader might not understand a lot of it and pass it by as just an average book.
A Reader from Media, Penna , 09/06/97, rating=10:
A PAGE-TURNER THAT SCORES
Ed Bloor's novel "Tangerine", the story of an
11-year-old legally blind soccer goalie with a
sinister charmer for an older brother, is a
page-turner that scores at once as a mystery
thriller, a morality tale and a tribute to a
child's awesome courage in battling psychic
and physical obstacles that would daunt most
heroes of fact and fantasy. Alfred Hitchcock
would have made this into a smash-hit. Maybe
someone else will.
Hans Knight,writer and critic.
Nancy Woodward (Head Children's Librarian), 08/13/97, rating=10:
Best Children's Book I've Read (so far) This Year
This book took my breath away! When I finished reading TANGERINE, I called the library where I work and had them order 2 more copies. In September, this will be the first book I have the kids in my Young Critics Club read. The character development, the action, the mystery, the pain, the thrill -- it's all there. I hope the Newbery Award Committee reads TANGERINE.
06/29/97, rating=10:
Exciting reading for the young and not so young!
A wonderfully entertaining and suspenseful story. I was most anxious to reach the end of the mystery, but truly sorry to leave the town of Tangerine.
Kudos to the author. More, please!
Elisabeth Dixon
06/27/97, rating=10:
Thoughful and intelligent, I couldn't put it down.
What a wonderful way to find a book. This was the first young adult book sent to me as a Amazon recommendation and I couldn't have been more pleased. The characters are well drawn and believeable. The events that surround the community are so ordinary, but Edaward Bloor lets us 'see' in a new light. I am teacher and I can't wait for school to start to recommend this book to my students. One young friend of mine read it on my recommedation and finished it in an afternoon. I will be anxiously awaiting his next book.
06/27/97, rating=10:
Thoughful and intelligent, I couldn't put it down.
What a wonderful way to find a book. This was the first young adult book sent to me as a Amazon recommendation and I couldn't have been more pleased. The characters are well drawn and believeable. The events that surround the community are so ordinary, but Edaward Bloor lets us 'see' in a new light. I am teacher and I can't wait for school to start to recommend this book to my students. One young friend of mine read it on my recommedation and finished it in an afternoon. I will be anxiously awaiting his next book.
06/14/97, rating=10:
A Story of Fight and Courage Not Just For the Young!
I ordered this book on the basis of the Amazon young adult editor's review and I was not disappointed. I could hardly put this book down. I was drawn by Paul's character throughout the book, not your typical hero, but instead someone who "sees" things more clearly than those with better eyesight. I loved this book which shows that ability, popularity, and toughness are not what is important, it is people and really seeing them. It is well-written, excellenty plotted, drawing the reader along with the idea of finding out what really happened to Paul when he was five years old. This book is not just for young adults -- I am 32 and I loved it!
Jennifer Stowe, 05/05/97, rating=10:
Great characters!
I sat down Saturday morning to read this book. I didn't get up until I finished it. I couldn't stop reading - I wanted to know what happened to Paul in the past and what was going to happen in the future. When I finished the book, I felt just like I do when I finish a book by any of my favorite authors: when is the next one coming out?
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Reading Level: Young Adult |
Reviews and Commentary for Twelve Days in August
From Kirkus Reviews , 04/15/93:
With terrific pacing and a real sense of what makes people tick, Murrow translates current issues into a flesh-and-blood story of high-school sports, relationships, and homophobia. Twins Alex and Rita move into Todd's Vermont town just as soccer practice begins. In the days before the first scrimmage, the entire team is affected by Alex's obvious athletic skill. Todd finds himself admiring the newcomer; another player, Randy, is intimidated by his talent--and also by his suspected homosexuality. By name-calling (fag, lover boy) and scheming (bullying other players into isolating Alex on the field so that he can't score), Randy hopes to force his rival to quit. Todd also becomes a target of taunts and of his own insecurity; in an outburst of machismo, he almost gets himself and his girlfriend killed in a car accident. On the outskirts of this muddle is Todd's Uncle Gordo, a near-stereotype of normality, who for the first time informs his nephew of his own relationship with longtime partner Gary. The complexities of the plot never get in the way of Murrow's careful scrutiny of human nature; while leaving a number of subplots realistically unresolved, she gives Todd his own triumphant way out. (Fiction. 12+) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Synopsis:
When his best friend tries to enlist his help in forcing a usurping newcomer off the soccer team, sixteen-year-old Todd is forced to choose between his friend and his feelings for the new player's attractive twin sister. Reprint. K. AB.
Synopsis:
Soccer practice kicks off at a grueling pace and 16-year-old Todd has more than sore muscles to contend with. Alex, a star soccer player, and Rita, his knockout twin sister, move to town and disturb the social status of the soccer league and the community. Feeling threatened, Todd must face up to the challenges of competition, both on and off the field. HC: Holiday House.
Card catalog description :
Twelve days in August change a sixteen-year-old soccer player's perceptions of himself, his family, girls, and gays.
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List: $3.99 Our Price: $3.19 You Save: $0.80 (20%) Availability: This title usually ships within 2-3 days.
Reading Level: Young Adult |
Reviews and Commentary for Twelve Days in August
From Kirkus Reviews , 04/15/93:
With terrific pacing and a real sense of what makes people tick, Murrow translates current issues into a flesh-and-blood story of high-school sports, relationships, and homophobia. Twins Alex and Rita move into Todd's Vermont town just as soccer practice begins. In the days before the first scrimmage, the entire team is affected by Alex's obvious athletic skill. Todd finds himself admiring the newcomer; another player, Randy, is intimidated by his talent--and also by his suspected homosexuality. By name-calling (fag, lover boy) and scheming (bullying other players into isolating Alex on the field so that he can't score), Randy hopes to force his rival to quit. Todd also becomes a target of taunts and of his own insecurity; in an outburst of machismo, he almost gets himself and his girlfriend killed in a car accident. On the outskirts of this muddle is Todd's Uncle Gordo, a near-stereotype of normality, who for the first time informs his nephew of his own relationship with longtime partner Gary. The complexities of the plot never get in the way of Murrow's careful scrutiny of human nature; while leaving a number of subplots realistically unresolved, she gives Todd his own triumphant way out. (Fiction. 12+) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Synopsis:
When his best friend tries to enlist his help in forcing a usurping newcomer off the soccer team, sixteen-year-old Todd is forced to choose between his friend and his feelings for the new player's attractive twin sister. Reprint. K. AB.
Synopsis:
Soccer practice kicks off at a grueling pace and 16-year-old Todd has more than sore muscles to contend with. Alex, a star soccer player, and Rita, his knockout twin sister, move to town and disturb the social status of the soccer league and the community. Feeling threatened, Todd must face up to the challenges of competition, both on and off the field. HC: Holiday House.
Card catalog description :
Twelve days in August change a sixteen-year-old soccer player's perceptions of himself, his family, girls, and gays.