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Danny Walker may be the smallest kid on the basketball court, but don’t tell him that. Because no one plays with a bigger love of the game. Or a better sense of how to hit the open player with the perfect pass. Which is why his world shatters when he is cut from the local travel team for being too small. Not just any travel team, either–the very same one his father had led to the national championship on ESPN when he was a kid.
Turns out Danny wasn’t the only kid cut for the wrong reasons. And Danny’s father is about to give them all a second chance–something he could use himself. After washing out of the NBA, Richie Walker washed out of life, too. But together, these castoffs prove something Danny knew all along: You can’t measure heart.
In the tradition of The Bad News Bears and Hoosiers, author, nationally syndicated sportswriter, and ESPN personality Mike Lupica delivers a rousing tale of the underdog that will leave you cheering to the final word.
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Awards
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Release date
October 17, 2006 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780739330180
- File size: 204681 KB
- Duration: 07:06:25
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 5.4
- Lexile® Measure: 930
- Interest Level: 6-12(MG+)
- Text Difficulty: 4-6
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Reviews
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Columnist Lupica's sports novel suffers from predictability: an underdog player overcomes his limitations. Fortunately, Oliver Wyman's excellent reading helps transform the work into one that is probably more entertaining in audio than in print. Listeners who merely want to hear a good basketball story will probably enjoy the story the most and will forgive Lupica for its lack of suspense. They will also enjoy Wyman's performance, especially the game sequences, which prove yet again that a strong reading can often overcome a mundane plot and, in this case, allow the listener to simply enjoy the action. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine -
January 3, 2005
Sports columnist Lupica (Red Zone
) clearly shoots from the heart in this appealing novel centering on a talented basketball player. Danny, after playing for two years for the Vikings, fails to make the seventh-grade travel team because he is "too small." The team is coached by the overly intense Jeff Ross who, as a boy, was always the second-best player on the Vikings—just behind Danny's father, Richie, who led the Vikings to a World Series victory. Richie went on to become an NBA star until a car accident ended his career. Now divorced from Danny's mother, the man returns to town and offers to organize and coach a second travel team, the Warriors. Lupica thus sets the scene for on-court action, and delivers play-by-play descriptions of the team practices and games that will thrill basketball buffs. The novel's emotional pitch intensifies when Richie is seriously injured in yet another car accident, Danny takes over as coach of his team, and Ross's son, Ty, the star of the Vikings, defects from his father's team to join the Warriors. Danny's budding romance with his long-time friend Tess adds a sweet, pleasingly corny sideline to the plot, which culminates with the showdown between the rival teams. To Lupica's credit, the narrative never lingers too long on the fathers' rivalry, instead keeping the focus on Danny, his teammates and his family. The novel includes some genuinely affecting moments, especially those depicting Danny's rapport with each parent. Ages 10-up. -
May 1, 2006
Gr 5-8 -Basketball is everything to 12-year-old fanatic Danny Walker, so when he doesnt make the seventh-grade travel team because hes too short his world seems to fall apart. Dannys dream had always been to follow in the footsteps of his father, the famous Richie Walker, who competed successfully at the nationals and went on to a promising sports career that was cut short by a tragic car accident. To Dannys surprise, his father steps forward and offers to put together and coach his own youth team. What happens next is beyond everyones wildest expectations. Wymans youthful voice is a perfect match for this heartwarming, family-oriented inspirational tale by Mike Lupica (Philomel, 2004). Even non-sports fans will find themselves rooting for Dannys underdog team and will be caught up in the realistic descriptions of their games.Cindy Lombardo, Tuscarawas County Public Library, New Philadelphia, OHCopyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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