underdogs

__The Underdogs__ by Mike Lupica ISBN: 978-1-101-53568-4 c2011 304 pages

Good sections to read aloud: -pp. 53-55 (Chapter 4) on iPad where he meets Hannah for the first time -pp. 87-94 (Chapter 7) on iPad where Will reads the letter from the CEO of New Balance

Summary: Our main character, Will, is in 7th grade and loves football more than anything. It’s why he is so upset. The town can’t afford to support his 7th grade football anymore, so they have decided it will no longer be. Will writes a letter to New Balance asking them to sponsor his team, and much to his amazement, he gets a letter back saying they will! Will’s next job is to recruit as many players as possible. Again, much to his dismay, the others around town aren’t as excited and he can only get a 10 man roster when he needs 11. That’s until Hannah shows up. Hannah helps fill out the roster, but not before a lot of arguing takes place. Many other issues swirl around in the story with Will, his dad, his friend Matt, another boy named Toby and his dad, along with conflicts with the other teams. For a sports fan who wants the ‘underdog’ to win, this is a must read.

YA Fiction—sports fiction; football; injuries; relationships; best friends; Pennsylvania; community life

©Jennifer Lang - WDMS - 2013