Friday, December 06, 2013

Guy Friday- Foul Trouble

Foul TroubleFeinstein, John. Foul Trouble.
November 12th 2013, Knopf Books for Young Readers

Danny and Terrell are both stand outs on their high school basketball team, Terrell slightly more than Danny, whose father is their coach. After attending a summer basketball camp, the two are inundated  with offers for all sorts of things-- college scholarships, cars, girls, product deals. Some of these are on the up-and-up, and others are not. The seamy side of college and product deals is aptly discussed by Feinstein, and there is enough basketball going on that I didn't understand the vast majority of the book!
Strengths: Feinstein's Last Shot series has a good following in my library even though the readers don't care quite as much about the journalism portion of the books. The fact that this book (which is a stand alone) has more basketball and things tangential to fame will be appealing.
Weaknesses: A bit confusing, but the whole college recruiters and product people approaching the athletes will be interesting to the students.

Hadn't updated my "Sports" tab at the top right recently, so at least looked at the basketball titles. If I've forgotten something awesome, plead add it in the comments. 

Basketball Fiction

Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem. Sasquatch in the Paint.
Eighth-grader Theo Rollins' growth spurt has Coach Mandrake trying to transform him into a basketball star, but training time is hurting the science club's chances of winning the "Aca-lympics," and being accused of stealing could mean Theo is off both teams.

Bowen, Fred. The Final Cut.
After tryouts for the school basketball team, eighth graders Zeke, Eli, Ryan, and Miles find their friendship tested when two of them make the team and two of them do not. Includes facts about Michael Jordan and Bill Russell.

Bowen, Fred. Hardcourt Comeback
Seventh-grade basketball star Brett is used to being good at everything he does, but after finding one thing he cannot do, he loses confidence and starts making mistakes.

Bowen, Fred. Real Hoops.
When Ben and Logan go to a recreation center to practice basketball with more experienced players in hopes of getting on the freshman team, they meet Hud, who could be the perfect point guard if he is willing to listen to the coach.

Bruchac, Joseph. Lay-ups and Long Shots
A collection of nine short stories about sports by various authors, including David Lubar, Joseph Bruchac, and Terry Trueman.

Coy, John. Box Out.
High school sophomore Liam jeopardizes his new position on the varsity basketball team when he decides to take a stand against his coach who is leading prayers before games and enforcing teamwide participation.

Coy, John. Take Your Best Shot
Four friends in middle school face challenges both on and off the basketball court with issues that affect their families, friendships, school, and sports.

Deuker, Carl. On the Devil’s Court.
Struggling with his feelings of inadequacy and his failure to make the team in his new school, Joe Faust finds himself willing to trade his soul for one perfect season of basketball.

Dixon, Franklin. Slam Dunk Sabotage.
The team is headed to the championship basketball game, but somebody wants to knock them out of contention by getting the Hardys out of the way.

Dygard, Thomas. Outside Shooter.
A high school basketball star's personality problems threaten not only his own career but the success of the whole team.

Feinstein, John. Last Shot.
Steven Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson are aspiring journalists and winners of the U.S. Basketball Writer's Association 14-and-under writing contest.

Fink, Mark. Stepping Up
At a competetive basketball camp, fourteen-year-old Ernie Dolan finds his just average performance separating him from his best friend Mike Rivers and the rest of the campers until a near tragedy turns Ernie from outcast to hero

Gutman, Dan. The Million Dollar Shot.
Eddie gets a chance to win a million dollars by sinking a foul shot at the National Basketball Association finals.

Harkrader, Lisa. Airball: My Life in Briefs.
Uncoordinated Kirby braves his coach's ire and becomes captain of the basketball team in order to help him prove that NBA star Brett McGrew is his father .

Heldring, Thatcher. Toby Wheeler, Eighth Grade Bench Warmer.
When Toby finally decides to join the middle school basketball team, he does not anticipate the changes that will occur in his relationship with his best friend JJ, who is the team's star player, as well as in other areas of his life.

Klass, David. Danger Zone.
When he joins a predominately black basketball team which will represent the U.S. in a basketball tournament, a boy discovers prejudice, racism and politics.

Krech, Bob. Rebound.
Determined to make the varsity basketball team, Ray finds his efforts to play both hindered and helped by the atmosphere of racism in his town.

Langan, Paul. Schooled. (Bluford High)
Lionel Shephard dreams of joining the NBA, but while his father disapproves of his plans, his teachers are threatening to fail him--unaware of his poor reading abilities--and Lionel needs to decide how far he is willing to go for his dreams.

Lupica, Mike. Play Makers
Ben McBain is considered the best point guard in the league, but his teammate Chase Braggs is the complete opposite of Ben who likes to talk on the court and show off. 

Lupica, Mike. Travel Team
After he is cut from his travel basketball team--the very same team that his father once led to national prominence--Danny forms his own team of cast-offs.

Lupica, Mike. True Legend.
Fifteen-year-old Drew "True" Robinson loves being the best point-guard prospect in high school basketball, but learns the consequences of fame through a former player, as well as through the man who expects to be his manager when True reaches the NBA. 

Mack, W.C. Mathlete vs. Athlete.
When their two worlds collide in seventh grade, fraternal twins and opposites Owen and Russell find themselves in direct competition at school, on the court, and at home. 

Mackel, Kathy. Boost
Thirteen-year-old Savvy is the girls basketball team's star player, but, despite her height and skills, Savvy struggles with her self-confidence and searches for some way to boost her performance, but when steroids are found in her bag, Savvy denies they are hers and the rumors start to fly.

Maddox, Jake. Free Throw.
Since Derek is the tallest player on his team, the coach decides to have him play center but Jason, the former center, has little confidence in Derek and will not pass him the ball.

Mikulski, Keri. Head Games.
Taylor Thomas is confident and in control on the basketball court, but off the court, she finds her life spinning out of control as she juggles the team, two potential boyfriends, and her friend's fashion show. 

Myers, Walter Dean. Game
Drew Lawson, counting on basketball to get him into college and out of Harlem, struggles to keep his cool when the coach brings in two white players and puts them in positions that clearly threaten Drew's game.

Myers, Walter Dean. Hoops.
A player from Harlem is befriended by a former pro who, after quitting because of a scandal, hopes to prevent other athletes from repeating his mistake.

Myers, Walter Dean. Slam
A 17 year old boy is counting on his basketball talent to get him out of the inner city but his coach sees things differently.

Parker, Robert. Edenville Owls.
Bobby finds himself facing challenges as he tries to pull together his coachless team and discover the identity of the mysterious stranger.

Rud, Jeff. In the Paint.
Twelve-year-old Matt Hill struggles to make the basketball team in his new school while keeping out of trouble.

Rud, Jeff. Crossover.
Rising basketball star Kyle's interest in theater causes huge problems both on and off the court

Russo, Mirasabina. House of Sports
Jim cares only about basketball but Hhs pleasure in winning a spot on the traveling team dims when his grades drop and his grandmother becomes ill.

Sitomer, Alan Lawrence. The Hoopster
A teenager who loves to play basketball, is happy about his summer internship at a magazine, but his life is unexpectedly changed by a random act of violence.

Soto, Gary. Taking Sides.
An aspiring basketball player, must come to terms with his divided loyalties when he moves from the Hispanic inner city to a white suburban neighborhood.

Stoudemire, Amar'e. Home Court (series)
Between sports, school, and working for his father, eleven-year-old Amar'e's life is full and he is not yet ready to concentrate on basketball--but when a group of older boys start hogging the local basketball court he knows that he has to do something to help his friends.

Telander, Rick. String Music.
An unlikely friendship develops between a lonely boy and the professional basketball star whom he idolizes.

Tunis, John R. Go, Team, Go!
When a player from an overconfident team is expelled for gambling and the others penalized for breaking training, they angrily quit the basketball varsity team.

Volponi, Paul. Black and White
Two high school basketball players, one black and one white, experience the justice system differently after committing a crime together and getting caught.

Volponi, Paul. The Final Four
Four players at the Final Four of the NCAA basketball tournament struggle with the pressures of tournament play and the expectations of society at large.

Wallace, Rich. Technical Foul
Jared, a high-scoring member of the Hudson City Middle School basketball team, gets angry when the point guard accuses him of being responsible for their string of losses, but finally realizes they can win only if he becomes a team player.

Yee, Lisa. Stanford Wong Flunks Big Time
After flunking sixth-grade English, basketball prodigy Stanford Wong must struggle to pass his summer-school class, keep his failure a secret from his friends, and satisy his academically demanding father

Yep, Lawrence. Dragon Road.
Cal and Barney, Chinese Americans, are trapped in a world of racial prejudice in 1939 with no jobs and no future until the Dragons, a barnstorming basketball team, invites them to join the team.

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