Middle Grade Monday-- Sk8er

Barwin, Steven. Sk8er.

Jordy Lee and his friends who live in Toronto near Kensington Market all love to skateboard, but Jordy's parents (who run a local fruit and vegetable market) don't like him skating because they think he is a public nuisance. Because they work long hours, they would rather he stay home and take care of his younger brother. When a new skatepark opens and a contest is announced, Jordy wants to compete, because his board is old and he could use the gift card to a skate shop to buy a new one. He meets Ali, a very talented skater who also happens to be distractingly cute, and works with her on his tricks and routine. He is afraid to practice at the skate park with her, however, lest his friends make fun of him. He also has to figure out how to get to the competition when his parents don't want him to go. After working hard and figuring out a lot of things, the competition goes worse than expected in some ways... and better in others.

Strengths: This was a really good skateboarding story. Jordy's relationship with Ali is real and sweet-- just what the boys want. Not mushy at all. The skate boarding details are good, and the contest is a much better plot line than "people don't want a skate park". Need more books like this!

Weaknesses: The Canadian setting might be hard for some of my students (a store for just fruit and vegetables? Slabs of meat hanging?), and the cover, like all of the ones in this Lorimer and Company series, is beyond awful.


Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is a recurring feature at Shannon Whitney Messenger's Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe blog. Hop over there to check out a list of great middle grade reviews. Visit some new blogs and get come recommendations today!

Guy Friday-- Skateboarding Guys

That's it. I'm just going to order EVERY Orca Sports book on skateboarding that I can find, especially if they are by the following author:
Ross, Jeff. Powerslide.
Casey (aka "Head Case") is approached by actor Jack Coagen's agent to train Jack to skateboard for his next film, and then act as his stunt double. This is great news for Casey, because he doesn't know what he wants to do with his life after high school graduation. Unfortunately, rival skateboarder Goat declares that he is a much better candidate for this job, and challenges Casey to several ill-concieved challenges that end up in minor injuries for both. Goaded on by Jack, who is trying to understand skateboarding culture as well as the techniques of the sport, the pair try a very dangerous race down a mountain road that ends in even more severe injuries. Can Casey find a way to incorporate skateboarding into his future plans while ensuring that he still HAS a future.
Strengths: I didn't understand half of the skateboarding descriptions, which means that my boys who skate WILL. Nice, tight story line, action, adventure-- pure awesomeness. I know just the student to hand this two today.
Weaknesses: Was there a moral to the near death experience? I forget. Yeah, just enough to make the adults happy. Perfect.

Take a look at these other titles for good skateboarding/extreme sports books:

Guy Friday: Skateboarding Guys

Tony Hawk's 900 Revolution Series


Release date 8/1/11; eARC received from NetGalley.com

Lemke, Donnie. Drop In: Volume 1
Omar Grebes lives on the West Coast and loves to skateboard. He has a friend, Tommy, who skates with him. Both of the boys miss Omar’s father, who was apparently killed in a surfing accident. The body has never been found. After meeting Neelu, a cute skateboarding girl, Omar gets a card from Revolution, a company that he thinks is going to sponsor his skating. When he goes to the shop, he finds an odd piece of wood with magical powers in a glass case. He must protect this artifact, which turns out to be a piece of the skateboard that Tony Hawk was riding when he completed a 900 degree flip in 1999. This flip somehow opened a portal into another world and released powers. Did Omar's father know about this? What does Tommy know about his death? Omar has to keep the fragment safe, but whom can he trust?

Strengths: Obviously: Skateboarding. Tony Hawk. All big draws.

Weaknesses: After the fish taco incident in the first chapter, I didn't like Omar; students will not mind that. The cover would have been better without the cartoon-- I know it looks like manga, but a photo would have been better, because my 8th graders may be reluctant to pick this up. I also had some problem with the fantasy aspect of this-- it wasn't what I was expecting, and detracted from the skateboarding culture, which is what my readers want.

Sherman, M. Zachary. Impulse: Volume 2
Dylan (known as Slider) survives life in foster care in New York City with the help of his older “brother” Mikey and his friend Juliet. When Mikey is followed at the mall by a creepy looking group of Goth kids and gives Slider a key, Slider is concerned, but when he returns home to find out that his foster parents are in the hospital and Mikey has all been injured, he knows that something is wrong. He and Juliet take the key to the skating rink, where they find a box in a locker. The box contains part of a battered skateboard that imbues Slider with amazing skateboarding powers. The Goth kids also want this, so while he doesn't want to trust anyone, Slider relies on Case, a cop and former skateboarder, and joins up with the Revolution group, meeting Omar at the end of the book.
Strengths: I liked Dylan much better, and this has more action packed skateboarding scenes than the first book. Sherman also did the very nice Bloodlines series, and has written book 3 and 4 (Banshee and Unchained) of the Tony Hawk series.

Weaknesses: Since these are not trade books, they will set you back about $19 each. Ouch. Have to really think about these. I do wish the first book were not so much Omar and the Magic Skateboard because the second book was quite good in spite of the fantasy.


And yes, it's blisteringly hot here in Ohio. Nothing like looking at the alarm clock at 5:30 and seeing that it is 87 degrees in the house! Still, working toward my goals:
1. 74 Miles (26 to go. Sigh.) 2. 66 books (4 to go) 3. 52 quilt tops (Made my goal! Hooray!)