Bound To Stay Bound

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Bulletin for the Center... - 09/02/2012 Scieszka opens his third volume in the Guys Read series with a sage observation from his son: “Just because a guy likes to play sports doesn’t mean he likes to read about them.” It would take a confirmed bibliophobe, however, not to find something enjoyable in this collection of ten original entries by noted authors, and even a couple of participants in the sports industry. Dan Gutman starts out with a bang, offering a readaloud-worthy take on game six of the 1986 Red Sox/Mets World Series, in which he claims to have personally kept the Mets alive via a lucky grapefruit. Among the stronger entries are a cautionary tale by Anne Ursu on what not to say to a girl pitcher, a take on wrestling and bullying from Joseph Bruchac, and a wild crosstown team bus trip to reclaim a purloined trophy and rediscover the pleasures of an unscored pick-up game, courtesy of Gordon Korman. Entries from the non-writers (hockey player Dustin Brown and sportscaster James Brown) aren’t as strong, but as with any decent short-story collection, nothing’s easier than to skip the slow bits and move on to livelier play; since Scieszka’s literacy agenda is all about dumping the dull and embracing the engaging, guys (and curious girls) will feel free to read one or read ’em all. EB - Copyright 2012 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Booklist - 09/02/2012 In the third volume of his Guys Read series (the first focused on humor, and the second on thrillers), editor Scieszka turns his attention to sports, serving up 10 stories about baseball, football, basketball, running, hockey, and mixed martial arts. The contributions come from the likes of Jacqueline Woodson, Gordon Korman, and Joseph Bruchac, and—in a nod to nonfiction—there are two mini memoirs by hockey phenom Dustin Brown and CBS sports anchor James Brown. The overall tone is light: Anne Ursu turns in a story about a little white lie that turns into a whopper; Chris Rylander conjures up a tale about a boy who dreams of exacting revenge on no less a sports luminary than Derek Jeter; and Korman offers a good-natured story about the kidnapping of a sports trophy. In his introduction, Scieszka wisely notes that good stories and good games are alike: Both reveal character and truths bigger than the game or the story. Readers, boys and girls alike, need look no further than these stories for the proof of that. - Copyright 2012 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 11/01/2012 Gr 4 Up—In his introduction, Scieszka states, "In keeping with the competitive spirit of sports, here is a collection of the fastest, strongest, funniest, wildest, and best sports stories." But this anthology is uneven and doesn't live up to that claim. It presents 10 short stories by 10 different authors, including Joseph Bruchac, Tim Green, and Gordon Korman plus autobiographical pieces by TV sportscaster James Brown and LA Kings hockey star Dustin Brown. One of the best is Dan Gutman's "How I Won the World Series," which is fun and funny. The same can be said about Anne Ursu's "Max Swings for the Fences," about a boy who claims to be the son of a famous baseball player to impress a girl he likes at his new school. Chris Rylander's "I Will Destroy You, Derek Jeter" is another fun tale. In it, a boy who was humiliated on TV when attempting to catch a ball hit into the stands by Derek Jeter comes up with several convoluted plots (including a witch doctor's spell) to "get even" with the Yankee star. Of the two nonfiction choices, James Brown's writing style and emphasis on education is much more impressive than Dustin Brown's. In general, these stories tend to leave readers unsatisfied-either with too many unanswered questions or wanting more of the best ones. This may lead them to search for more information or to read some of the full-length stories by the authors they liked. Maybe. There is no urgent need to add this one to your collection.Kate Kohlbeck, Randall School, Waukesha, WI - Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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