Published by Atheneum

Summary:  In the final book of the Track series, we hear from Lu, the team co-captain.  Lu’s parents’ announcement that he will soon have a little sister is his catalyst for some serious soul-searching.  Born with albinism, he’s sometimes been the victim of teasing about his white skin and the thick glasses he used to wear before he got contacts.  But track has given him confidence, and he’s usually the first to cross the finish line. A new event, hurdles, is giving him some challenges, but he’s determined to overcome them.  Lu learns some unpleasant truths about his father, a former drug dealer who now works for a rehab center, and his coach. The two men grew up together, almost like brothers, but a tragedy pulled them apart, and Lu is determined to bring about a reconciliation before his sister is born.  Each chapter is entitled “A New Name for…” (“A New Name for Little Brother: Little Sister”), and the final chapter: “A New Name for the Defenders: Family” shows all the ways this amazing group of kids have grown and come together over the season (and the series). 224 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  I don’t usually review sequels, let alone an entire series, but I have loved these books so much that I had to read them all.  Lu was every bit as good as the rest; Ghost will always be my favorite, but this one is not far behind.

Cons:  I will miss the Defenders.

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Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  Teddy Youngblood is in a coma, hospitalized after a head injury during football practice.  A rising freshman, he was attending a summer camp for the championship Walthorne High School team.  Told entirely in texts, newspaper stories, and transcripts of (one-sided) conversations from visiting family and friends, the narrative gradually reveals that there was more to Teddy’s injury than just an unfortunate accident.  Older players are trying to hush up what happened that day, and younger players, wracked with guilt, are trying to decide whether or not to tell the truth to their parents and friends. As the details slowly come to light, readers will have to decide what the difference is between right and wrong, and whether turning a blind eye to bullying can be just as dangerous as participating in it.  304 pages; grades 5-9.

Pros:  Tommy Greenwald turns to more serious topics than those covered in his Charlie Joe Jackson series, but this book will appeal to the same reluctant readers.  The format makes it a fast read, while the slow revelation of what happened to Teddy makes a gripping story right up until the end.

Cons:  The characters seemed like they were beginning to ramble on the last 30 pages or so… they could have been edited down a bit.

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Published by Atheneum

Summary:  Sunny’s the fastest miler on the Defenders track team, and easily takes first place at most of their meets. But he’s struggling with his reasons for running, and one day he comes to a halt before the finish line and refuses to finish his race.  Turns out his mom was a runner; when she died giving birth, his dad decided it was up to Sunny to carry on her legacy. Writing in his diary, Sunny tries to figure out his dad, his homeschool tutor Aurelia, his Defenders teammates, and himself. What Sunny really loves is dancing.  When he shows the coach some of his moves, Coach sees the beginnings of a champion discus thrower, and Sunny moves into a new role in the team. Book 4 in this series, Lu (the final installment) is due out in October.  176 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  Another excellent entry into Jason Reynolds’ Track series that includes Ghost and Patina.  You don’t have to be a sports fan to appreciate the humorous narration, interesting characters, and emotional impact of all three of these books.  Can’t wait for the thrilling conclusion!

Cons:  I don’t know if it was the diary format or the slightly shorter length, but I just wasn’t quite as invested in Sunny as I was in Patina and (still my favorite) Ghost.

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Published by Viking

Summary:  Katy Gordon is the star pitcher of her 1957 neighborhood baseball team.  One afternoon, wearing a jersey and cap and being called “Gordon” by the boys, she’s invited by a Little League scout to a tryout.  She makes the team, but when one of the other boys tells the coach that she’s a girl, she’s promptly kicked off.  Supported by her chemistry professor mother, she writes to Little League headquarters, but receives a disappointing response that includes the sentence, “Since the beginning of baseball as an organized sport, it has always been the sole province of male athletes.”  When Katy is assigned a research project at school, she decides to research women in baseball and is shocked to learn how many women have played since the beginning of the game.  Her project gets her some local attention, a story in the paper, and the chance to strike out Willie Mays, but even that isn’t enough to get her back into Little League.  In the end, she’s back to the neighborhood team; the final scene shows her reaching out to a younger girl who wants to play as well.  Includes information about the women Katy researches; an author’s note; a glossary; and additional resources.  320 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Katy is a spunky narrator who will have boys and girls rooting for her in her campaign against the unfair Little League rules.  There are plenty of other interesting historical details, from Katy’s mother’s fight against McCarthyism at her university job to Katy receiving one of the new Frisbees for her birthday.

Cons:  On page 245, Katy’s friend Jules dismisses the Nancy Drew mysteries in this way: “They’re all about the same. Nancy has adventures, her chums get into trouble, Ned rescues them all (emphasis mine), and the mystery gets solved along the way.”  Having read more than 40 Nancy Drew books in my childhood, I feel safe in saying Nancy rescued Ned at least as often as the other way around.

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