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Summary
Summary
Amanda and Lena have been soccer stars and best friends for years, but now, when Amanda makes the junior varsity team and Lena makes the varsity, Amanda finds herself increasingly shut out of her friend's life. Suddenly, everything Amanda took for granted is changing--but she's about to discover that might not be bad. Brendan Halpin's new novel is about friendship, family, soccer, and the confusing time when everything that used to feel simple suddenly feels complicated.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 7-9-Best friends Amanda and Lena have always been an unstoppable pair on the soccer field. Although ninth graders rarely make the varsity team, they are hopeful. But a recent growth spurt has caused Amanda to develop Sever's disease, a temporary disorder that causes significant heel pain and that has affected her game. It's still an unexpected blow, though, when Lena makes the cut and she has been relegated to JV. As much as the two girls try to pretend that their friendship won't be affected, it is; in addition to the different practices and games, Lena is socializing more with the juniors and seniors. Things come to a head when she asks Amanda to accompany her to a party so that she can meet up with a guy she likes. Unable to deceive her dad and stepmom, Amanda comes clean about the evening's activities, and Lena's parents find out where she really was. The dialogue is spot-on, and the characters are fully fleshed out. Amanda's loss of her mom when she was young and the resulting blended family are important threads. Her narration rings true with a captivating mix of teenage humor and insecurity. While there is plenty of soccer action for fans of the sport, the book will also appeal to teens looking for a solid friendship story. Halpin manages to convey the benefits of doing the right thing, but without preachiness.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Fourteen-year-old Amanda has Severs disease--a condition (non-life-threatening but annoying nevertheless) where bones grow faster than muscles. This fact contributes to Amanda only being JV goalie and "the Tallest Girl in the Class" while her "pretty and smart" friend Lena makes varsity soccer. The novel realistically presents the challenges of one girls freshman year; it's an engaging portrayal of a complicated time. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Fourteen-year-old Amanda is on the cusp of many changes at the outset of her freshman year. Until now, soccer and her best friend Lena have been constants in Amanda's life. However, varsity tryouts and Sever's disease (a common heel injury found in many young athletes) alters her plans. From the sidelines of junior varsity, Amanda watches as Lena's sudden social success with the varsity soccer team spirals into a series of poor choices. Amanda faces tough decisions: Should she succumb to peer pressure in the name of friendship, and should she bother to salvage a friendship gone awry? The resulting rift with Lena leads Amanda to explore new friendships, the benefits of yoga and a potential relationship with a reclusive boy in English class. Halpin's narrative adeptly segues between adrenaline-filled soccer matches to more reflective, contemplative passages. Amanda's quandary will resonate with readers as she tackles timely topics such as friendship woes, teen drinking and family life with admirable aplomb. (Fiction. 12 up)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* A heel condition (as well as being a freshman in a seniority-dominated system) keeps Amanda from making the varsity soccer team. That wouldn't be so bad except her best friend, Lena, makes the cut, plays like a star, and becomes popular to boot. Amanda, stuck playing goalie for the first time (though turns out she's pretty good), has to deal with the mortifying crucible of entering high school without the crutch of her best bud, yet eventually she finds some friendly faces and learns a bit about what the choices you make say about you. Lena's preference for parties and cute boys over a lifelong friend is an all-too-common high-school situation. Halpin (Forever Changes, 2008) has a knack for fleshing out a wide cast of characters and a keen ear for realistic dialogue. While he keeps the soccer-action details subdued, this is still a very sports-oriented read, and he instills a solid sense of what team sports are so good at (building confidence, creating bonds) without sounding like a tired gym teacher repeating maxims about teamwork and sportsmanship. In addition, Amanda makes her share of mistakes involving (others') drinking and lying but responds to them in a believably smart fashion. A quick, good-natured, and perceptive read about best friends growing apart, no doubt one of the hardest parts of growing up.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2010 Booklist