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Summary
Summary
"Alex Myers is a triple-threat athlete great at football, basketball, and baseball. But he'll have to fight for a spot on the varsity team. Alex is a quarterback, but from the first day of football practice, it's clear that that position is very much filled by the coach's son, Matt. Alex has the better arm, but Matt has more experience and the coach's loyalty. Alex finally gets a chance to show what he can do when Matt is injured, and he helps win a key game to keep the Lions' bid for the state championship alive. But just when his star is rising, Alex gets blindsided the state has started drug testing, and Alex's test comes back positive for steroids. Alex knows that's not right. But he doesn't know if it's a mistake or if someone wants to make sure he can't play. . . . John Feinstein has been praised as the best writer of sports books in America today ( The Boston Globe ), and this first installment in the Triple Threat series is his most thrilling and suspenseful novel yet. Fans of Mike Lupica, Tim Green, and Paul Volponi will want to check out The Walk-On ."
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-Feinstein's first book in the series introduces Alex Myers to listeners and to Chester Heights football. Though he has what is obviously the strongest arm on the team, Alex must fight for recognition, respect, and playing time. The head coach's son, fairly or not, is firmly in place as the starting quarterback. The shocking results of mandatory drug testing before the playoffs and a go-get-'em school newspaper staff throw the team off balance with questions, accusations, and intrigue. Though read with feeling and appropriate enthusiasm by the author, his modulation is a bit strong and his voice somewhat harsh, considering the age of most of the characters. A younger voice may have been more relatable. Feinstein varies his voice for different characters, which will help listeners keep the generic names straight. Full of refreshingly decent high school students, first crushes, a dose of dating drama, and a cliff-hanger ending, The Walk On will interest even non-football fans, as long as they can hang on through all the play-by-play action.-Jane Newschwander, Fluvanna County Public Schools, VA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Freshman Alex Myers believes he's destined for gridiron greatness, graced with an unnaturally strong and accurate throwing arm. But when his parents' divorce means starting school in a new town, he learns the quarterback position is already taken--by the coach's son. The tyrannical head coach wants to win, but not at the expense of his son's playing time. This first installment in the Triple Threat series follows roughly the same formula as Feinstein's Sports Beat mysteries: lots of play-by-play action, sensational plot developments, and an attractive, whip-smart, sports-crazy romantic interest for Alex. Feinstein skillfully captures the mania that surrounds high school football, but does so uncritically, making it easy to see how high school athletics can become breeding grounds for entitlement. Though Alex's chances of getting to play are never in doubt, his path--injury, fake injury, doping--takes some highly improbable routes. Fans of sports fiction won't care about that, but an ending that leaves the outcome of the Big Game hanging might make them impatient for resolution, presumably coming in the next book. Ages 10--up. Agent: Esther Newberg, ICM. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
A cliffhanger of a football novel bristling with social, personal, familial and ethical issues to complement the gridiron action, from best-selling sports writer Feinstein. Alex Myers is newly located to a town outside of Philadelphia after his parents' divorce. He will be entering his freshman year in high school, and he has designs on becoming the first-string varsity quarterback. This is a bit of a stretch for both Myers and Feinstein, because freshmeneven Joe Namathdon't typically get invited to varsity practices. Moving on, it becomes apparent that Alex has one heck of an arm, even to the starter, who just happens to be the coach's son, a friendly and encouraging kid. Coach, on the other hand, might as well have come straight from Camp Lejeune. Feinstein's writing strives for the boyish but has a sophisticated undercurrent. The story has a steady stream of sports for those with a jones for that genre, but it is also a mystery and a testament to misplaced ego (both youth and oldsters), along with touching on puppy love, the sting of jealousy and parental affection. Oh, not to forget, the freedom of the press as well. Just a few minor issues, all handled with appropriate delicacy or firmness, as required. All the goods for the sports enthusiastand more. (Fiction. 11-15) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Alex Myers, 14, is the new kid at his suburban Philadelphia high school. Knowing that he has a great arm, he tries out for the football team, but the quarterback position is already taken by the coach's son, Matt. So it's third string for Alex, despite his talent, until, in Friday Night Lights fashion, Matt is injured and Alex must step up. Although this follows a familiar script, Feinstein, as usual, does an excellent job with the particulars. Not only is the sports action well recounted, there is plenty about Alex's personal story to keep less fervent fans involved: his parents' separation, his interest in the school's flirty sports reporter, and the support he gets from unexpected sources like Matt. A surprise twist, which might keep Alex off the field, seems a bit contrived but makes for an exciting ending. Like Roy Tucker in John R. Tunis' classic The Kid from Tomkinsville series, Alex Meyer can play a host of sports. With football season over, can basketball be far behind?--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2014 Booklist