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kelleemoye's review against another edition
4.0
1. The cover doesn't do this book justice.
2. The books structure is just a tad bit different (only 5 chapters then almost vignettes within the chapters), and the way it is structured adds urgency.
3. It is heartbreaking.
4. It is more than a sports book.
2. The books structure is just a tad bit different (only 5 chapters then almost vignettes within the chapters), and the way it is structured adds urgency.
3. It is heartbreaking.
4. It is more than a sports book.
paulaercksn's review against another edition
3.0
This story takes place in the south during the 1970's. It is an interesting look into the racial integration in the south and how it affected sports. The main character is an athletic white kid who becomes friends with an athletic black kids. Through sports, they forge a friendship that breaks color barriers. Not my favorite genre, but an interesting read.
hsquared's review against another edition
4.0
I love that this book has such strong sports (lots of football talk) themes as well as some pretty heavy themes about prejudice and discrimination. There is a little romance, but not so much to annoy my teenage boy readers, and it's very clean. The ending disappointed me--I think the epilogue weighs it down, but overall, this is a good one for booktalking to boys and girls.
mcole2's review against another edition
4.0
Great book that raises a lot of questions about equality and racism. Would be great for class discussions.
missriki's review against another edition
5.0
The year is 1969 and Tater Henry’s town is slow to desegregate and leave deep-seated prejudices behind. The town has never seen a black quarterback before, and some folks around town don’t think they’re ready now, despite Tater’s obvious athleticism. Rodney Boulett and his twin sister Angie befriend Tater and as their friendship grows stronger, Tater and Rodney form a special bond on the football field. Together, they are unstoppable. Everything Rodney knows to be true from his upbringing is challenged when it becomes clear that Tater and Angie’s relationship takes steps from mere friendship to something more. Rodney is forced to face his own prejudices and face a hatred he didn’t know existed inside of himself.
Taking place in the South in a time when there was still a great racial divide, this novel is haunting and heartbreaking. It is first and foremost a coming-of-age story, and second a romance. Set against a heavy sports backdrop, the story unfolds at a nice pace and delves right into the nitty gritty of the prejudices of the time. Rodney’s family is split in opinion on desegregation, with his father strictly against it and his mother on the more tolerant side. And of course, Angie has no prejudices. Rodney himself straddles the line. On one hand he is best friends with Tater and sees him as a close confidant, yet on the other hand he is having a hard time reconciling the idea that his sister would fall in love with and date a black man. There is pain in his personal reconciliation that drives the plot forward.
This novel tackles the complicated racial divide of the times with sensitivity. It is complex and engaging. The characters are well drawn and relatable and the conflict is tense throughout the entirety of the novel. The ending is by all means heartbreaking, but not in the ways that you might expect. With a bittersweet ending, the novel remains true to its origins without ever becoming sentimental.
Taking place in the South in a time when there was still a great racial divide, this novel is haunting and heartbreaking. It is first and foremost a coming-of-age story, and second a romance. Set against a heavy sports backdrop, the story unfolds at a nice pace and delves right into the nitty gritty of the prejudices of the time. Rodney’s family is split in opinion on desegregation, with his father strictly against it and his mother on the more tolerant side. And of course, Angie has no prejudices. Rodney himself straddles the line. On one hand he is best friends with Tater and sees him as a close confidant, yet on the other hand he is having a hard time reconciling the idea that his sister would fall in love with and date a black man. There is pain in his personal reconciliation that drives the plot forward.
This novel tackles the complicated racial divide of the times with sensitivity. It is complex and engaging. The characters are well drawn and relatable and the conflict is tense throughout the entirety of the novel. The ending is by all means heartbreaking, but not in the ways that you might expect. With a bittersweet ending, the novel remains true to its origins without ever becoming sentimental.
profejmarie's review against another edition
5.0
While there were times in the earlier parts of this story that I felt Rodney's narrative was a bit didactic, but the eventually fell away and I really loved the natural progression that his feelings about his best friend, Tater, grew and matured. While this book was definitely about race, it took a fresh look at a middle ground time period for race relations. This book held a blurb from Laurie Halse Anderson that said "heartbreaking" which held true in an unexpected way.
randyribay's review against another edition
4.0
booknrrd's review against another edition
3.0
In 1969 the small-town where Rodney Boulet and his twin sister Angie live is finally desegregating its schools. A lot of white families have chosen to send their children elsewhere, but not the Boulets. Through sports, Rodney befriends Tater Henry. Tater and Rodney and Angie become inseparable. But not everyone in town is happy seeing the three become close, especially when things between Angie and Tater seem like they could get even closer.
This is one of those Civil Rights era stories penned by a white person that seems designed to make us feel good about how far we have come. I enjoyed it. I thought its depiction of the contradictions that we can find within ourselves over racial issues was good. We just need to be careful with we congratulate ourselves on our progress.
This is one of those Civil Rights era stories penned by a white person that seems designed to make us feel good about how far we have come. I enjoyed it. I thought its depiction of the contradictions that we can find within ourselves over racial issues was good. We just need to be careful with we congratulate ourselves on our progress.
samkretschmer's review against another edition
I hesitated rating this as 1 star but didn't feel right giving it anything else. The only reason that it's getting this low of a rating is because I just couldn't finish it. The book wasn't great but it wasn't really bad either. I often enjoyed it while I was reading it but just couldn't seem to make myself sit down and start reading it. I actually have started and finished several other books since I began reading this one....that said, maybe I'll try it again some other time.
scottyreadsstuff's review against another edition
5.0
This novel was compelling, and moving!!! :)
I appreciated the different elements of the story!
I appreciated the different elements of the story!