Scan barcode
kelleemoye's review against another edition
4.0
Reviewed at: http://www.teachmentortexts.com/2012/07/guys-read-sports-pages.html
I love baseball, so when The Sports Pages first story was one by Don Gutman about baseball that cracked me up so much that I ran to the other room to tell my husband about it- the book had won me over. Realistically, like most short story collections, I found stories I really enjoyed and others I enjoyed less. Personally, I liked the baseball stories the most because I am a fan where others will like the football stories. Either way, this book has a bit of something for almost all sports lovers: tennis, hockey, basketball, baseball, football, and MMA.
As a teacher, I love short story collections because they can easily be used for read alouds or mentor texts. This particular collection has such a wide mix of texts. I liked there the mixture included many different examples that could be used in the classroom including humor, identity, competition, rivalry, bullying, and reflection; though, I feel that the pieces nonfiction are the best piece in the collection of exemplar text for memoirs, one more of an interview, one more of a humorous narrative and one a personal narrative.
I will definitely be purchasing this book, because the ARC is missing Chris Crutcher's story and I HAVE to read it.
I love baseball, so when The Sports Pages first story was one by Don Gutman about baseball that cracked me up so much that I ran to the other room to tell my husband about it- the book had won me over. Realistically, like most short story collections, I found stories I really enjoyed and others I enjoyed less. Personally, I liked the baseball stories the most because I am a fan where others will like the football stories. Either way, this book has a bit of something for almost all sports lovers: tennis, hockey, basketball, baseball, football, and MMA.
As a teacher, I love short story collections because they can easily be used for read alouds or mentor texts. This particular collection has such a wide mix of texts. I liked there the mixture included many different examples that could be used in the classroom including humor, identity, competition, rivalry, bullying, and reflection; though, I feel that the pieces nonfiction are the best piece in the collection of exemplar text for memoirs, one more of an interview, one more of a humorous narrative and one a personal narrative.
I will definitely be purchasing this book, because the ARC is missing Chris Crutcher's story and I HAVE to read it.
heather4994's review against another edition
5.0
So, I don't really read about sports. I don't watch sports. I do have a favorite team, my college team, but I don't watch them, I am superstitious as they always seem to start losing when I watch. And I really only care if they beat the Georgia Bulldogs and FSU. Yep, I'm a Florida Gator in case you haven't read my profile. And as much as I try to understand my husband's stories about playing football in high school and college, the intensity of it, I just didn't get it. But I have never been disappointed by these short stories in Guys Read and I still haven't. Yeah, it's sports, but I discovered some things as I read.
First, the stories are really varied, as much as sports are. MAX SWINGS FOR THE FENCES is written by Anne Ursu, author of BREADCRUMBS. and though it isn't fairy tale like in any way, there is a definite and funny lesson to be learned when you claim your dad is a famous baseball player for the Minnesota Twins and he comes to town. I really felt sorry for Max, the new kid in school, who just wanted to fit in so he told a tiny white lie. But Max, and guys, don't ever underestimate girls. I'm sure Max won't ever again.
My husband played football, in his free time, in a men's league when I met him, in junior high, high school and on a scholarship in college. Yeah, he is INTO football. It's rare that the t.v. isn't tuned in to some game, usually college, during the fall. But I found out he's been holding out on me. Read the story FIND YOUR FIRE by Tim Green and like me you might find out there is a lot of emotion in sports. Who would have guessed. I found myself tearing up at the conclusion of that one. So you want your son to open up about his feelings? Talk in sports metaphors if nothing else works. It's not that they don't want to talk about their feelings, it's that they are saving it for the game!
Dustin Brown, Captain of the Los Angeles Kings,(NHL hockey for the sports impaired) wrote a really informative and thoughtful recounting of his journey to where he is today in AGAINST ALL ODDS. I rarely watch hockey, been to a few minor league games here in Charlotte, but now I appreciate what it takes for these players to get where they are, the dedication and the sacrifice. I think they are some of the youngest players on professional teams and Dustin Brown's decision between going to college and trying to be one of two hundred out of 30,000 players in Junior Hockey to be asked to the NHL Draft was a life altering decision at such a young age. At 18, the time we will be sending our kids to college, or most of the kids reading this will be going to college, Dustin was playing for the NHL. That's HUGE! It was a definite dream come true, but you need to read his story to see how it wasn't just handed to him. He worked for it. Hard! It's a great story.
What about the rest of the stories? They are all great! I loved the story Chris Rylander wrote I WILL DESTROY YOU, DEREK JETER! And wonder of all wonders, my reluctant reader caught me reading it to my husband (another reluctant reader at 50) and they both want to read it! I'm still not quite recovered but will be handing this off shortly to the younger of the two as soon as my review is done!
THE TROPHY by Gordon Korman is a great competitive story about finding friendship through sports in the most unlikely of circumstances. CHOKE by James Brown was a great story about taking the fight from outside the ring into it and the joy of knowing, win or lose, you've done what you set out to do.
I think beginning the book with Dan Gutman's HOW I WON THE WORLD SERIES and his lucky grapefruit (he's superstitious, too, though he can watch his team play) and ending it with I WILL DESTROY YOU, DEREK JETER was perfect! I don't care how much you don't like sports, you will find something in each of these stories to take away and remember. And if you're lucky enough like me, you'll find two reluctant readers in your house that want to read it even if one of them is older than you!
This is definitely for your middle grade and above readers. Reluctant readers especially will enjoy the short stories. Again, I enjoy and appreciate short stories for the fact that I can put them down and pick them up again without having to remember where the story was when I left off. This is something I think reluctant readers also appreciate. But make no mistake, anyone will enjoy these stories. I did, and I am no fan of sports! These stories will stick with me. I may even discuss them with my son....!
Thanks to Kellie at Walden Pond Press for always sending me ARCS of the best books, this one included.
I was not compensated for my review of this novel.
First, the stories are really varied, as much as sports are. MAX SWINGS FOR THE FENCES is written by Anne Ursu, author of BREADCRUMBS. and though it isn't fairy tale like in any way, there is a definite and funny lesson to be learned when you claim your dad is a famous baseball player for the Minnesota Twins and he comes to town. I really felt sorry for Max, the new kid in school, who just wanted to fit in so he told a tiny white lie. But Max, and guys, don't ever underestimate girls. I'm sure Max won't ever again.
My husband played football, in his free time, in a men's league when I met him, in junior high, high school and on a scholarship in college. Yeah, he is INTO football. It's rare that the t.v. isn't tuned in to some game, usually college, during the fall. But I found out he's been holding out on me. Read the story FIND YOUR FIRE by Tim Green and like me you might find out there is a lot of emotion in sports. Who would have guessed. I found myself tearing up at the conclusion of that one. So you want your son to open up about his feelings? Talk in sports metaphors if nothing else works. It's not that they don't want to talk about their feelings, it's that they are saving it for the game!
Dustin Brown, Captain of the Los Angeles Kings,(NHL hockey for the sports impaired) wrote a really informative and thoughtful recounting of his journey to where he is today in AGAINST ALL ODDS. I rarely watch hockey, been to a few minor league games here in Charlotte, but now I appreciate what it takes for these players to get where they are, the dedication and the sacrifice. I think they are some of the youngest players on professional teams and Dustin Brown's decision between going to college and trying to be one of two hundred out of 30,000 players in Junior Hockey to be asked to the NHL Draft was a life altering decision at such a young age. At 18, the time we will be sending our kids to college, or most of the kids reading this will be going to college, Dustin was playing for the NHL. That's HUGE! It was a definite dream come true, but you need to read his story to see how it wasn't just handed to him. He worked for it. Hard! It's a great story.
What about the rest of the stories? They are all great! I loved the story Chris Rylander wrote I WILL DESTROY YOU, DEREK JETER! And wonder of all wonders, my reluctant reader caught me reading it to my husband (another reluctant reader at 50) and they both want to read it! I'm still not quite recovered but will be handing this off shortly to the younger of the two as soon as my review is done!
THE TROPHY by Gordon Korman is a great competitive story about finding friendship through sports in the most unlikely of circumstances. CHOKE by James Brown was a great story about taking the fight from outside the ring into it and the joy of knowing, win or lose, you've done what you set out to do.
I think beginning the book with Dan Gutman's HOW I WON THE WORLD SERIES and his lucky grapefruit (he's superstitious, too, though he can watch his team play) and ending it with I WILL DESTROY YOU, DEREK JETER was perfect! I don't care how much you don't like sports, you will find something in each of these stories to take away and remember. And if you're lucky enough like me, you'll find two reluctant readers in your house that want to read it even if one of them is older than you!
This is definitely for your middle grade and above readers. Reluctant readers especially will enjoy the short stories. Again, I enjoy and appreciate short stories for the fact that I can put them down and pick them up again without having to remember where the story was when I left off. This is something I think reluctant readers also appreciate. But make no mistake, anyone will enjoy these stories. I did, and I am no fan of sports! These stories will stick with me. I may even discuss them with my son....!
Thanks to Kellie at Walden Pond Press for always sending me ARCS of the best books, this one included.
I was not compensated for my review of this novel.
abigailbat's review against another edition
3.0
Ten short stories about sports. There's a little something for everyone here, whether you're looking for something funny ("I Will Destroy You, Derek Jeter"), adventurous ("The Trophy") or poignant ("Find Your Fire"). This is a great way to sample a bunch of authors and the short stories make it easy to pick up and put down this book without losing your place.
briarrose1021's review
4.0
A collection of short stories that all center around kids in middle school who play sports, from baseball to basketball to football to MMA fighting, each story was wonderful for different reasons. My favorite, though, would have to be "I Will Destroy You, Derek Jeter" by Chris Rylander. I laughed in so many different places, most especially at the end, that it was a great story to end this book on.
My only problem with this book is that it's included in a series called "Guys Read." I get that the stereotype is that boys are going to be more likely than girls to read a book about sports, but I would think that a book published in 2012 wouldn't lean into that stereotype so much. Even in the one story that featured a female pitcher (the only story with a female protagonist), the phrase "throws like a girl" was used multiple times - and used as a put-down. Disappointing - and it cost the rating a star. Especially when I, a female, loved reading books about sports as a kid.
So, that problem aside, I enjoyed the stories, and I would encourage anyone - female or male, athlete or not - to read these short stories.
My only problem with this book is that it's included in a series called "Guys Read." I get that the stereotype is that boys are going to be more likely than girls to read a book about sports, but I would think that a book published in 2012 wouldn't lean into that stereotype so much. Even in the one story that featured a female pitcher (the only story with a female protagonist), the phrase "throws like a girl" was used multiple times - and used as a put-down. Disappointing - and it cost the rating a star. Especially when I, a female, loved reading books about sports as a kid.
So, that problem aside, I enjoyed the stories, and I would encourage anyone - female or male, athlete or not - to read these short stories.
mariab's review against another edition
4.0
I have very limited knowledge of the sports, but that is what makes this book is so wonderful. The stories are not just about sports, but about friendship, perseverance, moral character, and overcoming life challenges. While sports sets the backdrop, the true message goes a lot deeper. Which makes The Sports Pages a valuable addition to any classroom or home library.
bethmitcham's review
3.0
I liked the biography entries, and could have left most of the "how I embarrassed myself through poor sportsmanship" ones. But maybe kids like those? It's a book aimed at males, so it doesn't really matter what I thought.
More...