From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4-In this sequel to Wild Willie and King Kyle, Detectives, Willie and his friend Lucy turn their losing soccer team into a winning one, but not without some mishaps along the way. They know they need "One Big Guy," and the logical choice is bully Chuckie Herman. He plays-but not without a price. First, they must give him their allowances, and then he insists that they do his chores if they want to keep him on the team. The story is written in an engaging style and includes many humorous asides. Joosse provides a few words of wisdom from guiding adults such as their coach, who explains that soccer is a team sport, and from Willie's mother, who tells him, "with payola, you have to keep paying more and more." But the bon mot comes from Willie, who says, "Winning isn't much fun if you never get to play." The black-and-white cartoons, several per chapter, add interest to the events and the antics. In contrast to soccer titles by Matt Christopher, Dean Hughes, or Tommy Hallowell, The Losers Fight Back offers no play-by-play descriptions of games, but young readers will enjoy the humorous tale just the same.
Blair Christolon, Prince William Library, Manassas, VACopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 3-6. Young detectives Wild Willie and Lucky Lucy are on a losing soccer team. They decide their team, the Bruisers, needs a Big Guy, and they find one, Chuckie. To recruit him, however, they have to agree to all sorts of bribery--doing Chuckie's chores, for example. Although the team starts to win, Chuckie never lets anyone else get the ball. That leaves Lucy and Willie scrambling for a scheme to box in Chuckie and still have a victorious team. The soccer backdrop and simple plot will appeal to many; Willie's changing feelings for his old friend Lucy, whose hand he now thinks about holding, are delicately managed; and Joosse is honest not only about what it's like to lose, but also about the worry that only big guys can win. Sue Truesdell's sketches add humorous flair.
Mary Harris Veeder
