From Publishers Weekly
Adult author and former Atlanta Falcon Green (
American Outrage) delivers a satisfying YA debut, using his own NFL experience to bring readers behind the scenes. Twelve-year-old Troy White's athletic ability and his preternatural talent for predicting football strategy are both going to waste (he's stuck playing second-string on his team), until frustration with a vicious bully on his team pushes him to borrow an official NFL football from local Atlanta Falcons star linebacker Seth Halloway. As Troy languishes on his own football team and resents the father who abandoned him, he strives to alert the Falcons of his gift: Sometimes a kid's heart tells him to do something and he needs to listen, even if it means getting in trouble. Acting as a mentor, Seth encourages Troy to come clean about his adventures (The truth is more important than the trouble it brings) and to forgive his father's desertion (All I know is, things happen. Unless you're the one they're happening to, you usually can't understand it). Seth ends up dating Troy's mother and coaching Troy's team, giving Troy the chance to shine not only on the sidelines, where his play-predicting ability helps bring the Falcons to victory, but on the field as well. There was no rage fueling him now. It was something else, a blinding energy he never knew he had. Non-sports fans will root for underdog Troy (I want to do something. I want to be something. I thought this was my chance) and enthusiasts will thrill to the firsthand knowledge Green brings to the novel. Ages 10-up.
(July) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Troy White has a lot of frustrations. His father abandoned the family when he was little, his beloved Atlanta Falcons team seems destined for another losing season, and, on his own football team, his gifts as a quarterback are ignored while he sits on the bench, watching the coach's son on the field. Troy's most unusual gift is his ability to predict coming football plays with uncanny accuracy. When his mother is hired for a PR job with the Falcons, Troy sees an opportunity, yet he can't convince anyone to recognize his talents. Finally, the Falcons' middle linebacker sees Troy's gifts, and Troy becomes the team's secret weapon. Some kids will find the premise a little far-fetched. Still, the author, who has written numerous adult titles and spent eight years in the NFL, imparts many insider details that football fans will love. Green makes Troy a winning hero, and he ties everything together with a fast-moving plot.
Todd MorningCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
