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46th out of 127 books
—
49 voters
Pop
When Marcus moves to a new town in the dead of summer, he doesn't know a soul. While practicing football for impending tryouts, he strikes up an unlikely friendship with an older man. Charlie is a charismatic prankster—and the best football player Marcus has ever seen. He can't believe his good luck when he finds out that Charlie is actually Charlie Popovich, or "the King...more
Hardcover, 260 pages
Published
August 25th 2009
by Balzer + Bray
(first published February 29th 2000)
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I read this book because I had to sign for my 12 year old to check this out of the middle school library and I could not find a review that gave me any idea why this would not be appropriate. I'm still not sure.
This is a good story, and boys will especially enjoy it. The story centers around Marcus, a high school junior who is new to town, and Charlie Popovitch, a former NFL player. Marcus was a standout quarterback at his old school, but is not received well at his new school, where the team...more
This is a good story, and boys will especially enjoy it. The story centers around Marcus, a high school junior who is new to town, and Charlie Popovitch, a former NFL player. Marcus was a standout quarterback at his old school, but is not received well at his new school, where the team...more
Marcus Jordan isn't thrilled about moving from Kansas to Kennesaw, NY the summer before his junior year in high school when his parents divorce, but his mother has a good job as a photographer for the local newspaper; he got to keep the Vespa motorbike his father used to bribe Marcus to stay with him; and the high school football team in Marcus's new school had a perfect season last year (and Marcus is a pretty good quarterback). The town doesn't exactly welcome Marcus with open arms, and he spe...more
Quinn Hake
Hour 2
Mr. Moore
3/21/13
Pop
I have currently finished the book Pop by Gordan Korman. This book for me was a pretty easy read and it really caught my attention because it is about football playing for a High School Team witch I am also doing so I could really relate to the things in the book that the characters faced. I understood what was going on and the different conflicts that went on too, because some of the conflicts in this book I have faced myself.
This book had a theme in it tha...more
Hour 2
Mr. Moore
3/21/13
Pop
I have currently finished the book Pop by Gordan Korman. This book for me was a pretty easy read and it really caught my attention because it is about football playing for a High School Team witch I am also doing so I could really relate to the things in the book that the characters faced. I understood what was going on and the different conflicts that went on too, because some of the conflicts in this book I have faced myself.
This book had a theme in it tha...more
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Summary: (Amazon.com)
When Marcus moves to a new town in the dead of summer, he doesn't know a soul. While practicing football for impending tryouts, he strikes up an unlikely friendship with an older man. Charlie is a charismatic prankster—and the best football player Marcus has ever seen. He can't believe his good luck when he finds out that Charlie is actually Charlie Popovich, or "the King of Pop," as he had been called during his career as an NFL linebacker. ( Pop is Charlie’s nickname but,...more
This was about a high school boy moving to a different town and trying to fit into thier football program. Coach wants him to start JV but Marcus feels he should be on Varsity. The Varsity boys have already played a gruelling previous year and gotten their game together for the current year. They don't want the new comer to get credit for all their hard work so far. Coach puts him in Varsity second string QB and the others do everything they can to set Marcus up for utter failure.
Marcus meets a...more
Marcus meets a...more
Pop starts off when Marcus Jordan (main character) is driving to Three alarm park to practice for his football tryouts in his new town Kennesaw, New York. There he strikes up an unlikely friendship with an older man named Charlie. Charlie is a charismatic prankster and even gets Marcus in big trouble, and when Marcus figures out that Charlie is a famous NFL linebacker he wonders what makes Charlie so weird. So Marcus goes on a mission to find out and when he does he must choose to do what's best...more
Dec 05, 2012
Ed
added it
Korman, Gordon. (2009). Pop. New York: HarperCollins/HarperTeen. 32 pp. ISBN 978-0-06-174228-6 (Hardcover); $16.99.
Jordan thinks he knows football until he meets Charlie Popovich, the king of the Pop. Marcus may even supplant Charlie’s son as the starting QB, if he is willing to risk losing his mind. What I appreciate about this much-needed football sports story is Marcus’s very clear love of the game, which continues throughout the story, despite the clear danger message regarding the violence...more
Jordan thinks he knows football until he meets Charlie Popovich, the king of the Pop. Marcus may even supplant Charlie’s son as the starting QB, if he is willing to risk losing his mind. What I appreciate about this much-needed football sports story is Marcus’s very clear love of the game, which continues throughout the story, despite the clear danger message regarding the violence...more
Marcus Jordan has just moved from his old town of Kansas- where he was a star football player, to Kennesaw- where he is a nobody.
Marcus is a great quarterback, but there is one problem with his game he is afraid of contact. One day he is working out in the park so he can make the town's high school football team when he meets an unlikely friend. Charlie Popovich is a 50 year old ex-NFL star who had the title in the NFL as " The King of Pop. “I love the pop! Sometimes you actually hear it go pop...more
Marcus is a great quarterback, but there is one problem with his game he is afraid of contact. One day he is working out in the park so he can make the town's high school football team when he meets an unlikely friend. Charlie Popovich is a 50 year old ex-NFL star who had the title in the NFL as " The King of Pop. “I love the pop! Sometimes you actually hear it go pop...more
Oct 16, 2012
Eli B
added it
On a green football field in the dead of summer Marcus Jordan is forced to move.Marcus is not sure if he wants to try out for the team because Troy Popovich is already the starting quarterback for their first class high school team. When Marcus is on a field throw the football with himself. After a few minutes Marcus suddenly is introducing himself to a middle aged man who wants to play football with him. This man does not introduce himself but later on Marcus realizes that this is Charlie Popo...more
Pop , by : Gordon Korman
The football scenes are incredibly real in this book. When I read these scenes, they felt so lively written. This is an invigorating, genuine, timely novel. One of which I am glad I chose to read. There were so many parts I could connect to, and other parts just went straight to my heart. While other parts were thought-provoking. Looking at other book reviews about Pop I noticed one major thing all the readers basically told: this book ideally captures the football exp...more
I had some major problems with some of Marcus's decisions in the book (namely, why not confide in his mom) and even the Popovich family (I think there was an intermediate step they could have taken), but my overall impression is above average. I listened to the book on CD, which was good, other than some annoyances when the narrator chose to do some female voices. I just could not picture the countless hours of Charlie and Marcus tackling each other, without equipment, without either one experie...more
Probably the most serious and nuanced of Korman's books (at least of the one's I've read). There's still a lot of Korman's quirky humor (including one hilarious scene towards the end involving a major football game and the passing around of equipment) but the overall tone is bittersweet.
The story is mostly told from the point of view of Marcus, who just moved to town in the middle of summer with his mom. His mother and father (whom Marcus refers to as Comrade Stalin) have just divorced, and his...more
The story is mostly told from the point of view of Marcus, who just moved to town in the middle of summer with his mom. His mother and father (whom Marcus refers to as Comrade Stalin) have just divorced, and his...more
Marcus Jordan is the new kid in town. He’s a quarterback who has the unfortunate luck to land in a place where the start QB is a hero riding an undefeated season. Trying to keep his game sharp, Marcus practices in the park, where he meets Charlie, a 50-something linebacker who is quirky (to say the least). Charlie teaches Marcus how to take a hit and how to pull some awesome pranks. Charlie isn’t your average aging adult, and Marcus begins to wonder what is up with his new friend.
Marcus tries t...more
Marcus tries t...more
Summary: Marcus just moved to town following his parents divorce and is looking to get ready for football tryouts coming up. As he practices in the park he gets an unlikely practice partner. A middle age man whos has amazing athletic abilities and hits like a ton of bricks. However this man also has his quirks that sometimes leads Marcus into trouble. Marcus also becomes a challenger for the starting quarterback position which causes friction for him and Troy, the current starting quarterback. A...more
Marcus Jordan made a pretty good name for himself as quarterback on the JV team at his old high school. But he and his mom have just moved halfway across the country, and the team at his new high school isn't that eager to embrace him: they had a winning streak last year, they already have a great quarterback in Troy Popovich, and they don't see any point in messing with a good thing. Doing football drills at the park, Marcus forms an unlikely friendship with a middle-aged man who can REALLY pla...more
“Pop” is a pretty good football story, but I had my problems with the book. First, the main character, Marcus, takes way too long to figure out what is going on with his eccentric old friend, Charlie Popovich. It’s painfully obvious to the reader that something is up, but Marcus is completely clueless. While the slow-to-catch-on protagonist sometimes works for plot convenience, this was just overkill. Another thing that bothered me was that I didn’t agree with Marcus’s choices. A theme of the bo...more
Pop by Gordon Korman is a book about a teenager named Marcus Jordan who meets an unlikely friend. The friend is an ex-NFL player who is in his mid 50’s. Marcus can tell that something isn’t quite right with him but he can’t tell what. Marcus learns a lot about football from this old man and makes the team. Once Marcus is on the team he has conflicts with the players. The players all follow one person, there star quarterback Troy. Troy envies Marcus, because of the time that Marcus spends with Ch...more
Pop was another book that I read during my sports fiction phase. I especially liked reading ones that focused on high school football as a compare and contrast point.
I have yet to find a Gordon Korman book that I don't like. Pop was a very quick read that captured you pretty much from the get-go.
Although Marcus is the main character in the story, it is Pop who captures your attention and doesn't let go. He is strange and rough around the edges and you find yourself wondering what could possibl...more
I have yet to find a Gordon Korman book that I don't like. Pop was a very quick read that captured you pretty much from the get-go.
Although Marcus is the main character in the story, it is Pop who captures your attention and doesn't let go. He is strange and rough around the edges and you find yourself wondering what could possibl...more
This is a book called "POP" by Gordan Korman. 260 pages. Korman is also the writer of "No More Dead Dogs". This story is about a 16 year old high school football player named Marcus Jordan. Marcus mysteriously encounters a retired NFL star named Charlie Popovich. Charlie has Alzheimer's disease, which affects his brain and makes him think he’s 16 years old when he’s really 55. It also causes him to lose his memory. The main characters are Marcus Jordan, Charlie Popovich, and Troy Popovich (Charl...more
A fast-paced and breezy novel, with relationship drama, sports action, and the added theme of Alzheimer’s disease. New kid Marcus Jordan wants to be quarterback for the school’s football team. As he practices at the park during the last days of summer, Marcus meets a peculiar middle-aged man with incredible football skills. Turns out this eccentric man is none other than Charlie Popovich, a former NFL player who is suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s. When he plays with Marcus at the park, Ch...more
ISBN-978-0-06-174228-6 c2009
This is a fast paced drama that has a complicated plot involving family secrets and the right to privacy. The main characters are real and their actions are right on target in school, on the football field, and at home. As the story unfolds the reader learns of one boys desperate wish to earn a spot on the high school football team and another boys struggle with his role as quarterback of that team especially since his father, a former NFL star is suffering from Alzhe...more
This is a fast paced drama that has a complicated plot involving family secrets and the right to privacy. The main characters are real and their actions are right on target in school, on the football field, and at home. As the story unfolds the reader learns of one boys desperate wish to earn a spot on the high school football team and another boys struggle with his role as quarterback of that team especially since his father, a former NFL star is suffering from Alzhe...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
"Pop" by Gordon Korman is the story of Marcus Jordan, a talented quarterback new to town, who, weeks before school begins, becomes fast friends with a famous 50-something retired NFL linebacker named Charlie Popovich. Nicknamed the "King of Pop" in his heyday, "Pop" being the word for his signature crushing, forceful, all-out body-blows, Charlie tackles Marcus as hard as he can, no pads, teaching the 16-year old how to take punishing hits and how to give them, too. “I love the Pop!” Charlie tell...more
Jun 06, 2009
Claire
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Football fans - interesting in Alzheimers
I like Gordon Korman's YA. Pop refers to the sensation of the impact when two players crash in football. Marcus and his mom have moved to Kennesaw after a divorce. Mom wants to photograph local rock formations- Marcus wants to quarterback the high school football team.
Knowing no one, Marcus devises solo summer practice sessions with a football and a target. While tossing the ball one day a streak flashes across the park intercepting the pass. An exhausting and challenging game follows as a man...more
Knowing no one, Marcus devises solo summer practice sessions with a football and a target. While tossing the ball one day a streak flashes across the park intercepting the pass. An exhausting and challenging game follows as a man...more
I liked Pop not only because I love football, but also because it shows that if their is something wrong with a person, it doesn't mean you can't hang out with them. I like the way Gordon Korman writes it because it truly shows you how sick Charlie is.
When Marcus moved he didn't expect to make any friends. But when he starts practicing football at 3 alarm park a man named Charlie starts to practice with him he suddenly hits a lot harder.So Marcus finds out that Charlie is a retired NFL player....more
When Marcus moved he didn't expect to make any friends. But when he starts practicing football at 3 alarm park a man named Charlie starts to practice with him he suddenly hits a lot harder.So Marcus finds out that Charlie is a retired NFL player....more
Always hungry for YA sports books (those reluctant-reading boys, whose numbers are legion, you see!), I snapped up Gordon Korman’s POP because the cover and the description fit the bill. I hiked on home and got a running start, passing on television and the Internet to see what it was like.
The start was kind of odd and unrealistic. It features a high school kid, new to town, practicing alone at the public park. Out of nowhere a 50-something-old man appears and tackles him. They become buddies. A...more
The start was kind of odd and unrealistic. It features a high school kid, new to town, practicing alone at the public park. Out of nowhere a 50-something-old man appears and tackles him. They become buddies. A...more
It's tough to be the new kid in town. Marcus Jordan doesn't have anyone to practice football with, so when a middle-aged man appears in the park eager to play, Marcus doesn't ask too many questions. At first. The old guy is GOOD, after all, and he teaches Marcus how to tackle and be tackled without losing focus--a skill which comes in handy after he makes the varsity team over the strenuous objections of the star quarterback who sees him as a rival both on and off the field. Eventually, though,...more
Marcus Jordan loves football, but didn't realize how much until he and his mother moved to New York from Kansas, thanks to divorce and a job offer. There he meets Charlie Popovich, a former NFL linebacker who gives him 'extra' training in a nearby park. At first, Marcus doesn't question it, as he's loving the attention and learning more about the game. Plus he's trying to get acceptance from his new team and doesn't have time to think about the oddities that start niggling to the forefront of hi...more
A solid effort from Korman, suitable for 7th grade and up, the book tells the story of Marcus, a new boy in town who wants to play on the Varsity football team. Marcus wins a spot, but is widely resented by a squad that feels that it is complete without him. Marcus meets an older man in the park one day who starts training with him, showing Marcus the secret of the "pop," the moment of giving - or receiving - a bone-jarring tackle. Marcus becomes almost addicted to the "pop" before realizing tha...more
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Korman wrote his first book, "This Can't be Happening at Macdonald Hall", when he was 12 years old, for a coach who suddenly found himself teaching 7th grade English. He later took that episode and created a book out of it, as well, in "The Sixth Grade Nickname Game", wherein Mr. Huge was based on that 7th grade teacher.
Korman moved to New York City, where he studied film and film writing. While i...more
More about Gordon Korman...
Korman moved to New York City, where he studied film and film writing. While i...more
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