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William

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William is currently reading

Divided We Fall (Divided We Fall, #1)

by Trent Reedy (Goodreads Author)

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(page 384 of 384)
"Finished the book. Great Ending!" — Jan 13, 2015 06:18PM

Aug 20, 2014 01:09AM

William is currently reading

The Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner, #2)

by James Dashner (Goodreads Author)

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Reading for the 2nd time

read in April 2015

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William said: " This book is the sequel to The Maze Runner, and it did not disappoint. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner picks up where the last book left off, which is Thomas and the kids escaping the maze only to find out that their escape was all planned by the ...more "

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(page 360 of 362)
"Finished the book, did not disappoint, now to start the book review" — May 24, 2015 11:20PM

May 24, 2015 11:36PM · see review

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Travel Team

by Mike Lupica

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read in March 2015

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William said: " Mike Lupica has made it to the top of my list of favorite authors. His book Travel Team is an inspirational novel that touches the hearts of the lives of basketball players. Lupica’s personal background in sports makes his novel more applicable to hi Mike Lupica has made it to the top of my list of favorite authors. His book Travel Team is an inspirational novel that touches the hearts of the lives of basketball players. Lupica’s personal background in sports makes his novel more applicable to his readers who largely share a common interest in sports. Richie Walker is a basketball player, who led his middle school travel team to become state champions. He would eventually enter the NBA, but after a tragic car accident was forced to give up basketball. This book’s main plot revolves around Danny Walker, a short kid who loves basketball and is also the son of Richie Walker. He gets cut from his father’s travel team and almost quits basketball for the rest of the season. His father suddenly shows up in Middletown after many years away from Danny and his mother and decides to create another 7th grade travel basketball team named the Middletown Warriors. The team starts off the season horribly, which makes the players and parents doubt Richie Walker and the team. During practice, “Danny decided after the first hour. They had nothing. They were either hopeless or helpless, he could go either way” (Lupica 84). The obstacles along the road makes the book an interesting and motivational novel for young athletes. Travel team explores Danny Walker and the Middletown Warrior’s journey towards basketball success.

I would rate this book a 8/10. The deduction of points comes from the frequent use of basketball terms. The targeted audience is adolescents who show interest in basketball, so the standard of reading level is not set very high. There are parts in the book where Lupica describes a basketball scrimmage, and the details are sometimes confusing and hard to understand. The frequent use of basketball terms made me lose track and reread some pages, which is a downsides to this novel. During a outside basketball scrimmage, Richie Walker described “what he was sure was small-fry trash-talking, all the fake beefs about fouls and who had really knocked the ball out of bounds, with the way the kids in the game kept playing to the kids in the crowd, [he] couldn’t take his eyes off Danny” (65). Terms such as small-fry trash-talking and fake beefs about fouls are only understood strictly among experienced basketball players. This book is probably the type of book that inspires beginners, so the tough basketball terms make it difficult for appropriate audiences to understand.

The positive side to Travel Team is the dramatic climax, which is caused by emphasized plot development and the vivid use of details. This book comes down to the Middletown Warriors playing the original 7th grade travel team, the Middletown Vikings in the national championship game. There are impossible obstacles throughout the book that keeps readers hooked. Ultimately, Travel Team by Mike Lupica sheds light on the fact that you cannot measure heart along with other great messages. ...more "

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(page 304 of 274)
"Mike Lupica has made it to the top of my list of favorite authors. His book Travel Team is an inspirational novel that touches the hearts of the lives of basketball players. Lupica’s personal background in sports makes his novel more applicable to his readers who largely share a common interest in sports. Richie Walker is a basketball player, who led his middle school travel team to become state champions. He would e" — Mar 15, 2015 08:17PM

Mar 15, 2015 10:55PM · see review