Pick and Roll

Gr 6–10—In Hustle, Johnny Huttle is a promisingly skilled point guard. He works hard and he plays hard, but he just can't seem to overcome the natural ability of Rex. The two friends have been playing street ball and school basketball since they were little, and basketball is their ticket out of their dangerous Vancouver, British Columbia neighborhood. The problem is that Rex is being offered all the temptations that high school celebrity can bring. In Pick and Roll, Jazz is a force to be reckoned with on the basketball court. Her confidence is shaken when her well-placed screen leaves a member of a rival team with a concussion. Jazz's performance is immediately scrutinized for foul play, and she is suspended. Some of the dialogue is a bit contrived, but Blair captures the intensity of women's basketball with an otherwise authentic description of the plays and emotions experienced by true competitors. In Power Hitter, 13-year-old Connor Wells's dad is in Orlando, and his mother is undergoing a mysterious treatment that necessitates a trip for Connor from Ontario to Winnipeg to stay with relatives he hardly knows. The Campbells are gracious people who are willing to take Connor into their home and lives and make Connor their baseball project. After a little inventive coaching, Connor becomes sufficiently adept enough to become a contributing member on his cousin's team. The story is wrapped up quickly in a predictable three-page final chapter. Power Hitter is a pleasant enough fantasy for those who can appreciate an innocent coming-of-age baseball story. Overall, this series is recommended for struggling readers who crave a sporty literary snack, but who aren't prepared for the raw prose of Paul Volponi's Black and White (Viking, 2005).—Jodeana Kruse, R. A. Long High School, Longview, WA