Kick

Kevin is the son of a fallen cop who lives with his mother and abuela. He is arrested for auto theft and kidnapping but won't tell anyone the whole story of what really happened that night. The judge in the case feels like he might deserve a second chance because of his father's tragic death as a cop in the line of duty and has a friend, Sgt Brown, speak with him. Sgt Brown becomes an important part of Kevin's life -- teaching him what it really means to grow up and take responsibility. Kevin’s soccer team is also counting on him and each other as they compete for a place in the important tournament. Will he tell the truth about that night, and will he be able to pull off a soccer performance that will get his team to the championship this year? Kick has it all: action, some mystery, and great realistic characters we can be inspired by.

In a unique approach, Walter Dean Myers has co-written this book with a teenage fan named Ross Workman. The book begins with some of the emails that were exchanged back and forth between the two as they prepared to write the novel in alternating chapters. Workman would write as the teenage protagonist, Kevin, and Myers would write the Sgt Brown character. The authors’ use of the alternating viewpoint is easy-to-follow and added a lot of understanding to the novel.

Recommended by Brandy S. Huffman, Librarian.