Go Long!

My child really enjoyed it and I thought it was written well. Great story with enough action for the kids and moral nuggets too.

This young reader's book scores a touchdown in demonstrating how teamwork and hard work can overcome many daily obstacles. Tiki and Ronde Barber are joined by Paul Mantell in penning a story about an eighth grade football team that has tremendous potential, but some players feel they know more than the new coach. The season is on the brink of falling apart after a couple of games, but magic returns to the field when "I" is replaced by "team." Starring Tiki and Ronde as team members, the book would be a great way to kick-off a youth football season - chalk talks don't always have to be from he playbook - or a nice change of pace in the classroom.

GO LONG! is a football story starring Tiki and Ronde Barber as young, up-and-coming players. This fast-paced, inspirational sports tale is sure to be popular with the middle grade crowd. Tiki and Ronde draw on their early years in the sport to encourage young people to use their talents and play the game with a sense of fair play and teamwork. The story begins as Tiki and Ronde start their 8th-grade year. They are anxious to take the field as starters this year, but the coach upsets the entire team when he announces that he is moving up to coach the high school team. Sure that all of their previous success has been due to his excellent coaching abilities, the players nervously await the naming of their new coach. It is a surprise to all when the history teacher, Mr. Wheeler, is given the job. He is a terrific teacher, but that doesn't guarantee anything about his coaching skills. Tiki and Ronde try to roll with the punches when the first few games end in defeat; however, Cody, the team's quarterback, is not being a team player. Cody argues with Coach Wheeler and questions his every move, causing team morale to sink to an all-time low. It is not until Tiki and a few loyal players take the time to get to know Coach Wheeler and his plans for the team that things start to look more positive for a winning season. GO LONG! presents a message of cooperation and team spirit, and that along with a strong plot line and likeable characters make it a book that won't gather much dust on the shelf. Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"