The Rhyming Season

I am an eleven year old boy and I think that"The Rhyming Season" by Edward Averett is a great book! Brenda Jacobsen (the main character) lives in a small town named Hemlock with her tall, basketball loving family. I liked the way the author made all of the characters in this small town become so real and believable. Even though I am a boy and not yet in high school, I could relate to the challenges that Brenda was going through in the story and was totally absorbed by the basketball games and action packed plot. I like this book because of the way the author combines two very different things together, basketball and poetry.

In a dying lumber town in the far reaches of Washington State, Averett's heroine is the star of the girls' high-school basketball team. But she lives and plays under the shadow of her brother, the town basketball hero, who died. With a bad home life and a coach who's left the team, this is the story of a season in both hell and heaven. In a disastrous blow, the school assigns the team a coach who's not only the English teacher but who requires the team to learn and recite poetry -- aloud -- at practice and even during games. How humiliating! But -- let me leave it there; author Averett pulls magic out of his hat and gives us a thrilling story that's far from the conventional. A wonderful achievement.

Ed Averett's "Rhyming Season" is a moving depiction of grief, loss, and growth for the individuals and the Northwest logging communities. His mixture of poetry and sports is a delicious element in a story that resonates on many levels. A great read! Mary Ann Murphy

This is a great read. The writing is superb, the story is moving, engaging, and original. I loved the blending of sports and poetry. This is one of the best YA novels I've read in a while. Bravo, Edward! I look forward to reading more books by you.