Last Chance for First
Grade 8 Up—Robby Fielder is a varsity soccer cocaptain and decent student, but his parents continue to compare him to his football-star older brother and find him lacking. When he and his best friend share a few beers, it doesn't seem like a big deal, but then Jim continues drinking and totals his car, causing his parents to pull him from the team, where his goalie skills are sorely missed. Meanwhile, Robby is attracted to Pet, whose bleached hair, nose ring, and outspokenness make her an object of derision among their classmates. She opens up to him, revealing a dark secret about her past, and he admires her honesty and longs to keep her trust. Robby's teammates begin to question his commitment to the squad, and, indeed, as his relationship with Pet develops, it seems that the team's cohesiveness unravels. Robby is forced to make decisions about where his loyalty really lies: putting the team first will help him to realize his dream of a soccer scholarship, but at what price? Hazuka's first young adult novel realistically depicts one teen's struggle to prepare for the future without compromising the present. There are enough plot twists to keep readers guessing, and soccer fans will appreciate the author's obvious love of the game. While adult figures are fairly two dimensional—the wise teacher, the win-at-all-costs coach—the dialogue and interactions among the teens are spot-on. A solid choice where Chris Crutcher and Mike Lupica have a strong following.—Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.