Lay ups and Long Shots: Eight Short Stories by David Lubar

From the Publisher

In the tradition of Sports Shorts (2005), Darby Creek has another serving of sports-related short stories. Purely fiction, these stories tell the tales of athletes in a variety of sports, including track, football, martial arts, Ping Pong, and dirt bike riding. The characters face obstacles to overcome such things as being overweight, being over-confident, and being impatient. Reluctant readers will enjoy these short pieces, each with a memorable character and a relatable problem.

Children's Literature

This book is a delightful anthology of short sports stories about kids trying to achieve their goals and growing along the way. Joseph Bruchac's "Swish" is about trying to be a basketball player, but the high school coach says Bruchac is a hazard to the team. He ends up being a star wrestler. Lynea Bowdish's "Fat Girls (Can't) Don't Run" is about a fat girl who is awful at all athletic endeavors until she discovers running. David Lubar in "Bounce-Back" tells us of Tyler who wants to win the Table Tennis trophy but does not have anybody to practice with except his would be opponent. He practices by himself, but in the end discovers he has not learned how to play against another person. Terry Trueman's poem "H.O.R.S.E." has the usually losing speaker winning a game of HORSE against his friend Brad—the usual winner. A moment of supreme triumph! In "Amazing Dirt Girl Rides Again," CS Perryless' Amanda learns what true friendship is. The fourteen-year-old protagonist in Dorian Cirrone's "Riding the Wave" learns perfection is not the goal; instead it is the trying. Ted learns the hard way that showing off is not always a good idea, especially if your shorts get swept off in white water in Jamie McEwan's "Red Shorts, White Water." Max Elliot Anderson shows us even a deformity can be of use in "Big Foot," where Jeff Spencer shows his outsized right foot can kick a football farther than anybody else. Peggy Duffy's "Song of Hope" tells us of a Korean-American girl trying to juggle her love and allegiance for her non-English speaking mother and her desire to play soccer. Rich stories. Reviewer: Sarah Maury Swan

VOYA

Do not let the title of this sports story collection fool you. Although nber-popular events such as basketball and soccer receive their due, this anthology of middle-grade shorts offers laugh-out-loud moments from lesser-known athletic contests as well. Who knew ping-pong or kayaking could tug so forcefully on players' heartstrings? In SWISH: A Basketball Story, Bruchac gives a hilarious first-person account of his attempt to make his high school basketball team after barely beating his septuagenarian grandfather at HORSE. Carla Anders, the main character in Lynea Bowditch's Fat Girls (Can't) Don't Run, narrates the anguish larger teens endure in gym class. It is difficult not to be noticed when one cannot move up the climbing rope-at all. Other stories describe a young man's quest to win his first trophy by entering the dangerous (and possibly life-threatening) world of competitive table tennis; the importance of proper clothing on a co-ed kayaking adventure; and the ups and downs of girls doing "guy stuff" like trying to compete in BMX. Each of these nine stories, written by accomplished authors including Dorian Cirrone, David Lubar, and Terry Trueman, displays a wicked sense of humor, shining the spotlight on the less athletic, mediocre players whose love of sport far outweighs their talent for the game. Middle schoolers will see themselves in an eclectic group of sarcastic, hopeful, angsty, self-deprecating yet determined characters. Ideal for booktalks or as a read aloud, this solid choice for reluctant readers will require some pushing to ensure long-term popularity. Reviewer: Jay Wise

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8

Nine authors for children and young adults team up for this compilation of short stories whose focus is the spirit of the game. As with Sports Shorts (Darby Creek, 2005), which included contributions from several of the same authors, these accessible and engaging selections cover a wide range of sports, from basketball to surfing to BMX riding. The protagonists are not star players. Instead, they are the second- or third-stringers who love their particular sport so much that they are willing to be less than perfect. Readers will feel Joseph Bruchac's angst when the coach tells him that he's not cut out to play on his high school basketball team, as well as his sense of triumph when he sinks several shots in a row at home, taking the small victory as a sign that his grandfather will not succumb to poor health. David Lubar introduces Tyler, whose pursuit of the Ping-Pong championship trophy becomes so all-consuming that he learns an important lesson about the price of self-reliance. Whether the stories are based on the authors' own childhoods or not, these protagonists are engaging, and middle schoolers will find much to relate to in the reassuring reminders that perfection is highly overrated. A great way to introduce reluctant readers to some talented voices.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA

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