Editorial Review

Alfred's life is going nowhere fast. He's a high-school dropout working at a grocery store. His best friend is drifting behind a haze of drugs and violence, and now some street punks are harassing him for something he didn't do. Feeling powerless and afraid, Alfred gathers up the courage to visit Donatelli's Gym, the neighborhood's boxing club. He wants to be a champion--on the streets and in his own life. Alfred doesn't quite understand when Mr. Donatelli tells him, "It's the climbing that makes the man. Getting to the top is an extra reward." In the end, he learns that a winner isn't necessarily the one standing when the fight is over. Teens and adults alike will be knocked out by this powerful story of how a frightened boy becomes a man. ... Read more

Reviews (298)

The Contender
In the book " The Contender," a series of bad events happen in Alfred Brooks' life, he decides he wants to be a boxer, but one thing he doesn't know is how hard the training will be for him.Although boxing is very hard for Alfred he has a lot of other things to deal with like gangs and cops and his best friend James or ex best friend James.Since Alfred can't solve that problem, he has to move on with his life.After his second fight, Donatelli, Alfred's trainer, decides to tell Alfred that his boxing career is over, but Alfred didn't want to stop until he knew he was a contender. After his third fight even though he lost, he realizes he was a contender.
The Contender
The Contender
The Contender

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Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Boxing    3. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Juvenile delinquency    8. People & Places - United States - African-American    9. Social Issues - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    10. Social Situations - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    11. Sports & Recreation - General    12. Sports & Recreation - Miscellaneous    13. Juvenile Fiction / Ethnic / African American   

Reviews (70)

One Fat Summer for One Fat Kid
I would recommend this book to anyone. It is really great and keeps the readers guessing.It is also interesting hearing how one fat summer could be for one fat kid. Hearing it from his point of view makes the book a lot better. Overall, the book is really good.

Wildcats
Last month Southwood readed and dicuss this book.
One Amazing Summer
Imagine being 14 years old and not having a best friend because she moved and didn't tell you why. How would you feel? Bobby Marks felt like no one cared for him. If you want to see how Bobby handles his life read the book " One Fat Summer" by Robert lipsyte.
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Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Fiction    4. Juvenile Fiction    5. Literature (Young Adult)    6. Obesity    7. Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings    8. Social Issues - General    9. Social Issues - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    10. Social Situations - General    11. Summer    12. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance   

Reviews (1)

Swing batta batta batta, swing, batta, swing!
Right off the bat I'd like to say that if you're looking for a reviewer who knows their baseball through and through, I am not your woman.This review will not contain long lamentations over why Mr. Robert Lipsyte did not include such-n-such a player or harbor lengthy critiques of his encapsulations of certain games.I enjoy baseball, of course, but I've always spent more of my time watching minor league games than anything particularly major (Go, Saint Paul Saints!).As for individual players, the bulk of my knowledge, to be perfectly blunt, begins and ends with that episode of The Simpsons where Mr. Burns hires everyone from Daryl Strawberry to Don Mattingly to play in his softball league.In a way, I was a perfect test-subject for Lipsyte's intense and interesting look at what exactly constitutes a baseball "hero".I may not know much about the game, but I know my good non-fiction literature and this book definitely fits the description.Smarter than just a listing of baseball greats, Lipsyte takes the time to ask what it is that makes a hero and whether the men featured in this book deserve such an appellation, so that in bringing up such questions, this book stands apart.
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Subjects:  1. Baseball    2. Baseball players    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography - Sports & Recreation    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Children: Grades 2-3    7. General    8. History    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Personal Memoirs    11. Sports & Recreation - Baseball    12. Sports - Baseball    13. United States    14. Juvenile Nonfiction / Sports & Recreation / Baseball   

Reviews (2)

The Biggest Enemy of Best is Good.
The Nearmont High School football season looks promising. The entire town expects great things from them --- Division, even State Championships --- and the team is on track for just such a season when they take off for preseason camp: two-a-day practices, morning wakeup calls, and Raider Pride Night, the traditional freshman initiation. Unfortunately, the ritual goes places it never should in ways that might compromise their entire season and ruin any chances they might have in college football and the pros.
Richie's Picks: RAIDERS NIGHT
(Since writing this review, I have now read the book a second and a third time.This is definitely one of the best YA books of 2006 and unquestionably one of the best YA books relating to high school sports that I have ever read.)
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Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    3. Drug abuse    4. Fiction    5. Football    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Social Issues - General    8. Social Issues - Peer Pressure    9. Social Issues - Sexual Abuse    10. Social Situations - Peer Pressure    11. Social Situations - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    12. Sports & Recreation - Football    13. Sports & Recreation - General    14. Steroids    15. Juvenile Fiction / Sports & Recreation / General   

Reviews (13)

The Brave
This book is about a young boy name Sonny that box. He has a problem though. His problem is that when he gets angry, he becomes a monster inside. In one way the monster is good. The monster helps him in the ring with his boxing matches. Sonny fights people all throughout the book with the monster still in him.
Oridnary Tale
Robert Lipsyte delivers an ordinary tale of a Native American boxer who travels to the big city in order to pursue a more extravagant life than that which he leads in the reservation, in his story, The Brave. This story is too similar to the first to be considered amazing. Sonny encounters practically the same dilemmas that Alfred Brooks did and the only real difference is that this story follows a Native American rather than an African American. The same issues of racism are tackled and the over-all story is one heard over and over again and Lipsyte does not introduce enough of his own style and twists to make it anything more than a decent book. For the young reader, I would suggest this in that it delivers a good message, but for those seeking any kind of challenge or real entertainment, this book is not for you.

the best book
This book is superb this is better than any other book I have ever read. It is about a kid named sonny that loves to box he want to find his mother in the big city, once he is there he finds two hustlers that take his wallet then a undercover cop try's to get one but sonny nails him with a hook. So the hustlers get him a place to live thenSonny somehow winds up in the middle of a big crack war in New York City that is driving him crazy and all he wants to do is try to see his mother.Read more

Subjects:  1. Boxing    2. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Fiction    5. Indians of North America    6. Juvenile fiction    7. People & Places - United States - African-American    8. Social Issues - Prejudice & Racism    9. Sports & Recreation - General    10. Juvenile Fiction / Sports & Recreation / General   

Reviews (6)

The Chief
The Chief i did this for you ms b.
I liked this book it was really interesting in that it told how Sonny Bearthe main character on his journey to the heavyweight championship.

Great book
I really liked robert Lypsyte's book The Chief. It really gave me a feel for the characters. It also made all of these emotions towards the characters surface, which I really like in a book. The author makes you have feelings for the characters. He makes you really want the characters to either succeed or fail, but there is not any room for an "I don't care" character. All in all I think everyone should read this book, because it is truly an example of great writing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boxing    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Fiction    5. Indians of North America    6. People & Places - United States - Native American    7. Social Issues - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance    8. Sports & Recreation - General    9. Juvenile Fiction / Ethnic / Native American   

Reviews (1)

Warrior Angel
Warrior Angel, by Robert Lipsyte, is a fictional story about a Moscondaga Indian, named Sonny Bear, who dreams of being a professional boxer.Along his rise to the top, he has a mental breakdown, and one of his biggest fans, Warrior Angel, comes to save him and put him back on the right trail to stardom.This book was somewhat confusing.I couldn't tell who the narrator was sometimes.Besides that, it's not too long, but it's not too short.I have also read other stories in the series by the same author.In my opinion, the other novels were better.The Contender, The Brave, and The Chief are all more exciting.I think Warrior Angel is not as exciting because it does not have as good of a plot as the others did.It just talks about Sonny Bear's struggle to be the best.The other novels have more problems going on throughout them.Still, if you like action and sports (mainly boxing) you should enjoy this book, but you have to read The Contender first, because Warrior Angel is its sequel.So what do you think, does Sonny Bear make it to the top with the help of Warrior Angel? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boxing    2. Children's Books - Young Adult    3. Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Fiction    6. Indians of North America    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Lipsyte, Robert    9. People & Places - United States - Native American    10. Social Issues - General    11. Social Situations - General    12. Sports & Recreation - General    13. Juvenile Fiction / Sports & Recreation / General   

Reviews (7)

A four star book
I rate this book a four star book. This book had some very ecciding events that were very surprising, in other words it was an intresting book. This book was more than it can happen if you used to read an action comic book. Some events seem like only superman could do it, not a simple kid with cancer on his neck. Well it was not that bad of a book what I'm trying to say is that some parts ded catch a atention for that whole sene.Some parts had so many detials that i could even picture what was going on inside my head. It was like it was happining to my in real life in other words like if a was the main character of the book. That was what i liked about this book it had ecciding part, emotional, physical, events that had so much details that even if a grown up would of read it to there little kids even they would picture it in there mind detail by detail. It's a very good book that's what the only thing i can say. I still have alot to say about this exellent book but i just can't find those perfect words to discribe what an exellent master piece this autor has created for anyone with a good emaganation.

Mneh
This was a quick book to read, but I really didn't enjoy it. It was about a boy who had some form of cancer. In order to get rid of the cancer, the doctor prescribed an experimental drug that they had never used on anyone before. It then caused Fred, the main character, to have superhero powers. To me this book shows, to young readers,that if you have cancer, you can have super hero powers and save the world. I know it is only a book and not all books are true, but this book made it seem like it was real life. Maybe to some, this book shows that if you think you can, you can. It could also show that even if you do have cancer, Chemo won't make you incapable of doing the things you like to do. That's why I will be putting this on my list.

The Chemo Kid -B.D.S.
Freddy is a nice, versatile, and is self confident.He has alot of confidence, and faith in his self.Read more

Subjects:  1. Cancer    2. Children's All Ages    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Environmental protection    5. Fiction    6. General    7. Literature (Young Adult)    8. Pollution    9. Self-confidence   

Reviews (1)

summer
I choose this book because I read the book One Fat Summer and it was a good book. Summer Rules is a sequel to One Fat Summer, so I thought it would be good too. However I really didn't like Summer Rules. It was confusing at some parts and I didn't like the word choice. There were a lot of Read more

Subjects:  1. Camp counselors    2. Camps    3. Children's Books - Young Adult    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    5. Fiction    6. General    7. Summer employment   

Reviews (1)

The best in the series
I've read all of Bobby Marks adventures and this is his hour of humanity. Bobby's 18 now and finds work at the local laundry service where he thinks his summer will be full of girl's and bar fights. He's hired by Sinclair, the new owner who he believes to be a great guy. Joanie returns from Europe as her family has gotten richer from invetments. Bobby goes to a party at her house and sees Sinclair with a woman who's not his wife. Bobby's summer gets harder when his father begins to grow sicker after an operation. As he's dealing with this, Joanie has him lie for her as to where she is to her parents. As Bobby goes on route with one of the other workers, he sees Sinclair with a girl and kiss her. As the girl turns, Bobby sees that it's Joanie. A week later, Joanie tells him she's pregnant. A day before, Bobby learned that his father is getting worse and the workers of the laundry keep getting hurt by faulty equiptment. Now Bobby has to decide what to do to save his friend and how to lead the local workers. Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books - Young Adult    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    3. Fiction    4. General    5. Summer employment   

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Bodybuilders    4. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    5. Entertainment & Performing Arts    6. Health/Exercise & Fitness    7. Juvenile Performing Arts    8. Juvenile literature    9. Motion picture actors and actresses    10. Schwarzenegger, Arnold    11. Sports    12. United States   

Reviews (1)

Sporty Book
This was a great biograpy.It was a great book about a sports ledgen.Jim thorpe is an Native American sports ledgen.He playde football, baseball, and ran track.He was a great all around athlete.In this book you will learn about his parents, family, friends, and his school days.This book was fasinating to me and it told me about how Jim Thorpe lived his life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1887-1953    2. Athletes    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography - Sports & Recreation    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    7. Ethnic - Native American    8. Indian athletes    9. Indians of North America    10. Juvenile Multicultural Studies    11. Juvenile Sports    12. Juvenile literature    13. Sports & Recreation - Track & Field    14. Thorpe, Jim,    15. United States   

Subjects:  1. Children: Babies & Toddlers    2. General    3. Juvenile literature    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Sports journalism   

Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Basketball players    3. Biography    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Juvenile literature    6. United States   

Reviews (3)

Spectacular
I strongly believe that this book is a wonderful description of the life of one of the greatest boxers of all time. Starting with his early childhood, Robert Lipsyte describes Muhammad Ali's life in complete detail. He describes the events that Muhammad had to go through and the obstacles he had to overcome on his way to achieving the title "The World's Greatest!" After reading this book, you will understand the life and times of the man who could float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.

Spectacular
I strongly believe that this book is a wonderful description of the life of one of the greatest boxers of all time. Starting with his early childhood, Robert Lipsyte describes Muhammad Ali's life in complete detail. He describes the events that Muhammad had to go through and the obstacles he had to overcome on his way to achieving the title "The World's Greatest!" After reading this book, you will understand the life and times of the man who could float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.

Awsome
The book I read was awsome.I would reccomend this book to anybody boxing and boxers. This book tells you all about his life.To when he was a kid to a boxer. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Boxers (Sports)    4. Boxing    5. Juvenile literature    6. United States   

Reviews (1)

this sis the best book ever !!
(...) I love this book. its full og great details and angles. its an [amazing] book ! great for any girl or guy who loves to read romantic novels with a twist. it also reminds me of myseldf so i [loved] it !! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Baseball    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Fiction   

Subjects:  1. Afro-Americans    2. Biography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Boxers (Sports)    5. Children's 9-12    6. General    7. Juvenile literature    8. United States   

Subjects:  1. Juvenile Nonfiction    2. Sports & Recreation    3. Transportation - General   

Subjects:  1. Children's literature    2. Sports    3. United States    4. moral and ethical aspects    5. psychological aspects    6. sociological aspects