Beyond Lucky

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Beyond Lucky (eBook) Pub. Date: 6/30/2011 Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
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Beyond Lucky Pub. Date: 6/30/2011 Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated

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Overview

Ari Fish believes in two things: his hero-Wayne Timcoe, the greatest soccer goalie to ever come out of Somerset Valley-and luck. So when Ari finds a rare and valuable Wayne Timcoe trading card, he's sure his luck has changed for the better. Especially when he's picked to be the starting goalie on his team. But when the card is stolen-and his best friend and the new girl on the team accuse each other of taking it-suddenly Ari can't save a goal, everyone is fighting, and he doesn't know who, or what, to believe in.

Before the team falls apart, Ari must learn how to make his own luck, and figure out what it truly means to be a hero.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Aronson skillfully dodges the predictability of sports-themed books by creating multilayered characters and an intriguing whodunit involving a valuable missing rookie card. Twelve-year-old goalie Ari Fish desperately wants to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Sam, and hometown hero Wayne Timcoe, each of whom led their Somerset Valley soccer teams to greatness. As a kid who firmly believes in horoscopes, pregame rituals, and luck, Ari is sure he's hit the jackpot when he and his best friend, Mac, find a rare Wayne Timcoe rookie card. But things quickly go from "beyond lucky" to wretched when the card is stolen. Mac, a hotshot player with a troubled family life, and Parker, already shunned because she's the only girl on the team, accuse each other of stealing it, and Ari is caught in the middle. Aronson (Head Case) includes a lot of fun on-field action, but the off-field story is just as interesting: concern mounts for Sam, who's fighting wildfires in California, and Ari, Mac, and Parker's relationships grow increasingly complicated. Aronson's graceful storytelling will keep even nonsoccer buffs turning pages. Ages 8–12. (June)

Children's Literature

Ari Fish may just be the luckiest boy in the world. He has just found an extremely rare trading card of the greatest soccer goalie from his hometown, Wayne Timcoe. Ari's luck quickly changes for the best as he is picked to be the starting goalie for his travel soccer team. His life is perfect, that is until his good luck charm goes missing. Then all disasters seem to come to life. Ari can no longer save a goal for his team, his teammates keep fighting, and his best friend and the new girl on the team have accused each other of stealing Ari's prized possession. Ari goes from believing in two important things: Wayne Timcoe, his hero, and luck to not knowing what or who to believe in. Will Ari be able to find and make his own luck to help turn the team around before the championships? Readers will love Ari as they watch his character transform into a hero and change his luck forever. Reviewer: Lisette Baez

More Reviews (2) Fewer Reviews

School Library Journal

Gr 4–8—Ari Fish, 12, believes in luck. Like many athletes, he has pregame rituals: reading the newspaper, checking his horoscope, and eating a particular cereal. On the day he discovers the long-sought-after soccer trading card of his hero, his luck skyrockets: he finally makes first-string goalie. But as Ari's luck increases, his friend Mac's decreases. By far the best player on the team, Mac is not having a good year and hates not being the center of attention. When Ari's card disappears, the newest team member, the first and only girl to play in the boys' league, tells Ari that Mac was the last person near his backpack. Ari must decide which is more valuable, his friendship and the status quo, or supporting and trusting someone telling the truth. Aronson does an excellent job of capturing middle-school voices. Beyond Lucky offers an interesting tale of friendship and competition that moves at a good pace, carefully interweaving the stories of the protagonist's personal and athletic growth. The soccer action will make the story extra appealing to seasoned players, but does not exclude those who are unfamiliar with the sport. While targeted toward a younger audience and not filled with as many social overtones as Chris Crutcher's Whale Talk (HarperCollins, 2001), Aronson's book provides better-than-average character development for a sports novel.—Devin Burritt, Jackson Memorial Library, Tenants Harbor, ME

Kirkus Reviews

A tense, superstitious, hardworking boy learns that luck is generated from the inside out.

Ari Fish, 12, the younger son in a supportive but educationally ambitious family, is obsessed with soccer and luck. Before he plays a game, he goes through a series of obsessive rituals designed to maximize his good fortune. His best friend, Jerry Mac MacDonald, is cut from a different cloth entirely. The son of an indifferent single mother and unknown father, Mac, who is their team captain, social top-dog and star player, is loosey-goosey cool, a bundle of pure natural talent. Mac and Ari's friendship is tested when a girl, Parker Llewellyn, the daughter of a hard-driving soccer dad, makes it onto the team. In addition to sexism, this event brings out other themes, including the value of preparation and the importance of putting your team first. After an overlong set-up, matters are brought to a head when Ari's lucky soccer card disappears from his backpack. Mac and Parker each accuse the other of stealing it, dividing Ari's loyalties and putting him in a tough social and ethical position. It's a credible middle-grade dilemma, but Aronson couples it with some unnecessary drama involving Ari's firefighter brother.The play-by-play sports action is nicely integrated, though, and it enhances the plotline. The novel ends on a high though bittersweet note; the right thing won't please everyone.

Solid. (Fiction. 8-12)

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780803735200
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Publication date: 6/30/2011
Pages: 256
Sales rank: 165,329
Lexile: 550L (what's this?)
Product dimensions: 8.32 (w) x 5.76 (h) x 0.90 (d)

Meet the Author

Sarah Aronson lives in Hanover, New Hampshire. This is her first middle-grade novel.

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Anonymous

Posted January 26, 2012

Really

Good grosome
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