Game Changers (Game Changers Series #1)

Overview


Mike Lupica presents his NEW YORK TIMES bestselling series in paperback!

Ben McBain is every football team's dream player. He's a jack-of-all-trades guy that can handle almost any position. When the game is on the line, Ben's number is the one being called for the final play. But Ben wants to be the starting quarterback and the one thing standing in his way is the coach's son.

Shawn O'Brien looks the part. He...

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Game Changers (Game Changers Series #1)

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More About This Book

Overview


Mike Lupica presents his NEW YORK TIMES bestselling series in paperback!

Ben McBain is every football team's dream player. He's a jack-of-all-trades guy that can handle almost any position. When the game is on the line, Ben's number is the one being called for the final play. But Ben wants to be the starting quarterback and the one thing standing in his way is the coach's son.

Shawn O'Brien looks the part. He has been groomed by his father, a former professional quarterback. But despite his size and arm strength, Shawn is struggling.

Ben is torn between being a good teammate and going after his own dream. As Ben finds out, Shawn isn't the easiest person to help. And when Ben gets an unexpected opportunity, the entire game will change for the both of them.

Best-selling author Mike Lupica kicks off a winning new series about sports and friendship that will captivate readers.

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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

In praise of GAME CHANGERS

"Ben is a strong character, surrounded by a great group of sidekicks. Readers who, like Ben, live and breathe football, will enjoy." -KIRKUS REVIEWS

Children's Literature - Janis Flint-Ferguson
Ben McBain wants to be a quarterback in the middle school football league. He is smart, he is talented, he should be every coach's dream except he is short and he is on a team where the coach's son is also able to play quarterback. Ben has followed the career of NFL quarterback Doug Flutie, so he is well aware of the difficulties he will have in getting coaches to look at him as anything other than a good support player. But Ben is more than just a good athlete, he is also a good kid and when he recognizes that the coach's son doesn't have many friends, he tries to rally his best buddies, Sam, Cooper and Lily to be Shawn's friend, too. As Ben gets closer to Shawn, Shawn confesses that quarterback is not the position he wants to play but he swears Ben to secrecy and on the field he continues to act as though he really wants to be the team quarterback. Ben is confused, the team is in trouble and Shawn starts to treat him like dirt. The one thing that Ben does have going for him is that he is able to talk to his dad and in one of those bonding moments, Ben decides just how he is going to make sure that it all works out—for the team and for Shawn. This is bound to be another of Lupica's well-read sports books for middle school students. Reviewer: Janis Flint-Ferguson
School Library Journal
Gr 4–7—Ben McBain, 11, knows that he has what it takes to be a great quarterback, although he can't convince his coaches to see beyond his small stature. So he's not surprised when Coach O'Brien tells the team that his own son, Shawn, will get the position. Outwardly, Shawn has it all-the size, the arm, the speed. But he doesn't have a deep love for the game, and, when plays don't go perfectly, he spirals out of control. Determined to make the season the best it can be regardless of the position he plays, Ben tries to befriend the temperamental boy. Shawn slowly opens up about the pressure he feels from being coached by his father, a retired NFL player, and how he can't relax and enjoy the moment. When the team loses the first two games of the season and Coach O'Brien puts Ben in as quarterback halfway through the third game, the Rams go on to win. This is the start of a turnaround for the team, and further wins put the championship back in their sights. But as their team does better, Shawn retreats into sullenness and wants nothing to do with Ben. While the ending of this engaging story is predictable, Lupica has a great ear for dialogue, and even the minor characters are fully developed. The tone is inspiring without crossing into didacticism, and there is plenty of football action throughout.—Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780545381796
  • Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
  • Publication date: 7/30/2013
  • Series: Game Changers Series , #1
  • Pages: 224
  • Sales rank: 710,980
  • Age range: 8 - 12 Years

Meet the Author

Mike Lupica

Mike Lupica is a New York Times bestselling author of several books for young readers. His New York Daily News column is syndicated nationally. Mr. Lupica lives in Connecticut with his wife and their four children. You can visit Mike Lupica at www.mikelupicasbooks.com.
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