Juice

by Eric Walters

Overview

When a Division One coach comes to their smaller school to bring the football program up to contender status, Moose and the rest of the players on the team are pumped. Coach Barnes has new ideas and a vision for the future—nothing is too good for his players. With a new training regimen, everything seems to be on a winning track. But when Moose and others are offered steroids, tempers start to fray and the teammates have to decide whose side they are on. Juice is a compelling story about the pressures and temptations that are faced by many in the competitive world of high-school athletics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781551433516
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	04/01/2005
Series:	Orca Soundings Series
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	4.25(w) x 7.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	HL610L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Eric Walters is a Member of the Order of Canada and the author of over 125 books that have collectively won more than 100 awards including the Governor General’s Literary Award for The King of Jam Sandwiches. A former teacher, Eric began writing as a way to get his fifth-grade students interested in reading and writing. Eric is a tireless presenter, speaking to over 100,000 students per year in schools across the country. He lives in Guelph, Ontario.

Read an Excerpt

What happens between you and me stays here. It's nobody's business but ours."
"But isn't using steroids sort of like cheating?" I asked.
"It would be if you were the only one doing it. Half the kids on the line who are standing across from you, trying to block you, are on the juice. We're just trying to give you what you need to even up the score.

Editorial Reviews

"Would certainly be of interest to any athletic high school boy involved in team sports and who may have had to deal with similar issues...Recommended."

CM Magazine

"Juice is an easy read and there is a helpful downloadable teacher’s guide on the Orca website. Walters’ punchy writing style keeps the story moving along."

Quill & Quire

"Walters' characters have the energy and urgency of real kids with nice role-model nuances; you really care about them and their predicaments."

CD Syndicated - Chris DeVito

"Walters has done it again. He has created a world that readers will instantly recognize and become engaged in...Highly recommended."

Resource Links

"Opportunities for discussion abound...Drama and action are balanced well and the author avoids a heavy-handed moral tone."

Hip Librarians' Book Blog

"Young readers will appreciate the way the narrative offers an inside look at how doping in sports actually works, even as they come to learn the lesson."

Canadian Children's Literature

"Juice will be a hit with fans of sports fiction...A quick, well written and realistic read."

KLIATT

"A fast-paced page-turner...Boys or any reluctant reader will love this story."

VOYA

Walters' characters have the energy and urgency of real kids with nice role-model nuances; you really care about them and their predicaments.
— Chris DeVito

CD Syndicated

Gr 6-9-Written at a 2.9+ reading level (as indicated on the back cover), this story will appeal to students who lack strong reading skills. Moose is an excellent football player, a good kid, and a good leader. A mixture of corrupt and well-meaning adults provide balance as he deals with a new coach who is determined to win at all costs. Steroid use is explored, as are the consequences of getting caught. The attraction of sports, flashy equipment, a desire to succeed, and a moral dilemma about how success should be achieved will keep readers engaged throughout. The moral of the story is crystal clear at the end and seems a bit overstated. Unfortunately, books for struggling older readers do not have much room for intricate plots or solid character development. While this one fits that category, it will find an audience.-Julie Webb, Shelby County High School, Shelbyville, KY Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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