Undercover Tailback

by Matt Christopher

Overview

Parker Nolan likes to tell tall tales, so why should anyone believe him when he says he saw a mysterious figure stealing plays out of the coach's playbook?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316094573
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	12/19/2009
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Lexile:	570L (what's this?)
File size:	384 KB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Matt Christopher is the best selling name behind more than 100 sports-themed books for young readers.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 4-6-- Football player Parker, 12, has a penchant for telling tall tales and outright lies. In a boy-who-cries-wolf scenario, his teammates and coach refuse to believe his truthful account of how he witnessed someone photograph their playbook. The boy proves his story by exposing the spy, and learns a lesson about honesty along the way. This is one of Christopher's weaker efforts, delivering more of a second-rate mystery than his typical, fast-paced sports story. The foreshadowing and development of the far-fetched plot take away from any semblance of characterization beyond the protagonist's and limit the amount of game description. Further, few 12-year-olds would think of offering money to an opposing player, much less provide him with a miniature camera for photographing a playbook. A little syrup is added when the perpetrator says he took and sold the pictures because his father was recently laid off. While the legions of Christopher's fans will undoubtedly read this one, they will also hope his next book offers more. --Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Public Library, WI

School Library Journal

Matt Christopher is back, this time with a football mystery. Though a great football player, Parker Nolan is known for bending the truth. When he figures out that the mysterious figure he spots leaving the coach's office has stolen plays from the play book, he is unable to convince the coach or his team members. In the process of clearing his name and catching the crook, he learns some valuable lessons. Readers who play football will enjoy the detailed descriptions of football plays, and Christopher keeps everyone guessing about the thief until the very end. In true form, Christopher scores again.

Christie Sylvester