Touchdown Trouble

January 1, 2010
Gr 4-6-Twelve-year-old Sam's extracurricular life revolves around football. After watching a video replay of an important game, the team realizes that its winning score was made inadvertently on an illegal fifth down. Bowen uses historical eventsa game between Cornell and Dartmouth played in 1940to anchor the plot realistically. This device will resonate with readers as it imparts an actual dilemma and conclusion without moralistic advice. They will feel the players' emotions when the Cowboys have to make an important decision based on an honest mistake by an official. This book can be used as an excellent opportunity for a group discussion and will be a fine addition to other popular play-by-play sports chapter books."Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2009
Grades 3-5 In the final seconds of the biggest game of the season, Cowboy running back Sam scores a game-winning touchdown. Later, he realizes that the play was run on an illegal fifth down, and the teammates must decide whether to stay mum and ensure the championship for themselves or give the win to their rivals. Sam, the focal point of the novel as well as the teams offense, loves being the star of his team, but, believably, he loves how the team works together even more. Aside from padding the story with plenty of walloping gridiron action that will ring true to football enthusiasts, Bowen generates some unexpectedly potent drama out of the team members coming to their decision about the fifth down. Purposeful about honesty and sportsmanship, yes, but this book is still a great choice to hand off to readers whod rather be tossing pigskins than flipping pages. A historical note recounts the famous 1940 CornellDartmouth game with its own fifth-down touchdown, and how the undefeated Cornell team voted to give the game to Dartmouth.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)