Copyright Date:
2018
Edition Date:
2018
Release Date:
08/28/18
Pages:
xi, 353 pages
ISBN:
Publisher: 1-250-18064-3 Perma-Bound: 0-7804-2732-7
ISBN 13:
Publisher: 978-1-250-18064-3 Perma-Bound: 978-0-7804-2732-7
Dewey:
Fic
LCCN:
2017001308
Dimensions:
21 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist
This thought-provoking look at race, high-profile sports, and private schools stars Jason and Tom, best friends and football teammates since they were young. After thriving at a football recruitment camp, both are excited to attend an expensive private school to enhance their sports abilities. When they find out their football coach assigned their positions based on racist views, instead of quitting, the boys decide to figure out how to change the system. Unfortunately, the private school they chose isn't only steeped in institutionalized racism in its sports practices also has religious bullying, segregation, and a no-interracial-dancing policy. Feinstein does a thorough job of pursuing journalistic avenues teens might have at their disposal to create social outrage. At some points of the story, the boys' behavior seems too idealistic, as they show a range of emotional maturity and fortitude in the face of racism, with no psychologically traumatic impact. Still, an intriguing look at racism in contemporary sports and the power private schools have in shaping sports and upholding racist traditions.
Horn Book
Childhood friends and star football players, Jason, who's Jewish, and Tom, African American, are freshmen at an elite Virginia boarding school. They're shocked by racial biases they encounter, and they set out to expose the ugly truths behind the school's practices. The protagonists are idealistic yet inured to the difficulties they face in this sports story with a thought-provoking look at how schools can propagate prejudice.
Word Count:
81,218
Reading Level:
5.6
Interest Level:
7-12
Accelerated Reader:
reading level: 5.6
/ points: 13.0
/ quiz: 191609
/ grade: Middle Grades+
Reading Counts!:
reading level:5.5 /
points:19.0 /
quiz:Q71758
Lexile:
840L
Guided Reading Level:
Q
"The best writer of sports books in America today" ( The Boston Globe ) tells a thrilling story of friendship, football, and a fight for justice. Renowned sports journalist and New York Times- bestselling author John Feinstein's young adult novel Backfield Boys follows best friends and football stars Jason Roddin and Tom Jefferson, a perfect, though unconventional, pair: Jason, the Jewish kid, is lightning fast and a natural wide-receiver, while African-American Tom has an amazing arm and a quarterback's feel for the game. After summer football camp at an elite sports-focused boarding school, the boys are thrilled to enroll on scholarship for their freshman year--despite their mothers' fears of injury and especially CTE. On day one, they're stunned when the coaches make Tom a receiver and Jason a quarterback, a complete contradiction to their skill sets and training. Suspecting deep-seated racial bias, the boys speak out, risking both their scholarships and their chance to play. Soon local newspaper reports begin a secret investigation, and as tensions rise Jason and Tom must decide how much they're willing to lose in their quest to expose the ugly remnants of a racist past that still linger in contemporary jock culture. Praise for Backfield Boys "An intriguing look at racism in contemporary sports and the power private schools have in shaping sports and upholding racist traditions." -- Booklist "A strong football hook will draw in most sports fans . . . The boys' driving quest for the truth will keep readers engaged." --School Library Journal "Over the years, John Feinstein has built a career covering many aspects of athletics as a sportswriter, author, and media commentator. He has also written several sports novels for young adult audiences. In his most recent novel, Feinstein tackles racism in a way that is both thought-provoking and timely. . . . The end product is a fast-paced, reflective, well-written book that simultaneously entertains and challenges its readers." -- Children's Literature
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