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HomeShop at BookSurgeJuvenile FictionSports & RecreationIce SkatingCrossovers |
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crossovers Mar 31, 2010
By Kim Childress
Who says boys can't be figure skaters and girls can't be hockey pros? Ben's dad, that's who. Star Hockey player Ben Bradley wants to learn to jump and spin while his sister Denise wants to be the first girl on the high school varsity hockey team. Getting up at daybreak and paying his own way, Ben manages to squeeze in figure skating lessons before school, and Denise keeps his secret. After school it's hockey practice, and Ben stays undercover, even if it means ignoring his figure-skating friends. Driven to exhaustion, it's only a matter of time before his former hockey-star dad discovers the truth. A great look at stereotyping for everyone, and bound to be a favorite with skating aficionados, especially during this Olympic year.
This and other great books are reviewed on my website [...]
Kim Childress, Book Editor, Girls' Life Magazine
Crossovers: not just for the sure-footed Jan 05, 2010
By Elsa Marston
Most teenagers want to fit in and not be perceived as too "different." But what if something you really, really want might conflict with that image of being "okay"? LeAnne Hardy confronts this basic question in a lively, thoughtful, thoroughly likable novel set in a northern town where hockey is king. Ben, around 13, is a promising hockey player, like all his friends and relatives; but he has secretly fallen in love with figure skating--which everyone knows "real boys" don't do. For a while he wonders whether he really is "okay," and he wrestles with the matter of finally telling his dad and the other guys at hockey camp that this is the direction he has chosen.
Hardy's prose is fast-moving yet graceful; her dialogue sounds like kids--and without need of rough language. Strong social values--family relationships, friends, faith, connecting with the outsider--are woven seamlessly into the story and characterization. This book will appeal to skaters (Hardy writes with authority and verve about both hockey and figure), and to any young person or adult who is facing these universal questions of identity and image, sticking with the crowd versus pursuing one's own dreams.
Handling teenage peer pressure Dec 24, 2009
By W. Igel
Do you follow the crowd or do you follow your heart in spite of what others think? Main character Ben Bradley is worried about what everybody will say and make fun of him for figure skating, what he thinks his friends and family consider a feminine activity, not really a sport for guys. As he battles those ideas, he realizes that he's guilty of exactly this same kind of thinking when his sister wants to go to hockey camp and be on the varsity hockety team. Standing up to stereotypes is difficult for anyone, but especially difficult for teenagers as they find their way in the world. Through dialogue and the main character's thoughts, Hardy brings you into the mind and conflict of a teenage boy, but not so deep and dark that it's emotionally draining. Great for a bedtime read and short enough to fit into a busy teenager's life. Although written for teenagers, the ideas resonate for any age, even adults. Crossovers grabs your attention and keeps it. You'll keep reading to find out how it ends.
Loved it! Dec 17, 2009
By A reader
I really enjoyed this book! Crossover is a fast-paced coming of age story with something for everyone--sports, gender clashes, friendship issues, family relationships, a satisfying ending, and plenty of action. Ms. Hardy is a master of her craft, writing in a clear, crisp, natural style that accurately captures the day-to-day life and feelings of a teenager. This isn't a story about skating. It's a story about pursuing your passion against all kinds of personal and societal obstacles--written with energy, sensitivity, and a real understanding of what teenagers (and adults, for that matter) go through in their search for identity amidst all kinds of pressures to conform. It's a great read for all ages. I'd strongly recommend it to anyone.
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