Boost

Starred review from September 1, 2008
Gr 6-9-Savvy Christopher and her older sister, Callie, each have their own "one thing," and when they move from Arizona to Rhode Island, that's what they rely on to help them adjust. Savvy quickly shows her stuff when, not yet in high school, she is accepted on the elite 18-and-under basketball team. Callie's passion is cheerleading, but stress has caused her to gain weight, and she is devastated to find that she no longer qualifies to be one of the fliers on the squad at her new school. She goes on a strict exercise and diet regime, and Savvy, realizing how quickly her sister is losing weight, brings it to the attention of their parents. They put a stop to Callie's use of over-the-counter diet aids, which does nothing to improve the already strained relationship between the sisters. In October, one of Savvy's basketball games is interrupted by a detective who has been alerted to a bag of steroids in her locker. She insists that they are not her pills, but the fact that she has been on prednisone for a bad case of poison ivy does not help her case. Savvy and her coach are temporarily suspended, and Savvy finds that even close friends regard her innocence with some doubt. As with "Mad Cat" (HarperCollins, 2005), Mackel has turned a tough subject in the world of teen competitive sports into a highly readable blend of intense action, interfamily relationships, and intrigue. Readers will come away with a better understanding of the controversy surrounding steroid use, and with an appreciation for a talented voice in young adult literature."Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2008
Grades 6-9 Savvy Christopher and her family have just moved to a sheep ranch in Rhode Island in the wake of her fathers crippling accident. Thirteen years old, and already six foot two inches tall, Savvy plays basketball well enough to earn a place on an 18-and-under squad, The Fire. Her older sister Callie is a cheerleader and lands a spot on the varsity squad. The pressures to perform at the highest level, combined with Savvys precarious family situation, the rigors of life on the ranch, the politics of elite competition, and all the regular trappings of hormonal adolescence push the sisters to the breaking point. After a rival player finds steroids in Savvys gym bag, her familys tenuous integrity crumbles, leaving her alone on all fronts. Mackel packs plenty of dramatic turbulence into Savvys eighth-grade year. With careful characterizations and honest relationships, she keeps the trouble contained and directed, though, much as Savvy herself organizes her gangly limbs and driven energy into focused athletic success.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2009
Savvy is thirteen, over six feet tall, and obsessed with basketball. Her talent gets her onto an elite team, but when someone plants steroids in her bag, everyone--including Savvy--questions whether that talent is enough. Strong writing and compelling action engage readers, while the layered plot (family troubles, love interests, social struggles) develops Savvy's world beyond the central conflict.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)