Pop

Pop by Gordon Korman, narrated by Nick Podehl. Brilliance Audio, 2009

I think Pop is possibly Gordon Korman's best book yet.

I found the novel compelling and heartfelt.  His story includes some elements that are standard fare in high school football stories: the beautiful cheerleader, the handsome quarterback(s), the after-the-game-parties and the fierce and crusty football coach.  Korman takes the tale in a different direction though.  The title has multiple meanings. The word "pop" plays as a sound, a feeling, a verb, a noun meaning father, and a nickname.

I live in a town where one of the local high schools has repeatedly won the state football championship (5A) so I have seen the pride and can imagine the closeness of the team.  

Newcomer Marcus just wants to play football. He practices alone, every day in the park, preparing for try-outs. One day he meets Charlie, a guy old enough to be his father but with the ability to catch passes and throw them like a pro. They meet daily to practice throughout the summer although Charlie's behavior is odd and even erratic at times.   Marcus is good and the daily workouts with Charlie are making him even better.  Marcus comes to crave "the pop" of the hits.  Football is a team sport though and breaking-in to the tight-knit group that played a perfect season the year before, is not easy.  Troy, the QB resents him, especially when his ex, Alyssa shows in interest in Marcus. 

The mystery of Charlie's identity is tipped to the reader and Korman builds some nice tension between the characters and the reader as we all realize what is going on.  Korman does a great job of showcasing the game plans, the plays, the hard pops and the camaraderie of the team.   He also layers on the poignancy and tragedy of family situations that no one should have to endure.  Marcus and Troy have more in common than they know. 

Nick Podehl's audiobook 's narration was excellent.  I stayed up very late listening to him.  I think this is a must read for football players of all ages. The story offers some things to ponder before putting on the pads.

Dairy Queen

Dairy Queen: a novel by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, narrated by Natalie Moore, Listening Library 2006 (print edition published by Houghton Mifflin)

I knew the story of D.J. Schwenk, the football loving teen from Red Bend, Wisconsin, had captured the imagination of readers at schools where I sub, because several girls told me I "really" needed to read this book.

What I did not anticipate was being completely and totally blown away by Natalie Moore's insightful and wholly authentic narration. Her voicing of D.J.'s frustrations, her hopes and inner dialog is spot on, at once self-aware, wistful and totally endearing.

There is pride in her voice as she almost single handed keeps the family dairy farm going. Her resentment at her father's slow recovery from hip surgery is understandable as exhaustion overtakes her at times. Still, D.J. is philosophical and accepts the hard work and tries not to dwell on the toll it has taken on her academics and school life.

When Brian, the quarterback from the rival high school football team, is ordered to "help out" at the Schwenk farm by his football coach, D.J. is disgusted with his lack of discipline and work ethic. Used to training with her older brothers who are now away at college on football scholarships, D.J. finds herself enjoying their workouts which have evolved from the daily chores and agrees to act as Brian's trainer for the summer. As time goes by, she has to admit to herself that she enjoys Brian's friendship and that it might be evolving into something more.

Murdock captures life in a small town where football is the lifeblood of the community and cows are named for football players and coaches. I'm off to find the sequel. Surely, Moore gets an encore, she is D.J.'s voice for me.

Dairy Queen is one of twenty titles on the always excellent Texas Lone Star reading list for 2007-2008..