Rookie of the Year

Reviewed by: Barbara Merritt - Scarborough School District, Scarborough, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 24, 2016

Review

Rip and Red are good fifth grade friends. A new girl, Tiki, joins their class from Egypt. They become friends, but that friendship is tested when Tiki's basketball skills get her chosen for the first string team, while Rip is put on the second string team. Characters come from a variety of backgrounds and disabilities. Red is on the autism spectrum, Rip is African American, complete with dreadlocks, their friend Avery is in a wheelchair,and their teacher has family in the Dominican Republic. The pace of the story is rapid and humorous. Tiki's habit of making up words gets annoying...it feels overdone. Overall, a good story of school and friendship.

Overall Book Score: good