Crackback [Paperback]

John Coy (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: SCHOLASTIC (2005)
• ASIN: B000WSV1BW
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,037,699 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hi, I'm the author of the picture books Night Driving, Strong to the Hoop, Vroomaloom Zoom, Two Old Potatoes and Me, and Around the World. Strong to the Hoop is also available in Spanish as Directo Al Aro and Two Old Potatoes and Me is available in Chinese.

I am a member of the NBA Reading All-Star Team as part of the Read to Achieve program. Crackback, my first young adult novel, is about high school football and my second, Box Out, is about high school basketball.

All four books in the 4 for 4 middle-grade series are now available: Top of the Order, Eyes on the Goal, Love of the Game, and Take Your Best Shot. The books follow four friends who love sports as they navigate the changes between elementary school and middle school with plenty of surprises.

I am currently working on a new YA novel and several picture books. I live in Minneapolis and visit schools nationally and internationally.

Check out www.johncoy.com for more information, and yes, it's fine to use the material for author studies.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nail-biting drama from the football field, November 17, 2005

By 

Teenreads.com (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crackback (Hardcover)

CRACKBACK aptly describes the action on and off the field in this debut novel by John Coy. A crackback block comes from the outside and it can destroy you if you're not careful. Miles Manning, a junior and a star football player, is blindsided by some crushing blows that seem to come out of nowhere.

Miles is under a lot of pressure. He is a starter on a winning football team that is favored to win the conference and have a chance to go to state. Everyone is pressuring Miles to be bigger, stronger and faster, including his pushy new head coach, his demanding father, and his best friend. They all expect more of Miles than he may be able to deliver. When he finds out that his best friend is willing to do anything to win, including taking steroids, Miles must decide where he stands.

Woven into the plot are details about a long-hidden family secret that explains why Miles's father expects so much of him. If his junior year isn't tough enough, he also has to navigate the rocky waters of teenage romance. His friends have ideas of who he should go out with, but Miles has to decide who is really right for him.

John Coy, who is both a teacher and a writer, obviously knows football, and CRACKBACK is filled with nail-biting drama from the football field. The novel, written in first person, made me feel like I was in each game --- even though I've never played football in my life. Football fans will pass a copy of this great catch to their friends when they finish it!

--- Reviewed by Renee Kirchner ([...])

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars crackback review, August 17, 2010

By 

coz fiore - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Crackback (Paperback)

I loved crackback by John Coy. It is about a teen, Miles Manning, who is a very skilled football player, but when a new coach steps in he has to make very difficult desisions. Some decisions include taking steriods with his best friend, doing things the coach's way, and hanging out with girls. Miles' dad was always very hard on him about football,school, and girls. Later on in the story Miles is shocked to find out he had an older brother that died as a baby. By telling Miles this, him and his dad become closer to eachother. It's the last game of the season and there up by one. Miles is supposed to stay back and cover for the fake, but instead goes for the block and wins the game, sending the Eagles to the playoffs. Even though they won, Coach Stahl is mad because Miles didnt listen and he gets benched for the the playoffs. Uaually Miles' dad would yell at him for not listening to the coach, but now he acctually sides with miles on this one, and everything turns out well. I higly suggest reading this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Sport Story!, October 24, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Crackback (Hardcover)

Finally, authors are trying to relate to young men! This book occurs in a current high school setting and deals with a few of the problems young men actually face in today's world. The main character, Miles, is a star football player as a junior when his world begins to change. His best friend since elementary school begins taking steriods to improve his football performance and pressures Miles to do the same. The head coach has to quit, because he has cancer and can no longer coach while going through treatments. The assistant coach takes over with a completely different philosophy of coaching, and Miles finds himself on the fast track to becoming a scrub player--standing and watching instead of playing. Miles develops a new friendship with another fellow scrub player, chases after his first girl, deals with persistent pimples, and other similar pressures of teenage life.

One reason I particularly liked this book is the relationship between Miles and his dad. Miles' dad seems to always pick on him and pick at him just like many real fathers do to their own sons. Towards the end of the book, the behavior of Miles' father is explained somewhat. Unfortunately, most young men in real life never learn why their own dads are so rough on them. I think this book deals with several of the hardships and dramas facing young men and really am glad to see this type of book becoming popular!