Customer Reviews

Eddie's Ordeal (Neate)

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The fourth book in the NEATE series, Eddie's Ordeal is a novel recommended for young adult readers and is about thirteen-year old Eddie Delaney, an African-American boy who loves his father but feels driven too hard sometimes. Eddie enjoys being the starter on the basketball team and gets good grades, but whe he brings home a D in language arts, everything changes. His father forces him to quit the team, and his relationship with his parent takes a very bad turn for the worse. His friends try to help him discover why his dad is so tough on him, and in the process Eddie learns something very important about his father - something that will change his life forever. A moving and dramatic story about facing the challenges of coming of age, and the importance of family bonds.

Eddie's Ordeal was a wonderful story that explored the relationship between a black father and son. Thirteen-year-old Eddie and his dad have trouble relating. They come from different eras. A bad grade sends them even farther apart.

Eddie's friends try to build a bridge to reconnect father and son. But it's up to Eddie and his dad to cross. This story was a heartfelt tribute to the growing pains parents and children navigate and the important bond between black fathers and sons. As a black man, I enjoyed reading a story that portrayed African-American characters as multifaceted people, complete with strengths and flaws, instead of stereotypes. This is a great addition to the canon of black children's literature.

I was so enthralled with Eddie's Ordeal. There are so few books for youth that explore the communication between fathers and sons. This book crosses cultural boundaries as it addresses the commonalities in relationships with Dads and their sons and the importance of developing understanding between generations. It is a foundation builder and an uplifting story for children.

Ms. Lyons has written a sensational book that will inspire and uplift all readers regardless of age, gender or ethnicity.

This is a beautifully written book that focuses primarily on Floyd Delaney's relationship with his son, Eddie. In addition, Starling Lyons creates wonderful subplots that include Eddie's closest friends, the NEATE crew. Richly steeped in African American history and culture, this relatively short book covers quite a bit of ground. Young readers, whose growing pangs and everyday challenges are reflected in this work, will enjoy reading such an interesting narrative that provides important life lessons, powerful insight into African American history, and great entertainment--all at the same time. Well done!

EDDIE'S ORDEAL is the fourth in the NEATE series, a collection of books about a group middle school aged friends, who form a club. In this story, Eddie Delaney has finally found his niche playing basketball on his junior high school team. He is good enough to play as a starter and loves all the added attention he receives as a result of being a star player. Surprisingly, it is the extra attention from his dad, not his peers, that means the most to him. Eddie's father, a successful attorney with high expectations for his son, is a bit detached. But basketball seems to be a common interest that the father and son share, and as a result, they are spending more time together than ever before. That is until Eddie brings home his mid-term grades and his parents force him to quit the team and focus on his studies. In addition to losing the opportunity to play ball, he loses some of the closeness he had been sharing with his dad. Eddie's friends (the other members of NEATE) decide to help him by trying to figure out why Mr. Delaney is so hard on his son. What they discover may rekindle the familial bonding in the Delaney household and help the father and son understand one another better.

Kelly Starling Lyons has written a book that is very well suited for the target age group. The characters in the book are realistic and their lives and experiences will mirror the lives of many of the children who read this book. Children will be able to relate to the frustration that Eddie and his friends feel when they are simply misunderstood by the adults in their lives. In addition, Lyons did an excellent job integrating historical information into the story without taking away the plot's contemporary relevance. The title, EDDIE'S ORDEAL, seems a bit melodramatic in the context of the story, but isn't melodrama what middle school is all about?

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers