Go Long! (Paula Wiseman Books) [Hardcover]

Ronde Barber (Author), Tiki Barber (Author), Paul Mantell (Contributor)

Book Description

Series: Paula Wiseman Books

It's Tiki and Ronde's second year on their junior high school football team, the Hidden Valley Eagles. The eighth-grade season is here, and the boys have come together as a team. Now key starters, Tiki and Ronde are ready for a great season, and with hard work and determination, maybe they will even go all the way to the State Championship!

But when Coach Spangler announces that he has been asked to move up to the high school team, and Mr. Wheeler, the science teacher, is tapped for the head coaching job, the season seems over before it begins. Sure, Coach Wheeler played college football until he was benched by an injury, but it just isn't the same. Tiki wants to give Coach Wheeler a chance, yet the team's loyalties are divided. What does a science teacher know about the game of football? Can the team work together, get behind their new coach, and play smart?

Inspired by the childhood of NFL superstars Tiki and Ronde Barber, Go Long! is a story of teamwork, perseverance, and what it takes to be a champion.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4–8—Ronde and Tiki Barber are entering eighth grade and ready to defend their school's title as football division champs. Unfortunately, their beloved coach announces that he has accepted a job at the nearby high school. On top of that, their quarterback is dividing the team with his hotdogging antics and insults. The Barber twins are convinced that, if they can get the team to listen to their new coach, they can salvage the season. The authors are NFL players and know a thing or two about football. Unfortunately, this novel uses terminology that may be too complex for all but the most passionate fans of the game. A glossary is included, but a solid familiarity with terms and rules is still necessary or kids will be left behind. An adult sensibility prevails: a former teammate declares that a player is "just immature…. I was the same way in seventh grade." On the same note, in the midst of training, Tiki has an inner monologue about how lucky he is "in the mom department"—what 13-year-old thinks about that during football practice? This book will circulate based on the subject, the authors' popularity, and the snazzy cover. However, it will satisfy only the most avid football fans.—Laura Lutz, Queens Borough Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

As their second season on the Hidden Valley Junior High Eagles football team begins, identical twins Tiki and Ronde know that their team’s ace quarterback has moved on to high school and that loudmouthed Cody will take his position. But when beloved Coach Spangler  moves up to lead the high-school team and his replacement has a difficult time gaining the Eagles’ trust, the team falls apart. Cody’s transformation seems too quick and easy, but the gradually mounting tension between Tiki and Ronde is entirely believable, and so is its resolution. Meanwhile, football fans will find the on-field action scenes and even the coaching sessions very readable. Even if they don’t recognize the names Ronde and Tiki Barber (current and former NFL players, respectively), Kadir Nelson’s dynamic jacket art is sure to draw young readers looking for football fiction. Those who don’t know a blitz from a bootleg can check the appended glossary of football plays. Grades 4-7. --Carolyn Phelan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books; 1St Edition edition (August 26, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141693619X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416936190
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #436,490 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, August 26, 2008

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Go Long! (Paula Wiseman Books) (Hardcover)

GO LONG! is a football story starring Tiki and Ronde Barber as young, up-and-coming players. This fast-paced, inspirational sports tale is sure to be popular with the middle grade crowd. Tiki and Ronde draw on their early years in the sport to encourage young people to use their talents and play the game with a sense of fair play and teamwork.

The story begins as Tiki and Ronde start their 8th-grade year. They are anxious to take the field as starters this year, but the coach upsets the entire team when he announces that he is moving up to coach the high school team. Sure that all of their previous success has been due to his excellent coaching abilities, the players nervously await the naming of their new coach. It is a surprise to all when the history teacher, Mr. Wheeler, is given the job. He is a terrific teacher, but that doesn't guarantee anything about his coaching skills.

Tiki and Ronde try to roll with the punches when the first few games end in defeat; however, Cody, the team's quarterback, is not being a team player. Cody argues with Coach Wheeler and questions his every move, causing team morale to sink to an all-time low. It is not until Tiki and a few loyal players take the time to get to know Coach Wheeler and his plans for the team that things start to look more positive for a winning season.

GO LONG! presents a message of cooperation and team spirit, and that along with a strong plot line and likeable characters make it a book that won't gather much dust on the shelf.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

3.0 out of 5 stars Kickoff, January 7, 2012

By 

SHEL - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Go Long! (Paperback)

Tiki Barber has a great idea for continuing these books. Great for elementary level students. He definitely needs a new editor. We found many typos throughout this book and when he was talking about a game score, the scores didn't add up which the students found!!! The students did however enjoy reading the book and we made a game out of looking for the mistakes!!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for boys aged 6-10, December 26, 2009

By 

KAN (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Go Long! (Paula Wiseman Books) (Hardcover)

My child really enjoyed it and I thought it was written well. Great story with enough action for the kids and moral nuggets too.