Heroes' Day (Trade Paperback) (Paperback)

~ Jesse Gordon (Author)
Key Phrases: home stripe, beam routine, national rank, Coach Tracie, Coach Hades, Darren Hades (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

For gymnast Monica Sardinia, the chance to compete during Heroes' Day is a dream come true. Drafted as team captain of America's precocious new national squad, she heads to the Olympus Space Station to train under none other than legend (and former Hero), Darren Hades. But no opportunity comes without a price, and Monica soon finds that in order to compete as a senior she'll have to do more than just master her skills, for in the world of the Patriot elite scores are the lifeblood of the economy, and the slightest misstep can send ripples across the globe.

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Vertigo Alley (July 9, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615220304
• ISBN-13: 978-0615220307
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,854,261 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for tweens and older, January 26, 2009

By	Cheryl A. Lee - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I thought the book was great to read for young teenagers and older. Not only did it promote the healthy body image for young girls, it made good use of vocabulary and multi level concepts. It encourages family support and close friendships as well as personal relationships and thinking beyond the "moment". Highly recommend! Cheryl Lee, Orange County, CA

5.0 out of 5 stars Yay for Heroes Day, November 6, 2008

By	abbeynormal - See all my reviews

If you're looking for a great character study, this is the novel for you. I loved every aspect of the book from front to back. It was an amazingly good read. Kudos again to Jesse Gordon.

4.0 out of 5 stars A cosmic gymnastics novel, November 4, 2008

By	msimps (San Antonio, TX) - See all my reviews

Jesse's new novel comes just in time for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and tells the story of a young gymnast whose dreams of making the national team are dashed when her parents can no longer afford to keep her training at her gym. Bitter and disillusioned, she grudgingly accepts her new life as a common citizen only to have the chance of a lifetime fall right in her lap: an invitation to serve as team captain of the United States' new girls' gymnastics team.

Without giving anything away, let me just say that I found the book to be highly entertaining, not as a fast-paced sports novel, but as a more introspective character study which just happens to take place in the sports world. I would compare it to White Palms---an EXCELLENT gymnastics film---in that the focus is on the characters and not just the gymnastics. Even so, Jesse comes across as knowing his sport. There are also plenty of interesting societal ideas tossed around. For example, people competing in any capacity---whether it be sports or academics---are called "elites" and enjoy various benefits over "common" citizens, such as discounted food prices, free housing, and free public transportation. There's also an underlying theme of the need for secrecy in a world where surveillance is the rule, and EVERYONE is chipped (or "tagged").

I liked Monica's character a lot, mostly because she felt real, she had genuine, raw emotions and she made mistakes. She learned her lessons the hard way. There's a lot here that middle school readers could relate to. Outside a handful of swear words and an in insinuated rape scene, I don't understand why this is being marketed as an adult novel. Jesse is obviously a competent writer, but I think this would fare very well as a young adult novel with a little more action in the first few chapters. That's the reason I gave five stars: because I think there's such a thing as being a little TOO character-oriented. This was still a fantastic look inside the mind of a child athlete, and was ultimately more satisfying than Stories From the Steel Garden. Recommended for fans of gymnastics and socio political fiction alike.