The Million Dollar Kick (Million Dollar Series) [Library Binding]

Dan Gutman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2007 | Series: Million Dollar Series

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. ""This is an exciting sports story with a compelling message about individuality and self-confidence...""--School Library Journal

--This text refers to the School & Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Dan Gutman's The Million Dollar Kick does for soccer what his The Million Dollar Shot did for basketball. Whisper Nelson, a seventh grader living in Oklahoma City, enters a competition to create the best slogan (the Million Dollar Kick Contest at the Donut City) and wins "the chance to take a single shot against the Kick goalkeeper Carmen Applegate for a million dollars." Once again the author works into the story line a plethora of tips and facts about the game, making this a book for reluctant players and soccer fans alike.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-Seventh-grader Whisper can't stand soccer. Her little sister is the family sports star. However, Whisper is the one who is tapped for a contest promotion and she must try to kick a goal past the town's leading professional star in front of a whole stadium full of soccer fanatics. The prize is one million dollars, but Whisper isn't sure the potential humiliation is worth it. She suspects that no one in her family really believes she can do it. Her classmates don't offer much support either. It seems her only ally is Jesse, a self-styled "computer nerd," and Whisper doesn't know if she wants to be seen with him, even if he has created a laptop simulation that could help her succeed. Gutman paints a sharp, funny portrait of middle-school society. The dialogue rings true and the various cliques and subgroups will strike a familiar chord with adolescent readers. This is an exciting sports story with a compelling message about individuality and self-confidence, as well as a touch of romance.

Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Library Binding: 202 pages
• Publisher: Fitzgerald Books (January 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1424221048
• ISBN-13: 978-1424221042
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

More About the Author

This is hard. I'm a pretty regular Jersey guy who spent fifteen years trying to write newspaper articles, magazine articles, screenplays, books for adults, and just about everything else before I discovered the one thing I'm good at--writing fiction for kids. I aim for kids who DON'T like to read, and hopefully the kids who DO like to read will enjoy my stuff too. For all the gory details about me, check out my web site.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Million Dollar Kick, October 27, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Million Dollar Kick (Million Dollar Series) (Paperback)

Genre: Fiction
Three sentence summary: In this book Whisper Nelson is chosen to kick a ball past a professional soccer player and if she makes it, she is awarded $1,000,000. There's just a little problem: she is not athletic. She has not played a sport since she was eight.

What I liked most about the book: The thing I like about this book is that Whisper has a chance to win $1,000,000.

What I didn't like and why: The only thing that I didnt like about the book was that it was about soccer and I do not like soccer very much.

My favorite character and why: Whisper Nelson because she wasn't very athletic but she still tried. (why wouldn't you if you made the goal you can win $1,000,000.)

The scene, line, or passage that meant something to me and why (page#): Well it was probably when she was getting ready to kick the goal. It's exciting to kick a ball and if you score you win $1,000,000 dollars.

What I would say about this book to someone else: That it's nice that the characters are realistic and the author Dan Gutman discribed the setting very well.

One question i have after reading this book: I wonder if the soccer player became good friends with Whisper Nelson.

My strongest reason for recommending this book: Well if you like sports you would be very interested.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Million Dollar Kick, June 2, 2005

By 

Ksalad (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Million Dollar Kick (Million Dollar Series) (Paperback)

The Million Dollar Kick is a great book. It is so suspenseful. You never know what she is going to do. The main character hates being the star but her sister loves it. My mom, my six year old sister and I all liked it. It is such a good book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Million Dollar Kick, November 3, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Million Dollar Kick (Million Dollar Series) (Paperback)

Wandering through the library, searching to find an interesting book, one caught my eye. It was the, The Million Dollar Kick. The book starts out in Oklahoma City. Whisper is an ordinary kid who is haunted by a mental picture of a soccer game. One afternoon Whisper took her little sister, who is an athlete, to the mall. Where her sister enters her in a contest. Where if you win you get the chance to win a million dollars by kicking a soccer ball past a famous soccer goalie. She wins, but now she has to learn how to kick a soccer ball. She thought she was toast until Ellie decided to coach her. I thought it was a great book full of action, surprise, and pure interest.