Patrick's Pals #4: Stuffin' It! [Paperback]

Robb Armstrong (Author), Bruce Smith (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Series: Patrick's Pals

Patrick and Ronnie haven't been scoring well in math. Their folks say they have to bring up their grades before stepping back onto the court. With pressure like that, Patrick hits the books -- but Ronnie wants to cheat on the next exam.

The clock is ticking.... What exactly is the best way to "help out" a friend? Should Patrick let Ronnie copy for the good of the team? Or will the Bulldogs have to forfeit the next game?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-NBA stars Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, and Alonzo Mourning are depicted as youngsters in these dismal fictional offerings. In the first book, eight-year-old Keith Van Horn wants to join the neighborhood basketball team, but is told by Alonzo that he doesn't have the necessary skills. Patrick, who tells the story, and Dikembe insist that Keith should get a tryout, but he performs miserably. When he finally gets a second chance, he beats Zo (Alon"zo") in a game of one-on-one, thus being accepted on the team. Problems are too simply solved and the street lingo is annoying. The court action may draw some reluctant readers, but few others. Stuffin' It is also told through the eyes of a young Ewing, who has just garnered the coveted lead role in his school's Thanksgiving play. Patrick and his best friend, Ronnie, who also is an actor in the play, find themselves struggling with math because of the time they're spending in rehearsal and practicing basketball. Forced to improve their grades in order to be allowed to continue their extracurricular activities, Patrick turns to studying and Ronnie to cheating. Guess who is successful? The didactic writing is infused with hip talk and frequent black-and-white drawings that are pedestrian at best. Basketball fans looking for hoop action will be disappointed as very little is found. The name recognition might encourage young readers to open this book, but they will be hard-pressed to finish it.
Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Public Library, WI
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Robb Armstrong's "JumpStart" is syndicated in more than 150 newspapers across the countryincluding the New York Daily News, the Los Angeles Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Chicago Tribunewinning him national praise and attention for his positive, realistic portrayals of African-Americans. A frequent lecturer to school groups, he lives with his wife and daughter in Philadelphia.

Bruce Smith was most recently animation co-director for Warner Brothers' basketball blockbuster Space Jam. He served as an animator for Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, was the animation director for HBO children's series Happily Ever After...Fairy Tales for Every CHuild, a multiracial, multiethnic retelling of many of childhood's favorite fairy tales, and directed the animated feature Bebe's Kids. He is currently supervising the animation for Disney's forthcoming Tarzan.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: HarperEntertainment; 1st edition (September 23, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006107070X
• ISBN-13: 978-0061070709
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,561,182 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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