Customer Reviews

Rebound

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
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This book is a Depressing adventure. """Leap and a net will appear""", Even thought being a 9th grader is tough, It's worth it sometimes!






((( I hate Rudy >=o )))

At Franklin High School, if you're black you play
basketball; if you're white you go out for wrestling. It's
not a rule, but it's the way the students think it should
be. For Ray Wisniewski, a white kid, being on the varsity
basketball team has always been a dream. He tries out two
years in a row, but doesn't make it. After gaining a new
coach, he finally makes the team. As the story continues,
the intensity grows high between the blacks and whites.
Robert, a black boy on the team who quietly hates Ray,
gets into it by telling the coach that Ray was drinking
and smoking dope. Throughout the season of basketball Ray
gains black friends. Unfortunately, he is also losing
friends. His friend, Walter, is not very fond of blacks.
Through the story, they get in a lot of fights. Will they
recover? Will Robert lighten up? Will they win the season?
Read the book to find out!

I really liked this book. It had some inappropriate
parts and cuss words, but it's usual for people
his age. Just about every minute of the
day I was reading the book. I'm a big fan of basketball,
so I read this very easily. Most of the book is about his
life, and the other half is about his basketball season. I
recommend this book for kids who dedicate a lot of their
lives to basketball. This book was one of the best books
I've read.

NOTE to parents: They smoke and drink a lot in this book.
There is also a lot of cussing and inappropriate
parts.

Reviewed by a young adult student reviewer
Flamingnet Book Reviews
Teen books reviewed by teen reviewers

Rebound is an intriguing book. In other words, it is not just another book about basketball. While the book spins around the game, it really is a story about prejudice in our schools, and in "the game." The author goes deep to describe the motivations of his characters. For example, from the start, the reader sees a young man making the decision to be different from what is expected from the typical Polish guy in his neighborhood. That choice cascades into multiple choices that will be made changing the lives of the characters involved. Both guys and girls will enjoy this intricate story as it forces the reader to predict outcomes of the twists in the story.

The characters in the story grow on you throughout the book. The become real and their problems become real. When the book is finished, you want more. It is excellent and for teachers who teach in the Middle School and High School your students will love this book. In the school in which I teach, the book hardly stays on the shelf. The personal story of a boy who wants disparately to be a part of a basketball team but he must overcome obstacles, one of which is prejudice. A delicate subject handled extremely well by the author.

Ray Wisniewski is growing up in the Polish-American town of Greenville, New Jersey. His game is basketball, but he is in the minority. All the black kids play basketball. Ray's supposed to be into wrestling like the white kids.

Basketball - Ray lives and breathes basketball. He plays pick-up games and organized ball, whatever kind of game he can rustle up. His only disappointment is that he has never been able to make the varsity team. He tries out and plays his best, but Coach Malovic never picks him. Finally, during Ray's senior year a new coach is hired, and Ray is suddenly one of the starting five.

Another surprise is the attention Ray is getting from the cutest and most popular girl in school, Stacy. He never considered even talking to her -- much less dating her -- but his luck is changing. It isn't until his first date with Stacy that Ray begins to realize that some people are bothered by the fact that he has perhaps crossed some sort of line by playing basketball instead of choosing the more "white" path of joining the wrestling team. Even Walter, his best friend, seems to be keeping his distance.

Early on, REBOUND is non-stop basketball action. Bob Krech shows Ray playing constantly in an effort to make the high school team. As the book progresses, another dimension begins to appear -- prejudice. Racial tension begins to rear its ugly head between players, friends, coaches, and parents. Ray finds out that not everyone is happy with just basketball and the competition on the court. The real world and its sometimes hateful nature cast a shadow over his success.

Readers who enjoy good basketball play-by-play action will be hooked at the beginning of REBOUND. Hopefully, they will connect with Ray as a person, too, and stick around to see what lurks beneath the surface of the basketball action.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

Heart-thumpingly terrific! Fast-paced court action, and solid, credible off-court high school experiences. Krech knows kids. A real winner!

Bob Krech's REBOUND tells of basketball dreams, a Polish boy's determination to fight prejudice to make the team, and a new coach who allows him to compete. As Ray's game improves he uncovers truths about prejudice and appearances which will change his life in this satisfying story of sports interactions and change.