Roller Hockey Radicals (Matt Christopher Sports Classics) [Paperback]

Matt Christopher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1998 | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Matt Christopher Sports Classics

Newcomer Kirby Childs overcomes obstacles to find his spot on a new roller hockey team.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-7-When Kirby Childs and his parents move to a new town, the 13-year-old boy feels lonely and bored. He comes upon a group of youngsters his own age and is invited to play roller hockey with them. However, because they practice in the street and play against a more aggressive team in a deserted parking lot in need of repair, his parents are against the idea. These numerous obstacles seem impossible to overcome until Kirby and his new friends come up with a plan. Although the ending is a bit too tidy, Christopher's large following of fans will enjoy this fast-paced story full of accurate, play-by-play scenes. With its large print and short chapters, it's a strong possibility for reluctant readers.-Rachel Fox, Port Washington Public Library, NY

Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316137391
• ISBN-13: 978-0316137393
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.6 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,742,237 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Matthew F. Christopher was born on August 16, 1917, in Bath, Pa. He was the oldest of nine children and a talented athlete, playing baseball, football and soccer in high school. He became interested in writing at the age of 14 and in 1940 had his first story published in a detective magazine. He began writing children's books in the mid 1950's with the publication of THE LUCKY BASEBALL BAT (Little, Brown and Company).

Christopher became well-known for his sports fiction novels for children with over 130 titles bearing his name. He was awarded numerous writing honors from state organizations as well as the 1993 Milner Award. Besides books, he had about 275 short stories and articles published in over 65 children and adult magazines over the years. He is considered America's best selling sports book author.

Matt Christopher and his wife Cay were the parents of four children and the grandparents of ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He died in 1997 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for hockey enthusiasts ages 8-10, April 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Roller Hockey Radicals (Matt Christopher Sports Classics) (Paperback)

Danny Spottl, 3rd grade, The Piedmont School, High Point, NC. Kirby Childs moved with his parents from Minford to Valemont. It was summer break and most of the kids were at summer camp. So it was hard for Kirby to find kids to play with. Anyway, Kirby met some kids that were playing roller hockey on E Street. Soon, they invited him to play. The team played every Saturday against the Bates Avenue Bad Boys, which was the only other team in Valemont. The Bad Boys played rough and injured the E Street Skates' captain. The parking lot where they played also needed repair. Kirby's parents were worried and didn't want him to play. The team had a petition to raise money for the parking lot to be fixed. They also got a referee to make sure that the Bates Avenue Bad Boys couldn't break the rules. Now, Kirby's parents were happy that their 13-year old found friends to play with. My favorite character is Lainie because she is the E Street Skates' goalie. I also play goalie in my team, the Jamestown Hurricanes. I like the parts in the book where they report how the games are played. And I like the book a lot because it is about hockey which is my favorite sport.

3.0 out of 5 stars inspiration, February 22, 2008

By 

K. Mantych "is the teacher for this NMS student" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Roller Hockey Radicals (Matt Christopher Sports Classics) (Paperback)

This book was an inspirational sports book because, it will make you determined to do your best. The three reasons i liked this book are, he always pushes his parents so he can play roller hockey, He showed that even the little guy can make a huge differnce,and I liked how he practices to try to get better. This books is about a kid named Kirby who plays a lot of sports but doesn't like to stick to one,and he has a hard time meeting people on his new neighborhood. I rated it a 3 out of 5 because Matt could of elaborated more what was going to happen to Kirby next to keep the reader off there seat if he made another series about Kirby. Anyone who like a thrilling sports book will be satisfied with Roller Hockey Radicals. Kirby the roller hockey radical has fun in the book learning roller hockey but what will happen next you will find out.

BY: M.Z

5.0 out of 5 stars Roller Skating Radials, June 12, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Roller Hockey Radicals (Matt Christopher Sports Classics) (Paperback)

I rated it 5 stars because I love hockey. Also because it was cool how they had a hockey team. I've tried that before and it's hard to start.