Snowboard Maverick: Can a skateboard pro conquer the slopes? (Matt Christopher Sports Classics) (Paperback)

by Matt Christopher (Author), The #1 Sports Writer for Kids (Illustrator) "Thirteen-year-old Dennis O'Malley sat straight up in bed and threw off the covers..." (more)
Key Phrases: intermediate slope, bunny slope, Ford's Mountain, Rick Hogan, Schoolhouse Hill (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7?Dennis O'Malley, 13, loves to skateboard. However, even though he lives in a winter sports resort area, he's reluctant to try snowboarding because of a skiing accident that occurred when he was much younger. Eventually, the boy overcomes his fears and his parents surprise him with a snowboard for Christmas. After a few days, he has managed to make his way down the slopes without too much difficulty. He's drawn into the more daring aspects of the sport, as he will do anything to avoid being called a "chicken." This leads him to embark upon a foolhardy race down a dangerous slope. He wins, but is properly contrite, knowing where his actions might have led. Having found an older mentor, Dennis eventually becomes an "awesome" snowboarder. Following his tried-and-true formula, Christopher offers nothing new here in terms of plot?the story simply involves a different type of apparatus stuck to the feet. However, he includes some of the terminology of snowboarding (he avoids mentioning how Dennis deals with the financially crippling lift fees); and the plot, though simple, slides along with enough super moguls along the way to please snowboarders and perhaps some others as well.?Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 3^-6. Although he is a skateboard pro, 13-year-old Dennis has a fear of snowboarding because of a previous skiing accident. But his two best friends succeed in getting him to try the snowboard, and Dennis really takes to it. Many of his skateboarding skills carry over, and he quickly progresses beyond the beginner stage. He eventually accepts challenges from two snowboarders: one a hated bully, the other an older, admired athlete. The race with the bully is foolish and risky, and the contest with his idol shows a favorable contrast. These two events unfold with suspense, and readers will identify with the various tormented feelings Dennis experiences. This is a book about snowboarding, but it is just as much about friendship, loyalties, and a young teen's relationship with his parents. Like Christopher's other books, it is fast paced without shortchanging the emotional depth of the main character. Susan DeRonne --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (December 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316142034
• ISBN-13: 978-0316142038
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #120,629 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read Snowboard Maverick, January 22, 2002

A Kid's Review

The book I read was Snowboard Maverick by Matt Christopher. It's about a kid named Dennis who loves to skateboard. The only problem is that he lives in Moorsville which is a ski resort so he can only skateboard in the summer. Last winter all his friends were having fun, snowboarding and he was stuck inside because he didn't have one. But this year his mom, dad and two friends bought him one. Now he's doing awesome for a beginner! One day a school bully challenges him to race down the intermediate slope and Dennis is just a beginner! Will Dennis chicken out, lose or even worse, get badly hurt? To find out read this book. I would recommend this book to friends.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Learning to snowboard, December 10, 2001

By A Customer

A Review by Jeff

The Snowboard Maverick is about a 13-year-old boy named Dennis O'Malley who loved to skateboard, "it was his life". When winter came the streets had got covered with snow and he could not skateboard. Whenever the streets were clear he went and skateboarded. His two best friends, Robbie and Tasha, had got into the new coolest sport, it was snowboarding. He wanted to get one know. He had gotten one for a Christmas gift and he loved it, it was the new greatest sport. He had got really good at it and by the end of the book he was really good. There was only one other person who was as, good or even better, it was Dale Morgan. Everyone knew him as the "best snowboarder", no one had ever been challenged by him in a competition before. They had the competition and in the end someone had one.

I would give this book 3 stars, it was mostly the way I had expected it to be. It had a better ending then I had thought cause it was not expected.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book for kids who like to snowboard, April 20, 2000

By A Customer

I am Ross Steven W. and I like snowboarding and soccer books. Even though I am only 7, I could read the whole book. I liked the part on Snowboard Maverick when Dennis learned to snowboard. I liked Renny in Soccer Duel.