Tough Call

Volume XXV / Issue 16 - December 21 / 2018
Tough Call
Tough Call
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Tough Call

Author: 
Kelsey Blair
Series: 
Sports Stories
Toronto, ON: James Lorimer, 2018
127 pp., trade pbk. & ePub, $12.95 (pbk.), $8.95 (ePub)
ISBN: 
9781459413689 (pbk.)
9781459413696 (epub)
Grades: 
Grades 6-9
Ages: 
Ages 11-14
Review by: 
Christina Neigel
3
Excerpt: 

The player takes another step. Malia blows her whistle again. The play stops. ‘Travel,’ says Malia quietly. She makes the travelling gesture. It feels like everyone in the gym is annoyed with her. The feeling makes Malia’s stomach twist in a knot.

The knot gets tighter as the game goes on. Malia sees fouls but it seems like she’s always a half second too late. And when she does blow her whistle, it’s never quite loud enough. When the horn finally sounds to signal the end of the game. Malia stomps by the scorekeepers’ table, frustrated with herself.

“That went well,” says Gina. she takes a gulp of her water bottle.

“Seriously? We missed a million calls.”

“It’s a grade-seven game,” she says dismissively. “It’s fine.”

Malia’s eyes go wide. Her instinct is to reach for Gina’s water bottle and to squirt water in her face. But she stops herself and backs away from scorekeepers’ table.

To earn some extra money to cover the costs of her basketball fees, Malia, a 15-year-old basketball player, steps out of her comfort zone to become a paid basketball referee. Not only does she learn to assert herself, but Malia also learns to negotiate the power dynamics of coaches, parents, and, even, her friends. Tough Call is a slice-of-life, plot-driven book that focuses on themes of finding voice, teen friendships, and juggling expectations.

Formatted in an easy-to-read layout, this work offers readers a short, fast-paced tale in digestible language and interactions. Tough Call will appeal to readers seeking a straightforward and realistic narrative. While this novel does not probe deeply into its themes, it will appeal to those interested in high school basketball and everyday relationships. However, Tough Call is not a particularly gripping read, and some readers may not find that it holds their attention.

Recommended with Reservations
Reviewer: 

Dr. Christina Neigel is an Associate Professor for the University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, British Columbia.