Synopses & Reviews
From the #1 bestselling author of Heat, Travel Team and Million-Dollar Throw comes a story of every football kids dream come true.
12-year-old Charlie is a fantasy football guru. He may be just a bench warmer for his school's football team, but when it comes to knowing and loving the game, he's first-string. He even becomes a celebrity when his podcast gets noticed by a sports radio host, who plays Charlie's fantasy picks for all of Los Angeles to hear. Soon Charlie befriends the elderly owner of the L.A. Bulldogs -- a fictional NFL team -- and convinces him to take a chance on an aging quarterback. After that, watch out . . . it's press conferences and national fame as Charlie becomes a media curiosity and source of conflict for the Bulldogs general manager, whose job Charlie seems to have taken. It's all a bit much for a kid just trying to stay on top of his grades and maintain his friendship with his verbal sparring partner, Anna.
Like the best Disney film in book form, like Moneyball for kids, Fantasy League is every football kid's dream scenario.
Praise for FANTASY LEAGUE:
* "This Moneyball story with kids is on the money."Booklist, starred review
"The feel good book of the year."VOYA
Readers will be alternately cheering and reaching for a tissue during the final playoff-deciding game for the Bulldogs. This will be devoured by young football fans.”School Library Journal
Review
"Lupica delivers a winning novel, creating a realistic character in Molly by authentically capturing both her fragility and pluck. Young readers will also enjoy the look inside Josh’s pampered sports superstar world. Ostensibly sports fiction, this could attract a wide range of readers."
—BooklistReview
Lupica delivers a winning novel, creating a realistic character in Molly by authentically capturing both her fragility and pluck. (Booklist)
Review
“Lupica creates a sports novel that is rich in details; this is one of the few novels about basketball, for example, that actually mentions zone defenses rather than the perennial one-on-one scenes in most basketball novels. Many fans of sports fiction will like this.”—Booklist
Review
"This is a wonderful book by a great writer. All football fathers and sons will enjoy it."--Archie Manning
Review
The New York Times Bestseller!
Review
Praise for FANTASY LEAGUE:
* "This Moneyball story with kids is on the money."-Booklist, starred review
"Fantasy League . . . is the feel good book of the year."-VOYA
"This will be devoured by young football fans, who appreciate intricate game details and wont mind a touch of heartwarming sentiment."-School Library Journal
Review
Praise for Travel Team:
“In a story every bit as exciting and tear-jerking as any novel or movie in its genre - Hoosiers, Mighty Ducks, The Bad News Bears - Danny gets his chance at glory. Lupica . . . has the knowledge of the game and the lean prose to make this a taut, realistic story not just about the game but about heart, character, and family. A winner.” -Kirkus Reviews
“Lupica . . . sets the scene for on-court action, and delivers play-by-play descriptions . . . that will thrill basketball buffs. Genuinely affecting.” -Publishers Weekly
Review
Praise for Summer Ball:
“Lupica is at his best when he puts the reader right in the center of the action on the court. His game descriptions are fast, accurate, and exciting. Young sports-fiction fans will eat this up.” -Booklist
“Sports fans will relish the on-court action, expertly rendered in Lupica's taut prose. This worthy sequel to Travel Team should earn a wide audience.” -School Library Journal
“Lupica knows his basketball and knows how to spin a page-turner of a story. Those who enjoyed the first installment of Danny's story will be thrilled to read a sequel, and even those middle school readers who are not huge sports fans will want to cheer for Danny Walker, who proves that determination can be a whole lot bigger than height.” -VOYA
Review
Praise for The Underdogs:
“There's plenty of action for sports fans, and readers will root for Will and his teammates till the very last page.” -School Library Journal
“[F]ootball fans will…respond to the detailed and exciting game action once the season gets rolling and find inspiration in Will and his teammates' tenacity.” -Publishers Weekly
“Will's ingenuity and loyalty are encouraging, causing readers to want to cheer him on as he makes his dream come true.” -VOYA
Review
Praise for Miracle on 49th Street:
“[T]his novel is . . . an enjoyable read with interesting peeks into the world of professional basketball. It will appeal to young teen sports enthusiasts as well as kids just looking for a good story.” -VOYA
“Lupica delivers a winning novel, creating a realistic character in Molly. Young readers will also enjoy the look inside Josh's pampered sports-superstar world.” -Booklist
“Lupica is an extraordinarily smooth writer with a great ear for witty repartee.” -Publishers Weekly
Review
Praise for The Batboy:
“A pennant winner.” -Kirkus Reviews
“Lupica. . .giv[es] his readers a behind-the-scenes look at major league sports. In this novel, he adds genuine insights into family dynamics and the emotional state of his hero.” -Booklist
“[T]his novel will undoubtedly appeal to those who equate summer with baseball, it should also win over readers who appreciate finely crafted storytelling and engaging characters.” -School Library Journal
Review
LUPICA, Mike. Fantasy League. 304p. Philomel. Sept. 2014. Tr $17.99.
Gr 5 Up- Charlie “The Brain” Gaines may be an average seventh grader in most respects, but he possesses an uncanny knowledge about football teams and a sixth sense about game strategy. A so-so linebacker for his own Pop Warner team, the Culver City Cardinals, Charlie would much rather be on the sidelines, calling plays along with the coach. Best friend Anna Bretton shares Charlies passion for football, as it is in her blood—her grandfather and uncle own and manage the Los Angeles Bulldogs. She invites Charlie to meet Grandpa Joe and Uncle Matt at a game, and it isnt long before Gramps is captivated by Charlies commentary. His advice to replace the quarterback with an older and relatively unknown player named Tom Pinkett helps to turn around their losing record. Signing Pinkett to the team turns out to be a winning idea, and when word gets out that the call was made by a 12-year-old, Charlie is hounded by the media and thrust into a spotlight he isnt sure how to handle. Nearly losing his friendship with Anna, Charlie learns a lesson about fame and valuing relationships. Tension soars when Joe Warren falls ill, and readers will be alternately cheering and reaching for a tissue during the final playoff-deciding game for the Bulldogs. This will be devoured by young football fans, who appreciate intricate game details and wont mind a touch of heartwarming sentiment.--School Library Journal
Review
Usually a football book is about whether or not the kid makes the team—and the problems that follow. So its refreshing that those issues are only a part of 12-year-old Charlie Gains story. See, Charlie is known as the Brain, because he is a football stats genius. He understands which players should be playing where and why. This makes him great at fantasy football; then reality comes center stage. His best friend, Anna, is the granddaughter of Joe Warren, the man who has brought NFL football back to Los Angeles. But the team, the Bulldogs, havent done much, and Joes son, the GM, is being blamed. Enter Charlie, who loves the team and soon comes to love Joe Warren as the father and grandfather he never had. Charlie shares his massive football knowledge with Joe, and soon players are being recruited at Charlies suggestion. Couple this with the fact Anna has turned Charlie into something of a podcast celebrity, and suddenly Charlie is catnip for the media. Thats great until things start to go wrong. Theres a lot of football here: pro and fantasy teams and Charlies own Pop Warner career. Veteran sportswriter Lupica handles it all very well. However, its the heart and depth he adds to the story depicting Charlies relationships with a sterling cast of characters that make this unique. This Moneyball story with kids is on the money.
Review
4Q 5P M J Lupica, Mike. Fantasy League. Philomel/Penguin, 2014. 304p. $17.99. 978-0-399-25607-3.
Twelve-year-old Charlie Gaines, nicknamed the “Brain,” knows everything about football. He watches the games, studies the stats, and sees things professionals seem to miss. His best friend, Annas, grandfather, Joe Warren, owns the L.A. Bulldogs, an expansion team with a history of losing. Anna knows almost as much about football as Charlie and they love watching games and talking football, especially how they would turn the Bulldogs around. At Annas urging Charlie suggests to Warren that he draft an older quarterback who will probably be dropped by his current team. He is astonished when Warren takes this advice. Word gets out that Warren is taking suggestions from a twelve-year-old and both Charlie and Warren take considerable grief from the media. When Warren acts a second time on Charlies advice, the media has a field day. Will these choices prove positive for the Bulldogs? Throughout this, Charlie is also player/assistant coach in a Pop Warner league, not confident that he is talented enough.
Fantasy League by Lupica is the feel good book of the year. Charlie and Anna are truly best friends. It is heartwarming to see a friendship develop between septuagenarian Warren and Charlie, whose father left when he was young. Warren becomes friend/father/grandfather rolled into one. Lupica touches on family, illness, self-confidence, and more in an easy-reading, enjoyable way. While the plot is predictable, the action and characters make Fantasy League a fun read. Primarily geared to boys, female sports fans might enjoy this as well.—Ed Goldberg.
Synopsis
What would you do with a million dollars, if you were 13?
Nate Brodie is nicknamed “Brady” not only for his arm, but also because he’s the biggest Tom Brady fan. He’s even saved up to buy an autographed football. And when he does, he wins the chance for something he’s never dreamed of—to throw a pass through a target at a Patriots game for one million dollars.
Nate should be excited. But things have been tough lately. His dad lost his job and his family is losing their home. It’s no secret that a million dollars would go a long way. So all Nate feels is pressure, and just when he needs it most, his golden arm begins to fail him. Even worse, his best friend Abby is going blind, slowly losing her ability to do the one thing she loves most—paint. Yet Abby never complains, and she is Nate’s inspiration. He knows she’ll be there when he makes the throw of a lifetime.
Mike Lupica’s latest sports novel is also his most heartwarming.
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Synopsis
In the tradition of About a Boy comes a feel good sports and holiday novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Mike Lupica.
Josh Cameron has it all: a World Championship ring with the Boston Celtics, an MVP award, a clean-cut image, and the adoration of millions. What he doesn't have is family. Until the day 12-year-old smartaleck Molly Parker confronts him in a parking lot and claims to be his daughterthe only daughter of Jen Parker, Josh's college sweetheart and the still the only girl he's ever loved. Trouble is, Jen Parker died last year, and now Molly has tracked down the father she never knew, the one her mother never wanted her to know about. Josh Cameron cares about two things only: himself, and basketball. The last thing this superstar wants or needs is a 12-year-old daughter. Yet this isn't just any 12-year-old. Mr. World Champion has finally met his match.
[T]his novel is . . . an enjoyable read with interesting peeks into the world of professional basketball. It will appeal to young teen sports enthusiasts as well as kids just looking for a good story.” VOYA
Lupica delivers a winning novel, creating a realistic character in Molly. Young readers will also enjoy the look inside Josh's pampered sports-superstar world.” Booklist
Lupica is an extraordinarily smooth writer with a great ear for witty repartee.” Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Two of New York Times bestseller and legendary sportswriter Mike Lupica's best loved and bestselling titles in one action-packed volume! The action is on the basketball court in Travel Team, when the underdogs get a second chance and prove that you can't measure heart. In The Big Field, the baseball league championship is on the line, but just how far is reluctant second-baseman Hutch willing to bend to be a good teammate?
Synopsis
Twelve-year-old Michael Arroyo lives in the shadows of Yankee Stadium, home of his heroes, but a place that might as well be on a different continent since he can’t afford to see the inside. He also lives in the shadows of his Bronx neighborhood, hiding from the bill collectors and the officials who would separate him from his seventeen-year-old brother if they knew the two boys were living on their own. Baseball is Michael’s only salvation, along with his dream of playing in the Little League World Series—until a rival accuses Michael of being older than the league limit. With no parents and a birth certificate that is stuck in his native Cuba, the shadows in Michael’s life grow darker. But that is when heroes emerge, and for Michael, heroes don’t come any bigger than the Yankees.
Synopsis
For Hutch, shortstop has always been home. It?s where his father once played professionally, before injuries relegated him to watching games on TV instead of playing them. And it?s where Hutch himself has always played and starred. Until now. The arrival of Darryl ?D-Will? Williams, the top shortstop prospect from Florida since A-Rod, means Hutch is displaced, in more ways than one. Second base feels like second fiddle, and when he sees his father giving fielding tips to D-Will?the same father who can?t be bothered to show up to watch his son play?Hutch feels betrayed. With the summer league championship on the line, just how far is Hutch willing to bend to be a good teammate?
Mike Lupica returns to the big field for the first time since his #1 New York Times bestseller Heat and delivers a feel-good home run, showing how love of the game is a language fathers and sons speak from the heart.
Synopsis
When youre the smallest kid playing a big mans game, the challenges never stopespecially when your name is Danny Walker. Leading your travel team to the national championship may seem like a dream come true, but for Danny, being at the top just means the competition tries that much harder to knock him off. Now Dannys leaving Middletown for the summer and heading to Right Way basketball camp, where hes out of his element and maybe out of his league. The countrys best ballers are in attendance, and Danny will need to raise his game if he wants to match up. But it wont be easy. Old rivals and new battles leave Danny wondering if he really has what it takes to stand tall.
Synopsis
Josh Cameron is MVP of the championship Boston Celtics and a media darling with a spotless reputation. He has it all . . . including a daughter he never knew. When twelve-year-old Molly Parker arrives in his life, claiming to be his daughter, she catches him off guard. Molly says her mom, Jen, revealed his identity before losing her battle with cancer. Josh isn?t so sure about this girl?she must be trying to scam him for his money. Still, there?s something about Molly that reminds him so much of Jen. But as Molly gets to know the real Josh, the one the camera never sees, she starts to understand why her mother never wanted her to know her dad. Josh has room in his heart for only two things: basketball and himself. Does Molly really want this man for a father? Together, these two strangers learn that sometimes, for things to end up the way you want them to, you have to fire up a prayer at the buzzer and hope it goes in.
Synopsis
Twelve-year-old Danny Walker may be the smallest kid on the basketball court--but don't tell him that. Because no one plays with more heart or court sense. But none of that matters when he is cut from his local travel team, the very same team his father led to national prominence as a boy. Danny's father, still smarting from his own troubles, knows Danny isn't the only kid who was cut for the wrong reason, and together, this washed-up former player and a bunch of never-say-die kids prove that the heart simply cannot be measured.
Travel Team is an inspirational tale in the tradition of The Bad News Bears and Hoosiers. It will leave readers of all ages cheering.
Synopsis
From the #1 New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica comes the story of baseball's unsung hero: The Batboy
It is every baseball kids dream summer job: batboy for your hometown Major League team. Yet for fourteen year- old Brian, the job means more than just the chance to hang around his idols. Baseball was the job his father loved so much, in the end he couldnt leave it. Yet he could leave his family. Now Brian sees the job as the way to win back his father.
There is no winning back some people, though. Just ask Hank Bishoponce the most popular player in baseball before he was banned for using steroids. Now he is making his comeback. And an unlikely friendship slowly develops between this man in need of a family and this boy in need of a father.
Mike Lupica, king of the sports novel, delivers his most powerful and kid-friendly to date.
A pennant winner.” Kirkus Reviews
Lupica. . .giv[es] his readers a behind-the-scenes look at major league sports. In this novel, he adds genuine insights into family dynamics and the emotional state of his hero.” Booklist
[T]his novel will undoubtedly appeal to those who equate summer with baseball, it should also win over readers who appreciate finely crafted storytelling and engaging characters.” School Library Journal
Synopsis
Fourteen-year-old Billy Harriman can feel the changes. The sharpening of his senses. The incredible strength. The speed, as though he can textmessage himself across miles. The confidence and the strange need to patrol Central Park at night. His dad had been a hero, a savior to America and a confidante of the president. Then he died, and the changes began in Billy. What Billy never knew was that his father was no ordinary man-he was a superhero, battling the world's evil. This is a battle that has been waged for generations and that knows no boundaries.
And now it's Billy's turn to take on the fight. It's Billy's turn to become a hero.
Synopsis
From #1 New York Times bestselling author of TRAVEL TEAM, HEAT, and MILLION-DOLLAR THROW comes a cheer-worthy, family-friendly football novel set amid the Friday Night Lights world of Texas high school football
Jake Cullen is a freshman quarterback playing high school football in Texas, the high-pressure land of Friday Night Lights. He is also the brother of Wyatt Cullen, who quarterbacked his team to the Texas State Championship last season--not to mention the son of former NFL quarterback and local legend, Troy Cullen. To be a Cullen in Texas is to be football royalty . . . which leaves 14-year-old Jake in a Texas-sized shadow. Being a good teammate comes naturally to Jake; being a winner and a celebrity does not. Jake may be a Cullen, and he may play quarterback, but he is not his brother or his father. He's just like every other kid: fighting for every ounce of respect, awkward around a pretty girl, in awe of his famous family, and desparate to simultaneously blend in and cast his own shadow. Inspired by the real-life Manning family of quarterbacks and set amid the football-crazy culture of Texas, QB 1 is a coming-of-age story perfect for the fan of MILLION-DOLLAR THROW and HEAT.
Synopsis
Mike Lupica sinks a three-pointer with this #1 New York Times bestselling basketball novel for teens
Twelve-year-old Danny Walker may be the smallest kid on the basketball court--but don't tell him that. Because no one plays with more heart or court sense. But none of that matters when he is cut from his local travel team, the very same team his father led to national prominence as a boy. Danny's father, still smarting from his own troubles, knows Danny isn't the only kid who was cut for the wrong reason, and together, this washed-up former player and a bunch of never-say-die kids prove that the heart simply cannot be measured.
Travel Team is an inspirational tale in the tradition of The Bad News Bears and Hoosiers. It will leave readers of all ages cheering.
In a story every bit as exciting and tear-jerking as any novel or movie in its genre Hoosiers, Mighty Ducks, The Bad News Bears Danny gets his chance at glory. Lupica . . . has the knowledge of the game and the lean prose to make this a taut, realistic story not just about the game but about heart, character, and family. A winner.” Kirkus Reviews
Lupica . . . sets the scene for on-court action, and delivers play-by-play descriptions . . . that will thrill basketball buffs. Genuinely affecting.” Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
The sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Travel Team!
When youre the smallest kid playing a big mans game, the challenges never stopespecially when your name is Danny Walker. Leading your travel team to the national championship may seem like a dream come true, but for Danny, being at the top just means the competition tries that much harder to knock him off. Now Dannys leaving Middletown for the summer and heading to Right Way basketball camp, where hes out of his element and maybe out of his league. The countrys best ballers are in attendance, and Danny will need to raise his game if he wants to match up. But it wont be easy. Old rivals and new battles leave Danny wondering if he really has what it takes to stand tall.
Lupica is at his best when he puts the reader right in the center of the action on the court. His game descriptions are fast, accurate, and exciting. Young sports-fiction fans will eat this up.” Booklist
Sports fans will relish the on-court action, expertly rendered in Lupica's taut prose. This worthy sequel to Travel Team should earn a wide audience.” School Library Journal
Lupica knows his basketball and knows how to spin a page-turner of a story. Those who enjoyed the first installment of Danny's story will be thrilled to read a sequel, and even those middle school readers who are not huge sports fans will want to cheer for Danny Walker, who proves that determination can be a whole lot bigger than height.” VOYA
Synopsis
#1 New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica tackles football!
Will Tyler can fly on a football field. He may not be the biggest running back around, but no one can touch him when it comes to hitting the hole and finding the end zone. And no one can match his love of the game. When Will has a football in hand, he may as well be flying for real because life can't touch him - his dad isn't so defeated, his town isn't so poor, and everyone has something to cheer for. All of which does him no good if the football season is canceled. With no funding for things like uniforms and a cared-for playing field, with seemingly every other family moving to find jobs, there simply isn't enough money or players for a season. Unless one kid can rally an entire town and give everyone a reason to believe . . .
For fans of his bestselling novels Travel Team and Million-Dollar Throw, Mike Lupica delivers a feel-good sports story that will have readers cheering where they sit.
There's plenty of action for sports fans, and readers will root for Will and his teammates till the very last page.” School Library Journal
[F]ootball fans will
respond to the detailed and exciting game action once the season gets rolling and find inspiration in Will and his teammates' tenacity.” Publishers Weekly
Will's ingenuity and loyalty are encouraging, causing readers to want to cheer him on as he makes his dream come true.” VOYA
About the Author
Mike Lupica is the #1 bestselling author of many popular books for young readers, including QB 1, Heat, Travel Team, Million-Dollar Throw, and The Underdogs. He has carved out a niche as the sporting worlds finest storyteller. Mike lives in Connecticut with his wife and their four children. When not writing novels, Mike Lupica writes for New York's Daily News, appears on ESPN's The Sports Reporters and hosts The Mike Lupica Show on ESPN Radio. You can visit Mike Lupica at mikelupicabooks.com