KICKOFF!

Twelve-year-old twins Tiki and Ronde Barber live with their single mother and play football as often as possible. Now they are starting junior high and ready to try out for the school team. Unfortunately, things aren’t going as planned. Their mother has requested that they be in separate classes, and neither boy feels comfortable raising his hand, for fear of being mocked. Tough kids are present and need to be dealt with, and worst of all, while both make the football team, neither is first string. Each problem is addressed in turn: Through her participation in an environmental campaign, their mother proves that speaking out can be important; the tough kids calm down once football begins; and while the boys spend most of their time practicing and warming the bench, they both get to play in games and assert their individuality in the process. A straightforward, appealing read inspired by the experiences of the Barber twins, two real-life NFL superstars, this will be particularly popular with boys and sports fans. Includes a glossary of football terms. (Fiction. 8-12)