The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn

Ben balances his duties as a life-sized potato against his desperate desire to hide the fact that he’s the dork in the suit. His school’s mascot is the Spud, and after a series of misfortunes, Ben is enlisted to don the potato costume and cheer on his school’s team.

The new kid in school endures becoming the school mascot.īen Hardy has never cared for potatoes, and this distaste has become a barrier to adjusting to life in his new Idaho town. The soccer scenes are vivid and will make readers wish for more, but the depiction of Nick as he unlocks his inner reader is smooth and believable. What the mostly free-verse novel does have is a likable protagonist, great wordplay, solid teen and adult secondary characters, and a clear picture of the challenges young people face when self-identity clashes with parental expectations. Alexander’s highly anticipated follow-up to Newbery-winning The Crossover is a reflective narrative, with little of the first book’s explosive energy. His soccer dream derailed, Nick turns to the books he has avoided and finds more than he expected. Nick senses something is going on with his parents, but their announcement that they are separating is an unexpected blow: “it’s like a bombshell / drops / right in the center / of your heart / and it splatters / all across your life.” The stress leads to counseling, and his life is further complicated by injury and emergency surgery. Fortunately, his best friend, Coby, shares his passion for soccer-and, sadly, the unwanted attention of twin bullies in their school. His linguistics-professor father carefully watches his educational progress, requiring extra reading and word study, much to Nick’s chagrin and protest.

Instead he daydreams about soccer, a girl he likes, and an upcoming soccer tournament. Nick Hall is a bright eighth-grader who would rather do anything other than pay attention in class.

The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn