cover image Athlete vs. Mathlete

Athlete vs. Mathlete

W.C. Mack. Bloomsbury, $16.99 (224p) ISBN 978-1-59990-858-8

In this series opener, Mack (After All, You’re Callie Boone) introduces athletic seventh-grader Owen and his klutzy, academic-minded fraternal twin, Russell. The boys are content with their respective roles until the new school basketball coach, impressed by Russell’s height, invites him to try out for the team. No one is more shocked than Russell when he makes the cut, along with Owen, but his victory precipitates a flurry of conflicts for both boys. Although Russell shows an uncanny talent for making three-pointers, his dribbling skills are sorely lacking, and basketball practice interferes with his responsibilities as leader of his academic competition group. Meanwhile, Owen resents the attention Russell gets as he crosses into sports territory (“Even though I knew it wouldn’t be a big deal to anyone else, I hated that Russ suddenly had the cool shoes and the awesome jump shot”). Offering an honest and funny representation of sibling rivalry and peer pressure, this contemporary tale, told from the boys’ alternating points of view, ought to find a large fan base. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sally Harding, the Cooke Agency. (Feb.)