Off the Mat

This mother and son team offers a plodding story of the tempestuous friendship between two boys, African American Dennis and his white classmate Ricky. When Dennis begins eighth grade in Ricky's predominately white school, Ricky, the captain of the wrestling team, encourages Dennis to take up that sport after he is cut from the basketball squad. They two remain best buddies until 10th grade, when they enroll in different high schools and become fierce rivals on the wrestling mat. Their friendship now ostensibly over, both are determined to win the county wrestling championship, which brings with it a scholarship to a state college. The results of the final showdown on the mat will surprise no one-nor will the concluding, sticky-sweet scene in which the two make nice and Ricky blatantly delivers the moral of the story, proclaiming that ""our friendship is much more important than winning a wrestling match."" By turns preachy and melodramatic, encumbered by dialogue unlikely to be uttered by any teenager today, this is an easy pass. Ages 10-up. (Jan.) ~ Picture Book Reprints