Biographical Information of Author:
Joan Bauer has explored complex subjects with humor and optimism. Her renown books have achieved various awards like Newbery Honor Medal, the Christopher Award, and the LA Times Book Prize. Mrs. Bauer has gone both to Kazakhstan and Croatia, where she has lectured to students, talked to other writers, educators and children as part of her contribution to the State Department's professional speaker's program.
In addition, she has been awarded the honorary ASTAL, the Delacorte Prize for a First Young Adult Novel, Award for Children's Literature, among others. The novels have been selected for numerous best book lists, notably, ALA Notable Books, American Bookseller Pick of the List, School Library Journal Best Books, among others.
How is this book “Sports Related”?
The book is sports related because it talks of the game of pool, which is a sport.
What was the book about? Include plot, when, where, fictional, nonfictional:
“Sticks” is centered on a 10-year-old boy known as Mickey. Mickey is in love with playing pool and is incredibly devoted to what he does. His main aim is to follow in his father’s track and win the Nine-ball Championship. It is a fictional story with the conflict being when it deals with how Mickey has to face Pender, a boy three years older and the school bully. Buck relentlessly scoffs at Mickey, intimidating him to lose in the tournament. Naturally, Mickey loses self-confidence, until an old family friend, Alvarez, steps in to help. Conversely, Mickey's mother is weary of Alvarez’s intentions, therefore for him to help Mickey he requires to earn her trust.
List four main ideas or events of importance include pages located:
Overcoming Setbacks: This is a key message all over the book. Mickey ought to conquer a malevolent sprained hand to compete (pg. 132). Even though he does participate in the tournament hurt, he discovers inner strength via focus to overcome the pain (150).
Pursuit of Excellence: Arlen and Joseph Alvarez echo this (56). Bad tendencies must to be broken; chasing excellence denotes hard work, willpower, and modesty.
Dealing with Personal Loss: Mickey deals with the late father’s memory however learns the might of linking to his hurt and his legacy
List five new words, page that they were found on and the meaning in your own words
- Bank shot (pg 6, 7, 9) in pool, a bank shot is when one drives an object ball into a rail, and then into a pocket.
- Kick shot (pg 10) is when one drives the cue ball into the rail, and then into the object ball
- Cue Ball (pg 172) is a small, hard ball used in cue sports
- Pocket (pg 138) this is an opening on the pool table in which object balls are slotted into
- Rail (15) the sides of the pool table
Rate this book and explain why you gave it the rating *, **, ***, ****, or ***** with five stars being the best
The rating *****
“Sticks” is a book concerning relationships. Pool is linked to math and science; history broadcasts courage; losing results in winning; disappointment compels growth. Experience, exposure, and explanation have constantly been some of life's best teachers. The integration in Sticks offers students with a new approach not merely at pool, but at themselves and their surroundings.
Bauer, Joan. “Sticks: Between the Lines.” Book Links. July 1997.
