Wallace, R. (1997) Shots on Goal. New York, NY: Alfred Knopf Books.

Brief annotation: This novel is about 15 year old Barry, “Bones” who is a sophomore starter on his high school’s soccer team. This is the first year their team has been any good, but the pressure of the team combines with competition for a girl to put great strains on Bones’s relationship with his best friend, forward and team star, Joey. As the season progresses their friendship is tested until one night Bones kisses Joey’s girlfriend.

Genre: Sports fiction
Grade level: 4-8
Readers who will like this: Boys. Teenagers in general. Students who like books about sports. Students who like books about teenage relationships.
Response/rating: 3 I was shocked how much I liked this book. I had been dreading the sports fiction requirement, but I ended up really enjoying this book. Having only read books about teenage girls growing up, it was fun to read a book from a teenage boy’s perspective. I could have done with a little less of the sports writing however.
One question you would ask before read aloud: “Have you ever gotten into a fight with one of your best friends? What was it about? How did you solve it?”