Million Dollar Kick ANNOTATION
Thirteen-year-old Whisper, who hates sports, is torn when she gets a chance to win a million dollars by kicking a goal against a local soccer hero.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Whisper Nelson's mental videotape remembers everything -- including scoring a point for the opposing team in her last soccer match four years ago (yikes!). So when she wins a chance to kick a goal past a professional soccer player for a million dollars, she is torn. Should she risk further humiliation and failure in front of all of Oklahoma City -- and worse, in front of her whole middle school? Win or lose, taking the million dollar kick might be exactly what Whisper needs to make her dreams come true.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
Dan Gutman's The Million Dollar Kick does for soccer what his The Million Dollar Shot did for basketball. Whisper Nelson, a seventh grader living in Oklahoma City, enters a competition to create the best slogan (the Million Dollar Kick Contest at the Donut City) and wins "the chance to take a single shot against the Kick goalkeeper Carmen Applegate for a million dollars." Once again the author works into the story line a plethora of tips and facts about the game, making this a book for reluctant players and soccer fans alike. (Sept.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
Children's Literature
Would you attempt to kick a soccer goal that could win you a million dollars? This question seems an easy one to answer, unless, of course, you are Whisper Nelson. Whisper, an alienated eighth grader, feels like an outsider, at odds with her peers, her family and society's values. When she accidentally wins a contest that has her vying for a million dollars, she must wrestle with her fear of failure and her aversion to attention. Once she decides to attempt the kick, her life begins to turn around. She makes friends with others who have felt the same insecurities and who offer her advice about how to improve her skills as a soccer player and how to gain self-confidence. Her growth as an athlete and a person is complete by the end of this engaging book. Readers will find themselves routing for Whisper and identifying with her feelings. The author has created believable characters and has crafted a fast-moving and engrossing plot. The tale also includes a healthy discussion of several social issues, such as the role of sports in our society and our increasing neglect of the environment. A multi-faceted book such as this should not be missed. 2001, Hyperion Books for Children, $15.99. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer:Michele Gable
School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-Seventh-grader Whisper can't stand soccer. Her little sister is the family sports star. However, Whisper is the one who is tapped for a contest promotion and she must try to kick a goal past the town's leading professional star in front of a whole stadium full of soccer fanatics. The prize is one million dollars, but Whisper isn't sure the potential humiliation is worth it. She suspects that no one in her family really believes she can do it. Her classmates don't offer much support either. It seems her only ally is Jesse, a self-styled "computer nerd," and Whisper doesn't know if she wants to be seen with him, even if he has created a laptop simulation that could help her succeed. Gutman paints a sharp, funny portrait of middle-school society. The dialogue rings true and the various cliques and subgroups will strike a familiar chord with adolescent readers. This is an exciting sports story with a compelling message about individuality and self-confidence, as well as a touch of romance.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
Home
