Crackerjack Halfback By Matt Christopher Review done by Joe Shalek

Christopher, Matt, and Karen Meyer. Crackerjack Halfback. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 1996. Print.

Freddie Chase is a good football player with one major flaw: He's afraid to tackle. He tries hard to cover up his fear, but soon Coach Sears and the other Sandpipers know all about it. The team is fighting to finish the season at the top of the league, but how can they hope to succeed when one of their players lets the opposition run right by him? Coach Sears has no choice but to take Freddie out of the lineup. Now it's up to Freddie to earn his way back onto the starting team. But can he overcome his fear?

Review

This stroy is great for students who are scared of playing sports. In my physical education class I would use this book as a lesson before an adventure education unit. Many students are affraid of the ropes course or the climbing wall. When students are able to empathize with a character like Freddie they may be able to face their fears a little more. I think that I would have my students write a story similar to a situation they have encountered similar to Freddie's. I would ask my students to explain how overcoming fears in all aspects of life can be different. I think in the middle school years fear of many things is evident. Fear of being rejected by peer groups, failure in sports, or fear of what the future will bring are all common fears for students of this age group. I would hope to have a great class discussion on how simply talking about your fears can help ease them, especially when you learn that your peers have some of the same fears as you. I read the older version of this novel so the cover was "old school" I think modernizing the cover and adding pictures would enhance the chance of kids wanting to read it right off the shelf. Matt Christopher has written a plethora of novels that are sports related. When I was growing up I could not stop reading his books. In my mind his stories have passed the test of time. I think students in today's classroom who enjoy sports and physical activities will like these novels.