Review: Bounce Back by Hena Khan

BOUNCE BACK

Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream

Book Three

by Hena Khan

Salaam Reads

Middle Grade Sports

114 pages

ages 8 to 12

From the critically acclaimed author of Amina’s Voice comes the third book in an exciting middle grade series about a scrawny fourth-grader with big dreams of basketball stardom.

Zayd has a plan. He’s ready to take the reins as team captain of the Gold Team.

But when an injury leaves him on the sidelines, his plans get derailed. Can Zayd learn what it means to be a leader if he’s not the one calling the shots?

MY TIDBITS

This is the third book in the series and while it is more fun to follow Zayd from the very beginning, these can be read as stand-alones.

Zayd's basketball life is looking up. He has a brand new, straight hoop at home to practice with, and he has a real shot at becoming team captain. But when a misstep during practice ends with a sprained ankle four weeks of sitting out might be more than he can handle. To add to his troubles, his grandfather suffers a heart-attack and his entire family is on edge.

I'm liking this series more and more as it progresses. Zayd is a normal kid who loves basketball. It's his dream to become a star player, and he's doing everything he can to achieve it even though it's not an easy path. His disappointment at the injury is understandable and his frustration believable. The only thing which bugged me here was that he didn't attend practices during this period but sat on the couch. For those kids who were that interested in their team and the sport, this is unusual as they would still be on the sidelines following everything as much as possible. (The coach would even insist on it). But this is only a small issues which doesn't hurt the story.

The author does a great job of balancing Zayd's interest and troubles with basketball with real life. His family is close knit and adds a wonderful note to the court troubles. Zayd's care and concern for his grandparents and his way of handling it are heart-warming and very natural. It's a mix which makes him easy to identify with and a story which draws in book after book. The addition of his family's cultural difference also adds a nice dash of spice. The author builds these small details in so smoothly and naturally. I'm excited to see what happens to Zayd next.

And here she is...
Hena Khan is author of several books including Amina's Voice; Power Forward: On Point; Bounce Back; It's Ramadan, Curious George; Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns; and The Night of the Moon. Hena lives in her hometown of Rockville, Maryland, with her husband and two sons. You can learn more about Hena by visiting her website at HenaKhan.com.

Review: On Point by Hena Khan

ON POINT

Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream

Book Two

by Hena Khan

Salaam Reads

Middle Grade Sports

ages 7 to 10

144 pages

From the critically acclaimed author of Amina’s Voice comes the second book in an exciting new middle grade series about a scrawny fourth-grader with big dreams of basketball stardom.

Now that Zayd has made the Gold Team, he’s hustling hard and loving every minute of the season.

But when team starts to struggle, Zayd can’t help wondering if it has something to do with him. Even worse, his best friend Adam suddenly starts acting like he doesn’t care about basketball anymore, even though they are finally teammates. He stops playing basketball with Zayd at recess and starts hanging out with other kids. Then, Adam up and quits the Gold Team to play football instead.

While his uncle’s wedding preparations turn life into a circus at home, Zayd is left on his own to figure things out. He has to decide how to still be friends with Adam and step up to fill the empty shoes he left on the court. Does Zayd have what it takes to be on point and lead his team back to victory?

MY TIDBITS

Basketball on and off the court take on exciting twists in a novel for sport fans.

Zayd is now on the team, just where he always hoped to be. But nothing's going quite like he expected it would. The team's unbeatable season the year before seems like a forgotten dream as they lose game after game. To make matters worse, Adam, the team captain and best player, is thinking about switching to football. Zayd finds himself lost as all others begin to look to him for direction. But then, even his family seems to be doing odd things with the wedding coming up.

I did read the first book in the series and suggest starting with it before hitting this one, since much of the character grounding happens in book one.

Zayd's enthusiasm dies quickly in this book and his disappointment is tangible. He never comes across as a whiner either. Zayd is simply at a loss and insecure now that the coach expects more from him. The emotions are real without being over-emphasized, and it's something kids will easily identify with. Especially when it comes to the problems with his best friend, as Adam chooses a different road. There's a lot changing, and it's exactly this which the book looks at.

The author does a nice job at balancing Zayd's family life with his sport one, while building in a wonderful parallel. While Zayd is having trouble in his new leading position, his uncle is having similar problems when it comes to the wedding organization. It's a clear message without feeling preachy.

Like in the first book, the basketball moments come across smoothly and spot on. Zayd is in the game as any boy his age would be. The traditions of the Pakistani wedding also fall subtly in along the sidelines, giving the story a nice flair while gently informing the reader about the culture.

In other words, this is again an interesting read sport fans are sure to enjoy, and the short length makes it easy to read.


And here she is...

Hena Khan is the author of several books including Amina's Voice; Power Forward; On Point; Bounce Back; It's Ramadan, Curious George; Golden Domes and  Silver Lanterns; and The Night of the Moon. Hena lives in her hometown of Rockville, Maryland, with her husband and two sons. You can learn more about Hena by visiting her website at HenaKhan.com.

Review: Elle of the Ball by Elena Delle Donne

ELLE OF THE BALL

Hoops #1

by Elena Delle Donne

Simon & Schuster 

Middle Grade Sports

160 pages

Elle Deluca is a seventh grader who is tall—not just sort of tall. She’s six feet tall. And for a twelve-year-old girl, this means that her basketball team has high hopes for her changing positions and becoming their starting center. But a new position is not the only footwork she has to learn. Her class’s dance unit in gym is coming up, and that means she has to learn ballroom dance steps with a boy much shorter than her—and perform publically for a grade. 

MY TIDBITS

This isn't only a book about a girl who plays basketball, but it dives into problems many sixth through ninth graders face.

Elle has a problem after summer break. She's tall. Super tall, and while her basketball team sees this as a chance for a great season, she's trying to figure out how to handle her changing body. Not only does she seem to have troubles handling her long legs and big feet, but a new challenge comes at her when she's faced with ballroom dancing.

There aren't many books out there, which center around middle grade girls and basketball. So this one is a treat in that sense alone. But this one goes a step further than that. Elle is a pretty average girl, except for the fact that she's a giant when compared to other girls her age. Her uncertainty and self-criticism is something very common for the age group, as kids try to figure out what to do with their developing bodies and where it puts them. But it's so much more than that. Even seemingly ridiculous things like ballroom dancing for a class pose problems as she has to find a dress and deal with dancing with someone much shorter than her. It's these types of 'little' problems kids will connect to and understand Elle's difficulties and uncertainties.

Elle isn't alone in this but has friends and understanding parents at her side. It's a wonderful balance between figuring things out for herself, while having the extra support when needed. The friendships are inspiring. . .not always perfect. . .but as they should be.

The author brings across a realistic, middle grade world. The concerns, actions, reactions and hopes fit the age group well. Some of the dialogue is a little unnatural at times, but not enough to bother the flow of the story. There's always something going on, and it's easy to empathize with Elle as she figures things out. The basketball scenes and how the age group views the sport are spot on, which will please basketball fans.

Girls who like basketball and tales of the troubles of growing up during middle grade are sure to enjoy this tale.



And here she is. . .

Elena Delle Donne has been a professional women's basketball player since 2013, when she was selected by the Chicago Sky second overall in the WNBA draft. She was the 2015 WNBA MVP and won the gold medal with the USA's women's basketball team in the 2016 Olympics. She is the global ambassador for the Special Olympics and became the first national ambassador for the Lyme Research Alliance. Elena also plays host to Delle Donne Academy, a basketball camp that runs throughout the year, where she mentors and coaches girls ages seven to eighteen. She now plays for the Washington, DC, Mystics.