Gr 6–10—Autumn is a wrestler. She loves the hard work, discipline, and the challenge of gaining control of her opponent. On the mat, Autumn is a quick-thinking powerhouse, the result of intense training, dedication, and passion for the sport. But in school, she struggles to keep up in her classes and she can't read. Aside from wrestling, Autumn's true love is Adonis, the wrestling team manager. However, Adonis finds her annoying and stupid. Adonis is a stellar student, has no legs, is in a wheelchair, and is intolerant of limitations in himself and others. He seeks perfection, and Autumn is far from perfect, yet he can't seem to get her out of his head. When Adonis is asked to tutor Autumn, they enter into a grueling match armed with dramatically different skills, and both come out winners. Flake has created a satisfying and dramatic urban tale (Scholastic, 2012) that has no foul language or questionable activities. She turns stereotypes on their head, creating strong, but flawed characters that rely on their strengths to overcome adversity. Told in alternating chapters, Bhani Turpin and Dominic Hoffman are spot-on as the bold and sassy Autumn and the stoic Adonis. Pair the audio with the book to capture the attention of reluctant readers.—
Lisa Hubler, Charles F. Brush High School, Lyndhurst, OH
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