POP
Canadian Edition
ISBN 9781443142816
eISBN 9781443124607
ASIN B078H2DQW2
American Edition
Wow this book took me completely by surprise. I had not read the description, the four different covers I have come across make it clear football (American not European) plays a central role. I have read 47 titles from the pen of Korman, most over the last 5 year. I had read a few back in 2009 when the 39 Clues first came out. I do not recall reading any when I was young, but with my dual form of dyslexia I did not read many Children’s or Middle Grade books. It was only later I learned to really read. My son and I started reading Gordon Korman books together a five years ago, when he was given one as an end of year gift by his teacher. She gave the whole class the same Scholastic edition and wrote a note to each student in their copy of the book. Some he reads to me, some we use adaptive technology and listen to in the car, and some I just read on my own. This one fell in that final category.
The description of this book states:
“Gordon Korman's acclaimed and timely YA novel explores the dangerous side of high school sports. Marcus is new in town and is hoping to make the championship high school football team, but it seems like a closed club, run by current star Troy.
One day, while tossing the ball around in a park, Marcus meets Charlie, a man in his fifties who can play football like an old pro, which is exactly what he happens to be - a former NFL player and local celebrity. Charlie has boundless energy and coaches Marcus on his fear of being tackled, but as Marcus becomes more involved in this friendship it becomes painfully obvious to him, through the simplicity of Charlie's thoughts, that the long-term effects of the violent plays he suffered during his glory days have taken their toll.
With wit and sensitivity, Gordon Korman tackles truths about high school sports and the quirky, yet poignant friendship that develops between Marcus and Charlie.”
Another description states:
“Pop delivers suspense, humor, sports action, and a compelling look at the damage those "pop"s in football can cause
Gordon Korman's books appeal to a wide range of kids and adults and can pull in even reluctant readers. Share Pop in your home or classroom; sports fans in particular won't be able to put it down.
When Marcus moves to a new town in the dead of summer, he doesn't know a soul. While practicing football for impending tryouts, he strikes up a friendship with a man named Charlie, the best football player Marcus has ever seen. He can't believe his good luck when he finds out that Charlie is Charlie Popovich, or "the King of Pop," as he'd been nicknamed during his career as an NFL linebacker.
Charlie turns out to be a prankster, and his actions get Marcus in trouble. He's also the father of the quarterback at Marcus's new school—who leads the team in icing out the new kid.
The story of a good kid's struggle to land on his feet in a new town after his parents split up combines with compelling sports action and even some romance in Gordon Korman's Pop.”
This story hits the ground running, no pun intended. Marcus is in a park practicing throwing footballs by himself, when a man runs up a sculpture dives and catches the ball. The friendship is quirky from the start, a high school jock and a middle age man who seems to have time on his hands. Soon Marcus is relishing their workout sessions and getting hammered (tackled really really hard) by this man and his own hitting improves drastically. Soon he goes from second string quarter back to first string blocker and tackle. But their just might be a reason for that quirkiness and It is not what Marcus at first assumes.
This was a fascinating read and Gordon does an amazing job of coveting the topics with a sensitive touch. As a Canadian I know hockey players who have had issues later because of concussion syndrome, and the NHL had numerous examples of former enforcers who struggled once they were off the ice and aging. Even an elite goalie who won the Stanley Cup and then disappeared for a few years. I also went to high school with a guy who could have been Charlie but the symptoms hit even before his university playing days were over.
This was a very moving story, and to be honest one of Korman’s best! Few of us have not heard news or seen former boxers, football, or hockey players that have not been impacted by too many hits to the head. But Korman crafts a tale of coming of age, friendship across generational lines, and even putting your own neck on the line to help a friend.
According to Goodreads there are over 30 editions of this book. And I have come across 4 different cover styles. I like the one of the two players head to head most but the one of jersey material with stitching like a football down the side is very catching as well.
This was one of those Korman stories that does have some laughs but also some deep sorrow. It is an excellent read and one that really makes you think. For myself now especially as a father of teenagers. An excellent story I can easily recommend.
Books by Gordon Korman:
MacDonald Hall Series:
Go Jump in the Pool (1979)
Beware the Fish! (1980)
The Wizzle War (1982)
(formerly The War With Mr. Wizzle)
The Zucchini Warriors (1988)
Light’s Camera, Disaster (1991)
(aka Macdonald Hall Goes Hollywood)
The Jokes on Us (1995)
(formerly Something Fishy at Macdonald Hall)
…
Bugs Potter Series:
Who is Bugs Potter? (1980)
…
Jeremy Bloom Series:
The D−Poems of Jeremy Bloom (1992)
The Last-Place Sports Poems of Jeremy Bloom (1996)
…
Monday Night Football Series:
The Quarterback Exchange (1997)
Running Back Conversion (1997)
Super Bowl Switch (1997)
Heavy Artillery (1997)
Ultimate Scoring Machine (1998)
NFL Rules! Bloopers, Pranks, Upsets, and Touchdowns (1998)
…
Masterminds Series:
Masterminds (2015)
Masterminds: Payback (2017)
…
Slapshots Series:
The Stars From Mars (1999)
All-Mars All-Stars/The Dream Team (1999)
The Face-off Phony (2000)
Cup Crazy (2000)
Ouch I got slapped (2023)
…
4-in-1 Slapshots: The Complete Collection (2008)
…
Nose Pickers Series:
Nose Pickers from Outer Space! (1999)
Planet of the Nose Pickers (2000)
Your Mummy Is a Nose Picker (2000)
Invasion of the Nose Pickers (2001)
…
4-in-1 The Ultimate Nose-Picker Collection (2006)
…
Island Series:
Shipwreck (2001)
Survival (2001)
Escape (2001)
…
3-in-1 Island Trilogy Collection (2006)
…
Son of the Mob Series:
Son of the Mob (2002)
Son of the Mob 2: Hollywood Hustle (2004)
…
Everest Series:
The Contest (2002)
The Climb (2002)
The Summit (2002)
…
Everest Trilogy Box Set (2002)
Dive Series:
The Discovery (2003)
The Deep (2003)
The Danger (2003)
…
On the Run Series:
Chasing the Falconers (2005)
The Fugitive Factor (2005)
The Stowaway Solution (2005)
Public Enemies (2005)
Hunting the Hunter (2006)
…
Kidnapped Series:
The Abduction (2006)
The Search (2006)
The Rescue (2006)
…
Swindle Series:
Swindle (2008)
Zoobreak (2009)
Framed (2010)
Showoff (2012)
Hideout (2013)
Jackpot (2014)
Unleashed (2015)
Jingle (2016)
…
Titanic Series:
Unsinkable (2011)
Collision Course (2011)
S.O.S (2011)
…
The 39 Clues Series:
One False Note (2008)
The Emperor's Code (2010)
Vespers Rising (2011)
The Medusa Plot (2011)
Flashpoint (2014)
…
Hypnotists Series:
The Hypnotists (2013)
Memory Maze (2014)
The Dragonfly Effect (2015)
…
Ungifted Series:
Ungifted (2012)
Supergifted (2018)
…
Slacker Series:
...
Non Series Books:
I Want to Go Home! (1981)
Our Man Weston (1982)
No Coins, Please (1984)
Don't Care High (1985)
Son of Interflux (1986)
Radio 5th Grade (1989)
Losing Joe's Place (1990)
The Twinkie Squad (1992)
The Toilet Paper Tigers (1993)
Why Did the Underwear Cross the Road (1994)
The Chicken Doesn't Skate (1996)
Liar, Liar Pants on Fire (1997)
No More Dead Dogs (2000)
Maxx Comedy: The Funniest Kid in America (2003)
Jake, Reinvented (2003)
Born To Rock (2006)
Schooled (2007)
The Juvie Three (2008)
Pop (2009)
Restart (2017)
What's His Face? (2018)
The Unteachables (2019)
Notorious (2019)
War Stories (2020)
Game On (contains The Chicken Doesn’t Skate and The Toilet Paper Tigers (2021)
Unplugged (2021)
Linked (2021)
Operation Do-Over (2022)
The Fort (2022)
The Super Teacher Project (2023)
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