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Slugfest
Yash is the best athlete at Robinette Middle School. So good, in fact, that's he's already been playing on the high school’s JV sports teams. Imagine his shock when he learns that his JV practices have kept him from earning a state-mandated credit for eighth-grade PE. To graduate, he has to take Physical Education Equivalency—PEE—which is also known as "Slugfest," in summer school.
At Slugfest, Yash meets the other students. Kaden is an academic superstar who's physically hopeless. Twins Sarah and Stuart are too busy trying to kill each other to actually pay attention in class. Jesse is a notorious prankster. Arabella protests just about everything—including mandatory PE. And Cleo is a natural athlete who has sworn off sports. Then there’s their “coach,” Mrs. Tamara Finnerty, a retired teacher whose idea of physical education seems to have frozen in preschool. But Yash doesn't care—as long as he gets the credit. Too bad one of his fellow “slugs” is determined to blow the lid off a scandal that could make all their time in summer school a waste. And if that weren't bad enough, Yash is in danger of losing his star spot on the JV football team.
So Yash recruits his fellow PE rejects to train with him. Spending the summer with the most hapless crew in school can really surprise a person. And their teacher might be hiding the biggest surprise yet….
At Slugfest, Yash meets the other students. Kaden is an academic superstar who's physically hopeless. Twins Sarah and Stuart are too busy trying to kill each other to actually pay attention in class. Jesse is a notorious prankster. Arabella protests just about everything—including mandatory PE. And Cleo is a natural athlete who has sworn off sports. Then there’s their “coach,” Mrs. Tamara Finnerty, a retired teacher whose idea of physical education seems to have frozen in preschool. But Yash doesn't care—as long as he gets the credit. Too bad one of his fellow “slugs” is determined to blow the lid off a scandal that could make all their time in summer school a waste. And if that weren't bad enough, Yash is in danger of losing his star spot on the JV football team.
So Yash recruits his fellow PE rejects to train with him. Spending the summer with the most hapless crew in school can really surprise a person. And their teacher might be hiding the biggest surprise yet….
304 pages, Hardcover
Published January 9, 2024
161 people are currently reading
3359 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Korman
249 books4,409 followersGordon Korman is a Canadian author of children's and young adult fiction books. Korman's books have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide over a career spanning four decades and have appeared at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 325 reviews
February 6, 2024
Gordon Kormam never fails!
One of these days I'm going to make through all of Gordon Korman's work! As his latest release, Slugfest illustrates Korman's ability to grasp the experiences of middle grade readers. The book follows several different perspectives of 8th graders who all have to complete summer school classes to graduate and attend high school in the fall. While some of the students have more classes than others, all share the experience of having to complete a gym credit. Though they all come from different friend groups, each one of the characters learn more about themselves and each other and what it means to be a team.
What Worked: This book is so well written. For a book that contains multiple perspectives, Korman easily crafts fully fleshed out characters with distinct personalities. Korman also works hard to capture the typical experiences of eighth grades. Typically, a time when cliques begin to form and define students, Korman breaks all expectations and pushes each character to look beyond their own experiences and get to know those that they consider to be so different. There are characters that are considered "jocks," "nerds," "brainiacs," and more, yet gym class becomes the great equalizer. There is an underlining mystery regarding their gym teacher that also pushes students to "trust the process" and to never "judge a book by its cover." I adored the unity that they find amongst each other as well as the journey that they make as a group. They're human and unlikeable at times, but it reminded me of what I was like in middle school and how tough that period of transition was for me.
Overall, this was a well-written and fun book! I can't wait to dive more into Gordon Korman's books during the rest of this year.
One of these days I'm going to make through all of Gordon Korman's work! As his latest release, Slugfest illustrates Korman's ability to grasp the experiences of middle grade readers. The book follows several different perspectives of 8th graders who all have to complete summer school classes to graduate and attend high school in the fall. While some of the students have more classes than others, all share the experience of having to complete a gym credit. Though they all come from different friend groups, each one of the characters learn more about themselves and each other and what it means to be a team.
What Worked: This book is so well written. For a book that contains multiple perspectives, Korman easily crafts fully fleshed out characters with distinct personalities. Korman also works hard to capture the typical experiences of eighth grades. Typically, a time when cliques begin to form and define students, Korman breaks all expectations and pushes each character to look beyond their own experiences and get to know those that they consider to be so different. There are characters that are considered "jocks," "nerds," "brainiacs," and more, yet gym class becomes the great equalizer. There is an underlining mystery regarding their gym teacher that also pushes students to "trust the process" and to never "judge a book by its cover." I adored the unity that they find amongst each other as well as the journey that they make as a group. They're human and unlikeable at times, but it reminded me of what I was like in middle school and how tough that period of transition was for me.
Overall, this was a well-written and fun book! I can't wait to dive more into Gordon Korman's books during the rest of this year.
April 13, 2024
I have a problem. Not a huge problem. Not an insurmountable problem. It’s more of a wiggly, nagging, omnipresent problem that comes and goes but never quite disappears. Think of it like a sniffle that’s still around even on the hottest day in August. My problem involves librarians. You see, I’m a librarian myself, and each year I help run a committee at my library. The 101 Great Books for Kids list committee has one job and one job alone: Determine 101 books for children that are magnificent. It’s a tough job but somebody’s gotta do it. Fortunately, I have a team of highly skilled (and remarkably willing) participants at my library. Each month we read all the books we can on one genre or another (this month it’s fairytales/folktales/religious tales AND poetry AND graphic novels). The trouble comes when we have to read middle grade fiction. In layman’s terms, these are fictional books for kids between the ages of 9-12. Now I can get my fellow library workers to read almost every kind of book out there that there is, but the one thing that I cannot get them to read? Sports books. By gum, it’s like pulling teeth. You put a kid on cover of a book with a baseball/basketball/golf ball (for crying out loud) in their hand and that book will just sit and sit there, gathering dust. Now we know that there are kids out there that live for sports and we know that a fair chunk of those kids are readers. How the heck are we supposed to get them the books they need when we won’t read them ourselves? Fortunately, there is a solution to that problem, and his name is Gordon Korman. Adept at making books that are appealing to all kinds of people, even jaded library employees, he has done the impossible. Thanks to Slugfest, Korman has penned a book so enticing, so fun, so downright enjoyable, and so unapologetically sportsy, that it is impossible to resist. This is the sports book to rule them all. The book, quite frankly, that we’ve all been waiting for.
Yash is living a nightmare. Here he is, star player of Robinette Middle School, and he’s been playing on the high school’s JV teams for all of 8th grade. Now he’s been informed that a new law has ruined his life. Literally. Because he skipped PE class to play JV (at the school's request, mind you), he needs to make up that gym credit in order to graduate. Worse, he’ll be spending his summer school with a bunch of kids who failed gym or who are, put another way, slugs. Add in the fact that their teacher is Mrs. Finnerty, a former Kindergartner teacher who has no problems with having them play baby games all day, and things couldn’t get worse. But Yash has no idea that these slugs? They might actually be the best friends he’s ever had.
Considering the sheer number of novels that Mr. Korman has published (his website suggests that it may be around 100), I cannot know whether or not this is the first book of his that includes a gym teacher as a particularly influential character. What I do know is that in his own life, a gym teacher was at least partially responsible for what may be the most auspicious children’s author career launch of all time. Just the other day I was speaking to a group of 2nd graders and some of them wanted to know if kids ever get books published. Should I have mentioned how Gordon Korman kick started his career at the precious age of 14 when a gym teacher filled in for an English teacher and told the kids to work on whatever they wanted? As Korman tells it himself, “That added up to a class period per day for more than four months. The result was my first novel, THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING AT MACDONALD HALL.” Now in Slugfest we have another case of a teacher filling in, but in this particular situation it’s been flipped. Now instead of a gym coach working in an English class you’ve a retired Kindergarten teacher filling in as a gym coach. The script may be reversed, but as Korman learned oh so long ago, interesting things are capable of happening when you take people out of their comfort zones.
It occurs to me that this review you’re reading right now is of an auspicious persuasion. If Mr. Korman has written around 100 books, I have written at least 1,500 reviews. Want to know how many of those reviews were for Gordon Korman books? Precisely zero, my friends. Why? How? Do I have some longstanding antipathy or grudge towards Korman? Not in the least. Honestly, it’s probably a testament to his own success more than anything else. Generally speaking, I will review highly popular people from time to time, but the bulk of my energy comes when I look at authors that don’t already have this man’s longstanding presence on the children’s literary stage. I mean, Korman's first book came out the same year that I was born. The man doesn’t need my help. Even so, I found myself inexplicably drawn to Slugfest. There was something about its storytelling. Its plucky narrators. And there was something impossibly comforting about how Korman laid out the plot. It’s familiar, yet you never feel bored or find yourself necessarily correctly predicting where it will go next.
Part of what makes the book so interesting is that in spite of that plot description I just wrote, the book is told in a variety of different voices. I listened to the audiobook of Slugfest and I never had difficulty figuring out who one character or another was. Korman does a great job of distinguishing each individual personality with a minimal number of words. For example, the character of Arabella at first seems to come off as one of my least favorite tropes in kids’ books: the do-gooder activist who puts protest before people. And Arabella plays that role for a good chunk of the book, no doubt. Reading through her sections, I was getting flashbacks to the evil EPA guy in Ghostbusters more than anything else. Then Korman switches gears mid-way through. Arabella starts to attain a little more complexity. A bit more of a personality. She gains a conflict of interest, and that changes things. Do I wish the conflict of interest didn’t involve falling in love? Heck to the yes, but it is what it is.
Truly the book’s greatest secret weapon is how expertly it makes the reader understand why people like sports. It taps into that fervor and love in a variety of different ways, and you’re there for it. It’s as if Korman is setting up every single argument and knocking them down one by one. And speaking of knocking things down, I was a little surprised to watch the man completely dodge, spin, and turn on a dime away from the whole football/concussion discussion. It does feel a little odd reading about an 8th grader who would give his right kidney to play football when we all know he heavy price that pays on young men. You would think the character of Arabella would bring that up herself, but nope. So, for its healthy appreciation of sports in general, I find it delightful. For its complete dismissal of the whole concussion thing? Maybe less so.
One question my fellow librarians and I asked about this book was its age range. Out of necessity it focuses squarely on a group of 8th graders who are a mere gym credit away from becoming high schoolers. Historically, if you wanted to write a book about teenagers, then that book’s publisher would insist upon marketing the book to teens. It’s only recently that I’ve seen this begin to change a little. The same year that Slugfest is coming out we’ve seen Louder Than Hunger by John Schu, which is about a 14-year-old, but is squarely aimed at the 9-12 year-old set. Then there’s Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renee Watson. It touches on some distinctly older themes, but also contains plenty of material that’s better suited for younger ages. It makes me wonder if all the recent doom and gloom talk about the death of the middle grade novel has had the unintended effect of loosening some of its old boundaries and parameters. Korman may be Korman, but could he have written this same book even ten years ago with the kids all the same age? We may never know.
As far as critiques go, I was a bit baffled as to why every single one of the slugs got to have their say in the course of the book with the exception of one. The character of Fiona has one single, distinguishing characteristic: she is short. And that one defining trait apparently means she does not rate her own voice. She is the sole slug to be kept completely silent throughout the book. As far as I can tell, she’s really only in the book at all for a single scene near the end, and even that could have been handed to another character (so long as that character was also short). I can’t help but feel like maybe there was a version of this book where Fiona not only got a lot more to do, but a lot more to say, only to have her storyline edited out somewhere in the process. I’ve no proof of that, mind you. It’s just a feeling.
I’m not saying that Slugfest is the holy grail that will cure all my librarians-won’t-read-sports-book woes. All that I’m saying is that maybe it’s the outlier that prevails against the odds. It does, after all, have a lot of points on its side. A well-known, respected author who knows from whence he writes. A plot that’s nothing but pure fun. A variety of voices. And, maybe most impressively, a defense of sports that may not win over its more ardent naysayers, but at least makes a fairly strong case for their existence at all. Is it a perfect book? By no means. But it’s fun, funny, and contains stronger writing than you may find in a whole host of books out for kids today. If that makes me a Slugfest fan, then so be it. I am a Slugfest fan. Give it a read. Maybe you’re one too.
Yash is living a nightmare. Here he is, star player of Robinette Middle School, and he’s been playing on the high school’s JV teams for all of 8th grade. Now he’s been informed that a new law has ruined his life. Literally. Because he skipped PE class to play JV (at the school's request, mind you), he needs to make up that gym credit in order to graduate. Worse, he’ll be spending his summer school with a bunch of kids who failed gym or who are, put another way, slugs. Add in the fact that their teacher is Mrs. Finnerty, a former Kindergartner teacher who has no problems with having them play baby games all day, and things couldn’t get worse. But Yash has no idea that these slugs? They might actually be the best friends he’s ever had.
Considering the sheer number of novels that Mr. Korman has published (his website suggests that it may be around 100), I cannot know whether or not this is the first book of his that includes a gym teacher as a particularly influential character. What I do know is that in his own life, a gym teacher was at least partially responsible for what may be the most auspicious children’s author career launch of all time. Just the other day I was speaking to a group of 2nd graders and some of them wanted to know if kids ever get books published. Should I have mentioned how Gordon Korman kick started his career at the precious age of 14 when a gym teacher filled in for an English teacher and told the kids to work on whatever they wanted? As Korman tells it himself, “That added up to a class period per day for more than four months. The result was my first novel, THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING AT MACDONALD HALL.” Now in Slugfest we have another case of a teacher filling in, but in this particular situation it’s been flipped. Now instead of a gym coach working in an English class you’ve a retired Kindergarten teacher filling in as a gym coach. The script may be reversed, but as Korman learned oh so long ago, interesting things are capable of happening when you take people out of their comfort zones.
It occurs to me that this review you’re reading right now is of an auspicious persuasion. If Mr. Korman has written around 100 books, I have written at least 1,500 reviews. Want to know how many of those reviews were for Gordon Korman books? Precisely zero, my friends. Why? How? Do I have some longstanding antipathy or grudge towards Korman? Not in the least. Honestly, it’s probably a testament to his own success more than anything else. Generally speaking, I will review highly popular people from time to time, but the bulk of my energy comes when I look at authors that don’t already have this man’s longstanding presence on the children’s literary stage. I mean, Korman's first book came out the same year that I was born. The man doesn’t need my help. Even so, I found myself inexplicably drawn to Slugfest. There was something about its storytelling. Its plucky narrators. And there was something impossibly comforting about how Korman laid out the plot. It’s familiar, yet you never feel bored or find yourself necessarily correctly predicting where it will go next.
Part of what makes the book so interesting is that in spite of that plot description I just wrote, the book is told in a variety of different voices. I listened to the audiobook of Slugfest and I never had difficulty figuring out who one character or another was. Korman does a great job of distinguishing each individual personality with a minimal number of words. For example, the character of Arabella at first seems to come off as one of my least favorite tropes in kids’ books: the do-gooder activist who puts protest before people. And Arabella plays that role for a good chunk of the book, no doubt. Reading through her sections, I was getting flashbacks to the evil EPA guy in Ghostbusters more than anything else. Then Korman switches gears mid-way through. Arabella starts to attain a little more complexity. A bit more of a personality. She gains a conflict of interest, and that changes things. Do I wish the conflict of interest didn’t involve falling in love? Heck to the yes, but it is what it is.
Truly the book’s greatest secret weapon is how expertly it makes the reader understand why people like sports. It taps into that fervor and love in a variety of different ways, and you’re there for it. It’s as if Korman is setting up every single argument and knocking them down one by one. And speaking of knocking things down, I was a little surprised to watch the man completely dodge, spin, and turn on a dime away from the whole football/concussion discussion. It does feel a little odd reading about an 8th grader who would give his right kidney to play football when we all know he heavy price that pays on young men. You would think the character of Arabella would bring that up herself, but nope. So, for its healthy appreciation of sports in general, I find it delightful. For its complete dismissal of the whole concussion thing? Maybe less so.
One question my fellow librarians and I asked about this book was its age range. Out of necessity it focuses squarely on a group of 8th graders who are a mere gym credit away from becoming high schoolers. Historically, if you wanted to write a book about teenagers, then that book’s publisher would insist upon marketing the book to teens. It’s only recently that I’ve seen this begin to change a little. The same year that Slugfest is coming out we’ve seen Louder Than Hunger by John Schu, which is about a 14-year-old, but is squarely aimed at the 9-12 year-old set. Then there’s Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renee Watson. It touches on some distinctly older themes, but also contains plenty of material that’s better suited for younger ages. It makes me wonder if all the recent doom and gloom talk about the death of the middle grade novel has had the unintended effect of loosening some of its old boundaries and parameters. Korman may be Korman, but could he have written this same book even ten years ago with the kids all the same age? We may never know.
As far as critiques go, I was a bit baffled as to why every single one of the slugs got to have their say in the course of the book with the exception of one. The character of Fiona has one single, distinguishing characteristic: she is short. And that one defining trait apparently means she does not rate her own voice. She is the sole slug to be kept completely silent throughout the book. As far as I can tell, she’s really only in the book at all for a single scene near the end, and even that could have been handed to another character (so long as that character was also short). I can’t help but feel like maybe there was a version of this book where Fiona not only got a lot more to do, but a lot more to say, only to have her storyline edited out somewhere in the process. I’ve no proof of that, mind you. It’s just a feeling.
I’m not saying that Slugfest is the holy grail that will cure all my librarians-won’t-read-sports-book woes. All that I’m saying is that maybe it’s the outlier that prevails against the odds. It does, after all, have a lot of points on its side. A well-known, respected author who knows from whence he writes. A plot that’s nothing but pure fun. A variety of voices. And, maybe most impressively, a defense of sports that may not win over its more ardent naysayers, but at least makes a fairly strong case for their existence at all. Is it a perfect book? By no means. But it’s fun, funny, and contains stronger writing than you may find in a whole host of books out for kids today. If that makes me a Slugfest fan, then so be it. I am a Slugfest fan. Give it a read. Maybe you’re one too.
January 24, 2024
✰ 3.75 stars ✰
“Did you ever see The Bad News Bears or The Mighty Ducks?
You know, those great comedies where the lousiest team in the history of the world somehow manages to come together at the right time and push on to glory?”
Gordon Korman is an author of my childhood that has followed me into my adult years. I don't know - there's something about his quality of writing that is always so on point with the younger generation, that he's able to draw into their minds and make you feel that tumultuous spill of qualms and queries, and sprinkling in a dash of humor and capturing that youthful charm of growing up that is so relatable to me - even now. 🌟 Not many authors have that skill; and it's only for that reason that I didn't mind reading Slugfest, since slugs are NOT something I would be interested in!
I grew up watching those films, gonna throw in Little Giants, as well - they were a staple of my childhood and it's a shame they don't make movies like that anymore. His latest Middle Grade release is for those who grew up watching those memorable children's sports films, who cheer for the underdogs - 'and what makes the best sports story? The underdog!' - and wants them to come out on top, who recognizes a little bit of themselves in the misfits, the oddballs who stare their challenges right in the eye and never back down so they'll never forget that triumphant feeling in the thrill of victory.
Or something like that. 🥰
“Funny—Yash and I are about as different as two eighth graders can be, but we’re both losing our summers because of that awful state rule. And that means we’ve got something in common.
We’re both victims of unfairness.”
It is funny how a class like P.E. - one that even I recall as a school credit that I didn't place much merit on - was something that would lead to the doom of some unfortunate 8th graders. In order to move up to 9th grade, they have to participate in summer school, and participate in third period, P.E.E. (Physical Education Equivalency). Otherwise known as Slugfest - 'Slugfest is the unexpected!' 😀 Under the guise of a less than auspicious elderly teacher, Mrs. Finnerty, whose prowess in excellent baking outshines her skills in leading their P.E. classes, it takes awhile for these band of miscreants to come together as a team and a unit "—kids we’ve grown up with, but nothing prepares you for the bizarro world of seeing them all in the same room, to overcome their own challenges and take the next step into growing up. 🏈🏈
I laughed at the absurdity of it all, while still fully aware that there is the hidden meaning behind each of their stories. That even as these unfortunate 8th graders treat themselves to a game of duck, duck, goose - 'we made our teacher stop that in kindergarten—it was too babyish!' or musical chairs, they are in fact honing their skills to take on the rest of the world. When they're intent on bringing some revelation to light, it is necessary to examine it from every angle. 👍🏻 'If investigative journalism means you rat on people just because you can, then count me out.' I sat back and watched as the geeks and the pranksters and the rebels teamed up with the jock and the athletic star, and even an aspiring journalist take down high stakes of flag football and still show more back bone and grit, with a better understanding of their moral compass than most adults do. 👌🏻👌🏻
“It’s emotional when your greatest creation cashes in beyond your wildest dreams—especially when you’ve written it off as a total loss.
It’s proof positive that nothing is impossible.”
While I do miss those days when GK only focused the narrative on one or two characters and chose the third person point of view, I didn't quite mind having multiple perspectives here. We do have one-two main characters, but it's their interactions with all the supporting cast - and what it is that they have to offer, is where the story excels. ☺️ Friendship and loyalty, the ability to differentiate between right or wrong, becoming more adept at embracing a side of themselves they weren't aware of - the story navigates everything in such a great way, that I just had a small smile on my face, as I read.
They were kids trapped in summer summer school, against a system that decided on their own, that they needed to complete this class to move ahead, whether they liked it or not. 'When you’re a kid, you don’t always control everything about your life.' But, spending time together opened the door to new experiences and frontiers not quite yet explored, and taught them important valuable lessons they probably would have never learned, had it not been for their time here. 🥺
“What’s Slugfest like?” Hammond asks.
“Oh, it’s great!” I reply savagely. “I’m so lucky to have friends like you guys to help me relive the worst part of my day!”
I'll never not be a fan of GK's brand of humor; it's something that just clicks with me. He has this unique ability of capturing the heart of a serious moment, while still adding a few comments of subtle dry humor that always earns a chuckle from me. 🤌🏻🤌🏻 Like, he just balances the dialogues and inner thoughts so well that even in the tensest of scenes, he can make it a humorous one. 'We’re like the Three Stooges—Fumble, Bumble, and Clueless.' or stapling an important document in the back of their jeans, and still managed to say, 'Have it?” I reply through gritted teeth. “It’s nailed to my skin.' 😆
It's just little moments like this that makes reading it an even more pleasant and enjoyable experience. One that constantly reminds me why I DO need Middle Grade books in my life to bring a little joy on my reading shelves and balance out the rest of the angsty stuff I also need on my shelves. I honestly went in blind without knowing what exactly it was going to be about! And I think that was something that went in my favor so that I got a kick out of watching these slugs - oh, sluggers! That's really what it stands for!! 😉
“Did you ever see The Bad News Bears or The Mighty Ducks?
You know, those great comedies where the lousiest team in the history of the world somehow manages to come together at the right time and push on to glory?”
Gordon Korman is an author of my childhood that has followed me into my adult years. I don't know - there's something about his quality of writing that is always so on point with the younger generation, that he's able to draw into their minds and make you feel that tumultuous spill of qualms and queries, and sprinkling in a dash of humor and capturing that youthful charm of growing up that is so relatable to me - even now. 🌟 Not many authors have that skill; and it's only for that reason that I didn't mind reading Slugfest, since slugs are NOT something I would be interested in!
I grew up watching those films, gonna throw in Little Giants, as well - they were a staple of my childhood and it's a shame they don't make movies like that anymore. His latest Middle Grade release is for those who grew up watching those memorable children's sports films, who cheer for the underdogs - 'and what makes the best sports story? The underdog!' - and wants them to come out on top, who recognizes a little bit of themselves in the misfits, the oddballs who stare their challenges right in the eye and never back down so they'll never forget that triumphant feeling in the thrill of victory.
Or something like that. 🥰
“Funny—Yash and I are about as different as two eighth graders can be, but we’re both losing our summers because of that awful state rule. And that means we’ve got something in common.
We’re both victims of unfairness.”
It is funny how a class like P.E. - one that even I recall as a school credit that I didn't place much merit on - was something that would lead to the doom of some unfortunate 8th graders. In order to move up to 9th grade, they have to participate in summer school, and participate in third period, P.E.E. (Physical Education Equivalency). Otherwise known as Slugfest - 'Slugfest is the unexpected!' 😀 Under the guise of a less than auspicious elderly teacher, Mrs. Finnerty, whose prowess in excellent baking outshines her skills in leading their P.E. classes, it takes awhile for these band of miscreants to come together as a team and a unit "—kids we’ve grown up with, but nothing prepares you for the bizarro world of seeing them all in the same room, to overcome their own challenges and take the next step into growing up. 🏈🏈
I laughed at the absurdity of it all, while still fully aware that there is the hidden meaning behind each of their stories. That even as these unfortunate 8th graders treat themselves to a game of duck, duck, goose - 'we made our teacher stop that in kindergarten—it was too babyish!' or musical chairs, they are in fact honing their skills to take on the rest of the world. When they're intent on bringing some revelation to light, it is necessary to examine it from every angle. 👍🏻 'If investigative journalism means you rat on people just because you can, then count me out.' I sat back and watched as the geeks and the pranksters and the rebels teamed up with the jock and the athletic star, and even an aspiring journalist take down high stakes of flag football and still show more back bone and grit, with a better understanding of their moral compass than most adults do. 👌🏻👌🏻
“It’s emotional when your greatest creation cashes in beyond your wildest dreams—especially when you’ve written it off as a total loss.
It’s proof positive that nothing is impossible.”
While I do miss those days when GK only focused the narrative on one or two characters and chose the third person point of view, I didn't quite mind having multiple perspectives here. We do have one-two main characters, but it's their interactions with all the supporting cast - and what it is that they have to offer, is where the story excels. ☺️ Friendship and loyalty, the ability to differentiate between right or wrong, becoming more adept at embracing a side of themselves they weren't aware of - the story navigates everything in such a great way, that I just had a small smile on my face, as I read.
They were kids trapped in summer summer school, against a system that decided on their own, that they needed to complete this class to move ahead, whether they liked it or not. 'When you’re a kid, you don’t always control everything about your life.' But, spending time together opened the door to new experiences and frontiers not quite yet explored, and taught them important valuable lessons they probably would have never learned, had it not been for their time here. 🥺
“What’s Slugfest like?” Hammond asks.
“Oh, it’s great!” I reply savagely. “I’m so lucky to have friends like you guys to help me relive the worst part of my day!”
I'll never not be a fan of GK's brand of humor; it's something that just clicks with me. He has this unique ability of capturing the heart of a serious moment, while still adding a few comments of subtle dry humor that always earns a chuckle from me. 🤌🏻🤌🏻 Like, he just balances the dialogues and inner thoughts so well that even in the tensest of scenes, he can make it a humorous one. 'We’re like the Three Stooges—Fumble, Bumble, and Clueless.' or stapling an important document in the back of their jeans, and still managed to say, 'Have it?” I reply through gritted teeth. “It’s nailed to my skin.' 😆
It's just little moments like this that makes reading it an even more pleasant and enjoyable experience. One that constantly reminds me why I DO need Middle Grade books in my life to bring a little joy on my reading shelves and balance out the rest of the angsty stuff I also need on my shelves. I honestly went in blind without knowing what exactly it was going to be about! And I think that was something that went in my favor so that I got a kick out of watching these slugs - oh, sluggers! That's really what it stands for!! 😉
February 6, 2025
Okay, that was such a good book! The themes, the characters, I was laughing so hard at Sarah and Stuart's twin war. XD
Characters:
Yash was handed such a bad deal, but I love how he didn't let it get him down...well, for the most part. He picked himself back up and made the best of a crappy situation and honestly, I loved him for it. <3
Cleo was hilarious and awesome! I loved her spunk and grit and it was so funny how jealous she got of Yash at times.
Bella cracked me up...and then the double standard that emerged later and all her solid evidence for her journalism...and I can't say more but she was a fun character.
Sarah and Stuart, the twins, were cracking me up with their sibling war. XD
Fiona and Kaden were also fun side characters, Kaden cracked me up. XD I loved that kid!
Jesse! Omg his toilet ban prank. XD I can't...this kid was hilarious!
And their gym teacher! (listened to the audiobook so I don't want to butcher the spelling XD)....I loved her!
Themes:
Friends can be found in unlikely places, winning isn't everything, and nothing is worth anything if it is simply handed to you. I love how Yash wanted to prove he deserved his spot on the football team. There was an easy option to get his spot, but he didn't take it. Instead, he worked extra hard to prove he deserved it. Great work ethic lesson there.
Language:
Probably some side words, listened while I worked so I didn't take notes. No cuss words though.
Romance:
Bella has a crush, some teasing about someone being someone's boyfriend, and mentions of steamy romance novels that Bella's mom makes her check out at the library (for the mom to read).
Magic:
N/A
Violence/Gore:
A little bit of slight bullying, but the bullies are quickly put in their place.
Overall:
This was such a fun Korman book! I thought I knew how it was going to end and then Korman twisted the story a few more times before ending it. He always surprises me with the ending and has me laughing. XD
Recommend for ages 11+
Characters:
Yash was handed such a bad deal, but I love how he didn't let it get him down...well, for the most part. He picked himself back up and made the best of a crappy situation and honestly, I loved him for it. <3
Cleo was hilarious and awesome! I loved her spunk and grit and it was so funny how jealous she got of Yash at times.
Bella cracked me up...and then the double standard that emerged later and all her solid evidence for her journalism...and I can't say more but she was a fun character.
Sarah and Stuart, the twins, were cracking me up with their sibling war. XD
Fiona and Kaden were also fun side characters, Kaden cracked me up. XD I loved that kid!
Jesse! Omg his toilet ban prank. XD I can't...this kid was hilarious!
And their gym teacher! (listened to the audiobook so I don't want to butcher the spelling XD)....I loved her!
Themes:
Friends can be found in unlikely places, winning isn't everything, and nothing is worth anything if it is simply handed to you. I love how Yash wanted to prove he deserved his spot on the football team. There was an easy option to get his spot, but he didn't take it. Instead, he worked extra hard to prove he deserved it. Great work ethic lesson there.
Language:
Probably some side words, listened while I worked so I didn't take notes. No cuss words though.
Romance:
Bella has a crush, some teasing about someone being someone's boyfriend, and mentions of steamy romance novels that Bella's mom makes her check out at the library (for the mom to read).
Magic:
N/A
Violence/Gore:
A little bit of slight bullying, but the bullies are quickly put in their place.
Overall:
This was such a fun Korman book! I thought I knew how it was going to end and then Korman twisted the story a few more times before ending it. He always surprises me with the ending and has me laughing. XD
Recommend for ages 11+
August 8, 2025
Oh, what a ride! That was so awesome and that ending, yes!💖
Language: Just some uses of h*ck and d*ng.
Violence: N/A.
Magic: N/A.
That was so good, I enjoyed every moment!! The humor was on point per usual with Korman😂
All the characters were great, I'm not sure if I have a favorite!! Yash was great, I loved him so much, his sarcasm was perfect and his overall growth as a character just…wow!! So good!!! Cleo was hilarious, without meaning to be, the best kind! I loved her feisty-ness and her and Yash together were just golden…lol! Also, loved as a girl character she could enjoy sports and drama club, could be both feisty and gentle, yes please!💖
Sarah and Stuart were cracking me up…lol! They reminded me of Tuff and Ruff from HTTYD and I loved it! Their sibling war was hilarious…hahah…😂
Kaden and Fiona were good too! Kaden was such a cinnamon roll and I loved him for that, and his and Yash's friendship was so great!
And Jesse with his toilets, oh boy🙄😂
Arabella kind of got on my nerves, all reporter-like characters make me want to scream…lol…but she grew on me towards the end, and she did make the others get themselves into some hilarious scrapes, so there's that…haha…
And Mrs. Finnerty was so sweet and funny at the same time!
This was so great! I loved every second and I loved the ending, it was just perfect!💖
Unexpected friendships and underdogs? Yes please!💖
8+
Language: Just some uses of h*ck and d*ng.
Violence: N/A.
Magic: N/A.
That was so good, I enjoyed every moment!! The humor was on point per usual with Korman😂
All the characters were great, I'm not sure if I have a favorite!! Yash was great, I loved him so much, his sarcasm was perfect and his overall growth as a character just…wow!! So good!!! Cleo was hilarious, without meaning to be, the best kind! I loved her feisty-ness and her and Yash together were just golden…lol! Also, loved as a girl character she could enjoy sports and drama club, could be both feisty and gentle, yes please!💖
Sarah and Stuart were cracking me up…lol! They reminded me of Tuff and Ruff from HTTYD and I loved it! Their sibling war was hilarious…hahah…😂
Kaden and Fiona were good too! Kaden was such a cinnamon roll and I loved him for that, and his and Yash's friendship was so great!
And Jesse with his toilets, oh boy🙄😂
Arabella kind of got on my nerves, all reporter-like characters make me want to scream…lol…but she grew on me towards the end, and she did make the others get themselves into some hilarious scrapes, so there's that…haha…
And Mrs. Finnerty was so sweet and funny at the same time!
This was so great! I loved every second and I loved the ending, it was just perfect!💖
Unexpected friendships and underdogs? Yes please!💖
8+
June 24, 2024
Without a doubt one of the best, funniest, most cheering, most lovable read of the year!! Practically laughed out loud and tried but failed to suppress my constant guffaws (as I am in a hospital right now with wife having a surgery...really a bad choice to read here, or maybe the most helpful) all throughout this supremely satisfying heartwarming comedy brilliance. 😄 Gordon Korman with his masterbluster latest middleschool-crazy hilarity-joyous feeels, how much I have missed you!
10 out of 10, A++, hands down. Just made my shitty couple of days and the whole shitty week soo much better and brighter!
10 out of 10, A++, hands down. Just made my shitty couple of days and the whole shitty week soo much better and brighter!
November 30, 2023
Gordon Korman always hits the right notes with middle grade readers and those who love to read middle grade books. In Slugfest, he teams up Archie/Yash, a super athlete, a recovering from injuries girls’ sports star and a handful of try-to-never-touch-a-ball misfits who are all just trying to get the missed credit(s) they need to move into the 9th grade. All of them are stuck taking summer school PE, commonly referred to as Slugfest because it is usually the kids who trip over nothing who are there and none of them has a particularly high opinion of their collective group. In true Korman form, the circumstances manage to coalescence into reasons for the 8 teens to begin to work together. Even twins Stuart and Sarah who are always trying to “one up” or even physically harm the other find a way to briefly put aside their perpetual torment of the other in an effort to help Yash reclaim his place as starting quarterback for the high school JV team by playing in an end of summer 7 on 7 flag football tournament. The characters are straight from any middle school anywhere and all are well-developed and likeable but Stuart and Sarah are laugh out loud funny and should have their own television series. Their constant bickering and competing is so unexpected from most literary (or even real life) twins that every trick or assault will take readers by surprise. Pulling this unlikely group together is Tamara, a retired school teacher with a serious baking gift and a little secret. A first choice purchase for grades 4-8 with no profanity or sexual content and violence is limited to the twins’ bloodless actions towards one another.
Thanks for the electronic ARC, NetGalley.
Thanks for the electronic ARC, NetGalley.
May 24, 2024
Slugfest is a funny, thoughtful exploration of identity and what it means to be part of a team. Full of Korman’s trademark story elements, this book especially shines for its incorporation of sports, teamwork, and navigating new friendships across middle school social ranks.
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/slugfe...
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/slugfe...
December 22, 2023
A great middle grade novel that touches on friendship, truth, fairness, fake news, and assumptions!
November 16, 2024
Terrific, G-rated, Middle-Grade, underdog-sports-team story, with both comedy and heart
Superstar Arnie Yashenko (Yash) is the best athlete at Robinette Middle School. He excels at every sport he participates in. He is shocked when he discovers that he is being penalized by the State Board of Education for an obnoxiously illogical and unfair reason. His participation in JV football has caused him to miss taking PE, and the SBE won't count his sports participation as being equivalent to a PE credit. As a result, he is forced to take PE in summer school, or he will not graduate officially from the eighth grade so he can enter as a freshman in high school in a few months. The class he is enrolled in is called Physical Education Equivalency (PEE), which is insultingly referred to by most of the kids in school, especially Yash's fellow athletes, as “Slugfest,” because, typically, everyone enrolled in it flunked PE, and they are regarded as clumsy slugs.
I really enjoyed this novel. I liked all of the characters, especially the wonderful PE teacher, Mrs. Finnerty. Yash is a central character in this multicast novel. He has a terrific growth arc, and he triggers an equally delightful growth arc in all of his fellow PEE students. Yash evolves from being a showboat superstar jock to sharing the glory with others as he inspires eight sedentary kids, who loathe exercise, to enjoy being athletic, when he trains them to become an underdog football team, who participate in a local, annual, flag-football competition against JV football teams from the surrounding area.
I obtained access to the audiobook version of this novel through Hoopla. As is typical with the audiobooks for GK novels which offer the POV of multiple preteen characters, there is a separate voice actor narrating each individual POV character. In particular, Andrew Aiden performs Yash and does an excellent job. I was familiar with his work prior to listening to this audiobook because I own an adult romance novel that he narrated, The Bromance Book Club.
Superstar Arnie Yashenko (Yash) is the best athlete at Robinette Middle School. He excels at every sport he participates in. He is shocked when he discovers that he is being penalized by the State Board of Education for an obnoxiously illogical and unfair reason. His participation in JV football has caused him to miss taking PE, and the SBE won't count his sports participation as being equivalent to a PE credit. As a result, he is forced to take PE in summer school, or he will not graduate officially from the eighth grade so he can enter as a freshman in high school in a few months. The class he is enrolled in is called Physical Education Equivalency (PEE), which is insultingly referred to by most of the kids in school, especially Yash's fellow athletes, as “Slugfest,” because, typically, everyone enrolled in it flunked PE, and they are regarded as clumsy slugs.
I really enjoyed this novel. I liked all of the characters, especially the wonderful PE teacher, Mrs. Finnerty. Yash is a central character in this multicast novel. He has a terrific growth arc, and he triggers an equally delightful growth arc in all of his fellow PEE students. Yash evolves from being a showboat superstar jock to sharing the glory with others as he inspires eight sedentary kids, who loathe exercise, to enjoy being athletic, when he trains them to become an underdog football team, who participate in a local, annual, flag-football competition against JV football teams from the surrounding area.
I obtained access to the audiobook version of this novel through Hoopla. As is typical with the audiobooks for GK novels which offer the POV of multiple preteen characters, there is a separate voice actor narrating each individual POV character. In particular, Andrew Aiden performs Yash and does an excellent job. I was familiar with his work prior to listening to this audiobook because I own an adult romance novel that he narrated, The Bromance Book Club.
November 30, 2025
Meh. Enjoyable enough, but definitely not my favorite Korman book. Mrs. Finnerty was definitely my favorite part of the book. She's amazing.
March 7, 2025
I'm a sucker for an underdog story full of great characters. Real talk.
November 16, 2025
This book made me laugh and become attached to he characters. Gordon Korman is a truly amazing author!
December 7, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and Balzer + Bray publishing for allowing me to read an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Korman has assembled a ragtag group of 8th graders all trying to make it through summer school PE (aka Slugfest) so they can start high school in the fall. Due to a new state law requiring all 8th grade students to complete a PE credit before they can move on to high school, 8 students, who have nothing in common are all stuck in summer school Physical Education Equivalency- P.E.E. (insert 8th grade humor here.)
*Yash thought he was excused because he had been playing JV sports with the high school teams.
*It took Cleo almost 3 months of missed school to heal from a broken foot.
*Arabella believes that forcing PE is a violation of student rights, so she just skipped PE for 3 years.
*Kaden, who is a genius but clumsy, skipped PE all year to avoid being bullied.
*Jesse's practical jokes keep him in hot water with the administration, and has now landed him in summer school PE.
*Fiona, who plays water polo, failed PE because she refuses to put her face in the water when swimming.
*Sarah & Stewart, twins, got kicked out of PE for constantly fighting (each other.)
But it is not just fun and games, there is a scandal about to break, a social media experiment, and lots of baking to be done.
This one will have you laughing out loud. Your students are going to love it!
Content warning- bullying
Korman has assembled a ragtag group of 8th graders all trying to make it through summer school PE (aka Slugfest) so they can start high school in the fall. Due to a new state law requiring all 8th grade students to complete a PE credit before they can move on to high school, 8 students, who have nothing in common are all stuck in summer school Physical Education Equivalency- P.E.E. (insert 8th grade humor here.)
*Yash thought he was excused because he had been playing JV sports with the high school teams.
*It took Cleo almost 3 months of missed school to heal from a broken foot.
*Arabella believes that forcing PE is a violation of student rights, so she just skipped PE for 3 years.
*Kaden, who is a genius but clumsy, skipped PE all year to avoid being bullied.
*Jesse's practical jokes keep him in hot water with the administration, and has now landed him in summer school PE.
*Fiona, who plays water polo, failed PE because she refuses to put her face in the water when swimming.
*Sarah & Stewart, twins, got kicked out of PE for constantly fighting (each other.)
But it is not just fun and games, there is a scandal about to break, a social media experiment, and lots of baking to be done.
This one will have you laughing out loud. Your students are going to love it!
Content warning- bullying
January 13, 2024
Perfect Korman style. Readers can’t help but cheer for the misfits in this story.
March 2, 2024
As a 25 year middle school teacher, I could never recommend this novel.
No savvy 7th grade student would believe this plot.
Ever.
And I do love the backdrop of a football theme, being such a fan. But, ugh, it doesn’t work for me. I never feel real camaraderie among the students.
The attempt at jokes presumably targeted for middle school humor fall flat. Each teenaged character is unlikeable. Could not find any redeeming traits or a single role model.
The whole novel seems to be enveloped with such a negative vibe from all the characters.
And let’s just cut to the chase right here: the summer school setting was so unbelievable. Borders on the ridiculous and as an educator, offensive. This group of misfits seems doomed to make false accusations, act cruelly toward one another, and never learns to kindly problem solve.
I have enjoyed other Gordon Korman novels, just not this one. And it breaks my heart as this age group desperately needs high interest novels to read.
No savvy 7th grade student would believe this plot.
Ever.
And I do love the backdrop of a football theme, being such a fan. But, ugh, it doesn’t work for me. I never feel real camaraderie among the students.
The attempt at jokes presumably targeted for middle school humor fall flat. Each teenaged character is unlikeable. Could not find any redeeming traits or a single role model.
The whole novel seems to be enveloped with such a negative vibe from all the characters.
And let’s just cut to the chase right here: the summer school setting was so unbelievable. Borders on the ridiculous and as an educator, offensive. This group of misfits seems doomed to make false accusations, act cruelly toward one another, and never learns to kindly problem solve.
I have enjoyed other Gordon Korman novels, just not this one. And it breaks my heart as this age group desperately needs high interest novels to read.
February 6, 2024
Gordon Korman is so good at writing these very accessible, kid-friendly contemporary novels. This one, about an all-sports superstar who finds himself in summer school P.E. after a technicality threatens his junior high graduation, is a lot of fun. Slugfest, the mean nickname given to summer school P.E., is filled with a mismatch of students who all have a different reason for being in the class. As the summer goes on, the unlikely friends find reasons to bond and even become a team. A humorous sports book that isn't too heavy on sports -- this will appeal to lots of readers.
May 22, 2024
Another great Gordon Korman!
Friendships, underdogs, sportsmanship. Multiple POV's.
Friendships, underdogs, sportsmanship. Multiple POV's.
September 4, 2024
Slow start but glad I pushed through! Great lesson in the book!
October 17, 2023
Slugfest is about Yash, an 8th-grade athlete extraordinaire who has been moved up to JV-level sports in lieu of attending his middle-school PE class. As a result, he is informed at the end of the year that he is missing his gym credit and won't be able to attend high school next year unless he attends summer school to earn his credit. Yash begrudgingly attends gym with the other "slugs" who all failed gym for various reasons. Over the course of the summer, this rag-tag group bands together to train and in the end might gain more than just a class credit.
This story is one of perseverance and community. The characters show tremendous growth personally throughout the book and demonstrate great models of what sportsmanship and character should look like to middle-level readers. This story is wholesome, enjoyable, and a great addition to any classroom library.
This story is one of perseverance and community. The characters show tremendous growth personally throughout the book and demonstrate great models of what sportsmanship and character should look like to middle-level readers. This story is wholesome, enjoyable, and a great addition to any classroom library.
November 16, 2024
4.5 rounded up!
I thought this was a fantastic middle school read. It had all the feel good moments of a great underdog story. Throughout Slugfest the man character, Yash, learns a lot about true friendship and the importance of being empathetic. His character development was phenomenal starting as a popular jock and ending as a person who put kindness before anything else. My favorite quote was “you can find some really good friends in unusual places”.
I thought this was a fantastic middle school read. It had all the feel good moments of a great underdog story. Throughout Slugfest the man character, Yash, learns a lot about true friendship and the importance of being empathetic. His character development was phenomenal starting as a popular jock and ending as a person who put kindness before anything else. My favorite quote was “you can find some really good friends in unusual places”.
August 25, 2024
4.5 stars. There is a reason Gordon Korman is one of my favorite authors, he always manages to put a smile on my face. This book reminded me of the Breakfast Club meets The Mighty Ducks, but with flag football. I love it when people that don’t seem to have anything in common, look past that and forge real connections. Great audiobook!
October 16, 2024
Well done book for kids interested in sports ( especially football) but also a great friendship story.Enjoyed seeing how a hapless group of kids pulled together when it mattered the most. The summer school gym teacher will forever be a favorite character of mine.
October 21, 2025
Funny book which gets a bunch of kids unexpectedly put in P.E. for summer school the summer before starting 9th grade. The kids who fail P.E. during the year are nicknamed "slugs" because they are lazy and unfit but not all the kids this summer fit the category.
Jocks and non-jocks end up becoming a team and (sort of) friends and learning a lot from their summer school PEE (physical education "equivalency", pee, lol) teacher who has an interesting past (no spoiler alert here.
Jocks and non-jocks end up becoming a team and (sort of) friends and learning a lot from their summer school PEE (physical education "equivalency", pee, lol) teacher who has an interesting past (no spoiler alert here.
April 19, 2024
Hilarious! Read by an ensemble cast, the voices were just perfect. Another great addition to our Korman Shelf...one of my library's most favorite authors!
November 5, 2024
Great book! Sports multiple great characters! Great Korman book
June 25, 2025
I absolutely loved this book. I highly recommend it for young athletes and any kids who want to be athletes. It has an underdogs theme, which I love, with an inspiring message.
October 1, 2025
(3.5) Not Korman’s BEST book imo, but still really fun with his trademark humor and meaningful writing.
Read
March 6, 2024
Trigger & Content Warnings
Minor physical injuries
Bullying (theme)
Minor physical injuries
Bullying (theme)
November 29, 2024
Cute middle school book
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