QB 1

by Mike Lupica

From #1 New York Times bestselling author of TRAVEL TEAM, HEAT, and MILLION-DOLLAR THROW comes a cheer-worthy, family-friendly football novel set amid the Friday Night Lights world of Texas high school football.
Jake Cullen is a freshman quarterback playing high school football in the high-pressure land of Friday Night Lights (Texas). He is also the brother of Wyatt Cullen, who quarterbacked his team to the Texas State Championship last season--not to mention the son of former NFL quarterback and local legend, Troy Cullen. To be a Cullen in Texas is to be royalty . . . and a quarterback. All of which leaves 14-year-old Jake in a Texas-sized shadow, a tall order for any boy, especially one who's merely a freshman.

While his teammates assume the starting job will be handed to Jake on a silver platter, the truth is that he has to fight for every snap and every ounce of respect. Jake may be a Cullen and he may play quarterback, but he is not his brother or his father. Being a good teammate comes naturally to Jake; being a winner and a celebrity does not. He's just like every other boy--awkward around a pretty girl, in awe of his famous family, and desperate to simultaneously blend in and cast his own shadow.

Inspired by the real-life Manning family of quarterbacks (father Archie, Super Bowl-winning sons Peyton and Eli) and set amid the football-crazy culture of Texas immortalized in Friday Night Lights, QB 1 is a coming-of-age story perfect for the fan of MILLION-DOLLAR THROW, HEAT, and of course FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.

"This is a wonderful book by a great writer.  All football fathers and sons will enjoy it."--Archie Manning
 

Genres: Sports, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Football, Fiction, Middle Grade, Family

272 pages, Hardcover

First published September 17, 2013

About the author

Michael Lupica is an author and American newspaper columnist, best known for his provocative commentary on sports in the New York Daily News and his appearances on ESPN.

Reviews

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stuck this one out because my students love it. And as a Friday Night Lights lover, I was intrigued by the football. But it was just...meh. I had to make myself finish it.

[Eric Kneisler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Fiction, contemporary YA

Setting: present day, Texas, USA

Main Characters: Jake Cullen, freshman quarterback
Wyatt Cullen, Jake's brother
Troy Cullen, Jake & Wyatt's father
Calvin Morton, Jake's teammate
Nate Collins, Jake's best friend & teammate
Casey Lindell, Jake's quarterback rival
Sarah Rayburn, a girl in school Jake likes

I really liked this book. It was interesting to read about football and the pressures that a player goes through. I liked the family's story. I liked that it was based on the Manning football family.

Jake Cullen is a freshman in high school. His father was a great quarterback in high school and he went on to play in the NFL until he became injured. Jake’s brother, Wyatt, is a great quarterback, too. He plays college football at the University of Texas. Everyone thinks Jake will just follow in their footsteps to become a great quarterback, too. He feels a lot of pressure to be as good as his dad and brother. The other players think everything will be just handed to Jake. But, Jake has to fight for every play and every bit of respect he gets. It doesn't come easily to him.

When the starting quarterback is hurt and out for the year, Jake competes with another boy, Casey, for the starting quarterback job for the team. Jake is put in when Casey doesn't do well in a game. Jake makes some mistakes, too, but does alright.

Jake feels like he is in competition with Wyatt for his father's attention. Jake thinks that his dad cares more about Wyatt than he does about him. Jake is upset when his dad leaves during his game. Jake has moments when he feels sorry for himself. Calvin points out that HIS father never comes to a game even though he is one of the best receivers in the state.

Jake likes a sophomore girl named Sarah. They didn't talk much at first. After a while they became closer. The book ends with Casey throwing and Jake catching the winning touchdown in the championship game. After the game Jake and Sarah kissed.

Theme: This book is more about the struggles we all go through in our family life than it is about football. We can all relate to what the family goes through. We can all relate to the feelings that we won't live up to everyone's expectations of us. The family feels struggles with their relationships with each other. Troy wants to live out his dreams through his kids. Jake wants to be himself and not always be compared to his dad and brother.

I would recommend this book to people who like football. They would like the competition in the book. I would recommend it for ages 14 and up. There was some minor language in it.

[Nate Phelps]

-QB1 was written by Mike Lupica and is about the excitement of Texas football. Jake Cullen is the freshmen quarterback for Granger High School and has always been in the shadow of his brother and fathers football careers.
-Calvin Morton is the best receiver in the state and often messes around with jake even though he's a good friend. Nate Collins is jakes best friend, wingman, and center, he is always there for jake on and off the field. Sarah Rayburn is a sophomore who is the prettiest cheerleader in all of granger, who just so happens to be jakes girlfriend.
-Jake has always been in the shadow of his brother who won the state championship the year before as a senior and got a full ride to Texas A & M. He has never been better then his brother at anything until he starts as the freshmen quarterback. He struggled to outplay the older and bigger defenseman and other quarterbacks but comes out with a winning season. Along his journey he manages to get the prettiest girl at the high school as his girlfriend. Throughout the story Jake struggles to win the attention of his father who is obsessed with his brother Wyatt's college career. Jakes winning season is topped of with winning the quarterfinal game at a cost. Jake gets a concussion and can't play in the semi finals, the game that would prove he is a better quarterback then his brother. He must help train the second string quarterbacks confidence and skill so they can indefinitely win the semi's. The championship game is around the corner and jake will attempt to lead the team to victory and beat his brothers record.
-The main conflict is jakes concussion which cripples him from playing the semifinal game which could qualify their team to the championships. The only way they could win is if they trust their second string quarterback to beat the best team in the league. The backup to jake has no confidence and can't throw far enough. Jake trains him to be more confident and teaches him how to launch the ball. The semifinal game is won!
-This book is phenomenal, it not only gives a great feel for the main characters but also gives a great suspenseful description to ever game. I felt that I was watching a Texan version of "Friday Night Lights". Not only was the book about my favorite sport but it had romance, comedy, action, and loads of suspense. It may be one of the best books I have ever read.

[Preston M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great Mike Lupica book. It demonstrates the true value and passion of football. It shows that not all teammates treat each other with respect. This book made me feel right there, watching everything that happened. The book shows the hard work of being a football player, the grit, and the effort put into football. It shows that not everything is perfect In football. The book shows great description and emotion. It deserves its 5 stars, it is a very undead and underrated Mike Lupica book. I enjoy Mike Lupica books and wish to read more.

[Danielle Behn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal Response: I really enjoyed this book even though sometimes I felt it was a little too cliché and predictable for me. I’m about to contradict myself when I say that this book is very suspenseful. It had a lot of high and low spots in it where I wasn’t all that interested, through I couldn’t put the book down. I feel the way the author laid out the games and basically the entire book was great. I’m going to definitely read more of his books in the future.

Plot: This book was mainly about football; it had some romance in it as well. It started out as the little brother, Jake, always having to fall behind in his older brother’s footsteps. Wyatt, the older brother, took his football team to state the previous year and they won. Now Wyatt is going to the University of Texas and is their starting QB his freshman year. Meanwhile, Jake has to earn his spot as the QB in Granger. The original quarterback for the Cowboys ended up getting hurt. That’s when the rivalry began. Jake, the smart, conservative one, against Casey Lindell, the fierce, optimistic one. To put it short and sweet, Jake worked harder to get the position. He and Casey had some tension between them but Jake was very mature about it and handled it in a polite way. Jake also got Casey’s girl, Sarah Ryburn. Sarah had tried to get with Wyatt, but he wouldn’t give her the time of day. That didn’t matter to her though because she found someone better, and that was Jake. Jake and his Granger Cowboys’ ended up winning the state championship two years in a row.

Characterization: The main charterer in this book is Jake Cullen. He is a freshman in high school and he has one older brother, Wyatt Cullen. His parents’ names are Libby and Troy Cullen. They live in Granger, Texas where football is about the only thing the town strives for. Jake has two really good friends, Bear (Barrett) and Nate. They play football together and they always will motivate each other. Bear is probably my favorite character just because we share similar personalities and it’s amazing how much we act alike.

Setting: This book took place in Granger, Texas.It never really gave a time period as to what year it was taken place, but it was during the summer/fall season. If anyone knows Texas, they know that there is no other state that worships football like they do. I feel that has the biggest impact on this book as it is about football. The heat and rain also somewhat affected the scenes.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to mostly boys or girls that don’t mind football and are in high school or late middle school. If the reader enjoys or engages in football, I feel they could relate to this more than anyone else. If they are a fan of football, they will get the opportunity to see what it’s like to be on the field and in a tough situation. I would also recommend this book to someone who is not too good at problem solving. QB1 really opens your eyes on how many options there really is out in the world and that not always is the easy way the best way.

Rating: I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars although every once and awhile I got bored. For the most part, I was entertained.

[Rohun Yarala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Football is the most popular and obsessive sport in America, but in some places, it isn't just the NFL. Texas high school football is as important as anything for the townspeople, and Mike Lupica does a great job of capturing the life and pressure of being a high school quarterback in Texas. However, young Jake Cullen is not just a freshman quarterback at Granger High, but the son and younger brother to two of the best players to come out of Granger.

The book transitions from the storybook ending of Wyatt Cullen's high school career, a state championship before heading to Texas University as a top recruit, to the beginning of Jake Cullen's high school career. A freshman who happens to be the youngest of the biggest family in town, Jake is nowhere near the quarterback his Dad or brother was. The journey Jake takes from being on the varsity because of his last name to the star player is exhilarating and a must read for everybody.

Lupica writes in a way that captures the emotion of the characters, and paints a perfect picture in the readers mind. He combines a slightly descriptive writing style with a drama to keep his audience on the edge of their seats, as if they were watching a real football game.

Although this book is perfect for the diehard sports and/or football fan, it can provide the same excitement for a casual reader. Lupica does a fantastic job of incorporating family, drama, and multiple themes in the story so that it is not merely a game of football. This book is suitable for all ages, requires little previous football knowledge, and can become anybody's favorite book.

[Justin Juarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Texas, football is a big deal. The main character Jake Cullen is a freshman quarterback at Granger High School. He has been living in the shadow of his brother, Wyatt, who is a quarterback for Texas state and eh quarter backed the Texas State championship. He has also been living in the shadow of his dad, Troy Cullen, who is a quarterback in the NFL and was a legend. No one sees him as a famous person. They see him just as every other boy teenager. Through out the season, Jake gets a girlfriend who is the prettiest girl in school. Jake and his team makes it to the sem ifinals, but he gets a cuncussion and cannot play. Jake teaches there backup quarterback how to play better and they win the semi final game! Will they win the championship game with jake ready to get back on the field?
I thought that this was a fantastic book. The author Mike Lupica, did a great job writing this book. She kept me wanting to read the book more and more when I had the chance. I liked how there is a lot of action sports wise. I also liked how the story was based on the Manning family. They are a family who played in the NFL. There father Archie Manning Whois Troy Cullen. Payton Manning who is Wyatt and is a Super Bowl champion. And last is Eli Manning who is Jake who is also a Super Bowl champion. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends who like sports books. I would like to read the other books that Mike Lupica has made.

[Susie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick read. I kept getting the feeling that Lupica is trading on the Manning name, and hurried out another book to cash in. Now, I stock MANY Lupica books in our middle/intermediate library, but asked myself if my mission is to offer quality literature or what kids want to read. This book was very predictable, and I felt like it was "written down" to kids. The best parts are the dialogue among Jake Cullen and his friends Bear and Nate. The relationships among Jake, his brother Wyatt, and their dad seemed very cliched at times.

When a book tries to capitalize on current pop culture and be authentic, it seems glaring to me when there are errors in authenticity. For instance, Kansas plays in Lawrence, KS, not Lawrenceville. From South Bend, you go over to Chicago, not up. The Cullens have a 100 acre ranch in Texas, with Troy having tripled its size? That's a postage stamp ranch. Distances are off, too. If the Cullens live an hour north of Dallas, they're practically in Oklahoma, and it takes about 3 hours to get from Dallas to Austin, which make some travel times by Wyatt impossible. Some of the logistics were not correct.

There were some nice touches, but the ending was totally implausible. Entertaining? Maybe. Hokey? Yes. I will have it in the school library, but not as many copies as Heat and Travel Team.

[Mason Soerens · Rating 5 out of 5]

PERSONAL RESPONSE
This book was amazing. Everything in this book was amazing. Mike Lupica opened up a whole new world to me. Before this book I did not think that I would like sports-related books, but now that´s practically all I want to read.
PLOT SUMMARY
Jake Cullen was in a shadow of his dad and brother. His brother Wyatt Cullen had just won the Texas state championship, and now him, a freshman, Jake has to earn the QB role. Jake is a natural born leader but he was not a as gifted QB like his brother Wyatt and his father Troy Cullen. Now into his high school career Jake earned the job of QB. He was now not only feeling pressure from the game he plays, but also because of his major crush on the pretty girl at school.
RECOMMENDATION
I recommend this book to everyone. It was easy to read and understand and I don´t just recommend this to people who like sports books, but everyone because I didn´t like sports books before this book.

[Cody Dickinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this book 5 stars. I like the play-by-play in the football games. I also like that some nights after practice the author gives a review on how Jake did at practice. I also like how the author explained the struggles Jake was going through with his dad or with football. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes sports.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Can battle of the books please stop making me read sports books

[Austin Baehnman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Response: The book “QB1” by Mike Lupica in my opinion is a very good book. With that being said you have to like football or sports in general to really enjoy this book. I believe that Mr. Lupica does a very good job describing all of the detail that goes on in this novel.

Plot: The book “QB1” by Mike Lupica is about a High School Freshman trying to get the starting quarterback position on his football team. Jake Cullen is always living in the shadow of his dad and brother, Troy and Wyatt Cullen. Jake's older brother, Wyatt, is a freshman in college and the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns. Wyatt took his High School team, the Granger Cowboys, to the state championship last year during his senior year. After Wyatt graduates the starting quarterback position gets handed down to senior Tim Mathers, but in the first game of the year he tore his ACL on a normal play which means he was out for the rest of the season.
That meant for Jake that he was back up behind Casey Lindell, a junior that moved in from a different school. Casey felt threatened by Jake and started making silly mistakes that basically handed the job over to Jake. In the last game of the season Jake ran for a touchdown, but right as he got there he got lit up by the opposing linebacker which gave him a small concussion. That means that Casey had to play the next game, which was the sectional final.

During that week of practice Casey looked absolutely terrible. So what Jake did was he wrote a letter to Casey saying that he should come by his house and he would help him. When Casey came to Jake's house Jake had his dad came out and helped Casey on his mechanics which actually helped a lot. In the game not much scoring went on, the score was seven all through halftime. Once the third quarter started Highland Junction got off to a quick start, but couldn’t score any points off of it. The score after the third quarter the score was 14 all. Then a huge rainstorm blew in at the start of the fourth quarter, but Casey was able to pull off the win with a score of 21-17.

With that win the Granger Cowboys moved onto the state final. Jake was able to play this game because he was cleared earlier in the week. At the end of the half it was 14-0 Fort Carson with the lead. In the Third quarter Jake started getting his mojo back and got the Cowboys almost tied with Fort Carson. 14-13 was the score going into the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter Fort Carson kicked a field goal to make it 17-13 and it stayed that way until the last drive of the game.

With two minutes and ten seconds left in the game Jake needed to take his team down to the other end of the field and score. Jake drove all the way down to the Fort Carson 30 yard-line, but then got stopped by the defense on first and second down. A penalty on third down caused it to be fourth and 25 on the 45 yard-line. Jake knew that only one play was maybe even crazy enough to work.

On fourth down Jake lined up as a wide receiver and had Casey in the quarterback position. Casey snapped the ball and looked at Calvin, which drew the defense away from Jake. At the last second Casey launched the ball toward Jake. Jake caught the ball on the 10 yard line and kept running until he got hit at the five, but at this time it was too late and Jake was in the touchdown for the score.
With only 10 seconds left in the game the score was Granger Cowboys 20 and the Fort Carson 17. Fort Carson had one chance to throw a Hail Mary pass but it got batted down by the cowboy defense. Granger won the state championship again this time with a freshman on the team instead of a senior.

Characterization: The characters in this book develop a lot throughout this book. First we meet Wyatt Cullen in his senior year in the state championship game. He won that game and went on to start as a freshman for the University of Texas Longhorns. Then we meet Jake Cullen, Wyatt’s younger brother, as he is starting his freshman year in high school. The starting quarterback in the first game of the season is Tim Mathers, who tore his ACL. We don’t see him from that point on. Casey Lindell is the backup to Tim and steps into the quarterback position when Tim gets hurt. We meet Nate and Bear in the beginning of the book when Jake starts practice. Sarah Rayburn is the Captain of the cheer team and also has a crush on Jake’s older brother Wyatt. This is a dysfunction for Jake because he has a crush on her.

Impacts of Setting: This book takes place in modern day Texas, so it is always hot and is able to rain in an instant. Jake always has to adapt and play his best in any conditions. The setting changes a lot throughout this book. We start in Boone Stadium, the stadium where the championship is played. After Wyatt won the game the book switches over to Jake getting ready for the next season back in Granger. The field in Granger is called Cullen Field after Jake and Wyatt’s father, Troy. Troy Cullen played for Granger and then worked his way into the NFL. He was the back-up quarterback for the St. Louis Rams before he had too many concussions and had to leave the game he loved so much.

In the book we also jump from Cullen Field back to the main street of Granger, where Jake spends most of his time with Nate and Bear. After the first couple chapters the setting stay around the same, occasionally jumping from stadium to stadium on game days. The time affects Jake as well, for instance at the beginning of the book he is young and inexperienced. As the book continues on though he starts to become a better football player.

Thematic Connection: The theme of this book is always keep going forward and never back down. If Jake would have stopped at being third string, he would have never been able to lead Granger to another state championship in two years.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to all students sixth through twelfth grade, boy or girl. The reason I would recommend this to these people is because it is a fairly easy read and the storyline will keep everyone, in my opinion, intrigued.

[Gus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal Response

I thought that this book was very good. I liked this book a lot because it was about football. I also like the characters in this book and the way the author described each one of them. The plot was very good in my opinion although it was somewhat predictable. This book wasn't very original when compared to other books by this author. The plot of this book was what earned my rating of five out of five stars.

Plot

The book is centered around a freshman quarterback named Jake Cullen. Jake lives in the small town of Granger, Texas. In Granger, high school football is the pride of the town and everybody roots for the star quarterback. Before Jake was born, the star quarterback was his dad Troy Cullen. When Jake was in middle school, that quarterback was his older brother Wyatt. Wyatt wass able to lead Granger to another state championship his senior year and cement his name as a local legend. After Wyatt leaves Granger for the University of Texas, the quarterback position is filled by a senior quarterback. Jake is sitting at third on the depth chart because he is a freshman. Even though Jake is third string, his quarterback coach pays special attention to him after practice and works with him to make him better. During Granger's first game, Granger's quarterback goes down and Granger's back up is making a lot of mistakes. When the game looks like it is going to be a blow out, Coach McCoy throws Jake into the game. Jake throws the ball well and scores a touchdown in the final seconds of the game, proving that he belongs out on the field just as much as the next guy. During practice the next week there is a competition for the starting spot between Jake and Casey. This will continue the next couple of weeks with neither of them being named the true starter. During the position changing, Casey develops an attitude towards Jake and the two often clash after practice. Towards the middle of the season, Jake starts most of the games and wins them. Jake is really excited that he is able to show his dad his talent, but he realizes that his dad hasn't even come to any of his games.Jake's dad doesn't come to the games because he is too occupied with Wyatt. Jake questions how much his dad really cares about him. Jake also questions his dad's faith in Jake's playing ability. When Jake gets hurt and Casey starts, Casey is flustered with the sudden chance to prove himself. Casey struggles throughout practice and he seems to have lost his confidence. Jake doesn't want to see the team lose so Jake chooses to be the bigger man and forgive Casey for the past. Jake helps Casey fix his game and Casey is able to win the rest of the games up to the State Championship. Jake's dad realizes he hasn't treated Jake as an equal to Wyatt. Jake's dad comes to the championship game to show Jake that he truly cares about him as an equal to Wyatt. The game is very close but in the final seconds of the game Casey throws a touchdown pass to Jake and they win the game.

Characterization

Jake's character changes slightly throughout the book. At the beginning of the season Jake is unsure of his own ability to play quarterback and be a leader on the team because he is a freshman. When he is named the co-starter, he realizes the talent that he has and he is able to become more bold with his ability. Jake is also able to show his team he can get them wins. One thing that doesn't change about Jake is his love for the game. He also stays true to his nature of being forgiving to everybody, even Casey.

Setting

The setting is a key part of this book. The book takes place in the heart of a little town in Texas. Texas is a huge football state which adds a huge atmosphere of importance to each town's high school team. The importance of each game is really felt throughout the book and every Friday night has an electric feeling to it. The setting of Texas also lets the reader imagine the toughness the game of football is played with at the high school level.

Rating/Recommendation

This book was great. I gave it an easy five stars out of five because the book was a captivating read for me. I love football and the fact that this book was entirely about my favorite sport kept me reading it day and night. Every page seemed to come to life in my mind and I could imagine every feeling the main character had because I could relate to him. This book is great for people who love the game of football and know the importance of high school football. I would recommend it to boys from middle school up because middle school is really where you start to learn how much you really like a sport. I wouldn't recommend this book for girls because all of the characters are guys and girls may not be interested in football.

[Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

QB1 by Mike Lupica was to say the least, an amazing book. Full with action, and parts that will keep you reading until the very last page. Jake Cullen is a freshman at a Texas Highschool, in the shadow of his own brother Wyatt Cullen who had just moved to college. Jake tried out for varsity and made it, however his spot was pretty much granted, will Jake play under the Friday night lights and earn the respect of his dad?
Well there is only one way to find out and that’s too read the book. I read this book in under 24 hours and couldn’t stop turning to the next page. The Lupica was inspired by the Manning’s family of quarterbacks, and makes a lot of connections to them. I couldn’t help but love this book because it talked about Peyton Manning who played for the Indiana Colts, my favorite team.
This book was filled with emotional twists that I felt on a personal level. This book was a phenomenal book and I would recommend this to anyone who likes football!

[Trevor Flease · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Response
I thought the book QB1 by Mike Lupica was one of my best reads, because I can relate to the book in a lot of different ways. The obstacles Jake has to overcome are amazing. It also shows a good life lesson, that you can do anything you want to. The way the book started I did not think that Jake would ever touch the field. I love stories where people can prove others wrong.

Plot
The main character Jake is the youngest of his brothers, and doesn’t really like it. Jake’s dad was a great quarterback and now his brother gets to play for the University of Texas. The author tries to down play how good Jake is in the beginning of the book, because of how good his family was. Jake proves the Granger Cowboys, his family, and friends that he is just as good. In the first couple practices Jake and Casey the two quarterbacks fighting for the starting job, were both doing pretty good. Casey got to start the first couple of games because he was a senior and waited his turn for the job. Jake understood, but knew he could beat him out, which he did. The coaches saw the potential and gave Jake a shot where he shined. It came down to the last regular season game to decide who will come away with the conference title. The cowboys need a win and for another team to lose. It all worked out for them. The only bad thing that happened was Jake suffered a serious concussion. That meant Casey would start the first playoff game. Casey played ok and the Cowboys defense led them to victory. Jake was the big leader though, he led the team to state and to a win.

Characterization
Jake is one of the kids on the football team that is quiet and works hard every night. No questions asked, he does what the coaches want. Jake has to come over many hardships in his family. He feels that his dad loves his brother way more, because he is playing at the college level. That put a fire under Jake to do better. All around though Jake is liked by the whole football team and they respect him a lot. Calvin is Jake’s best friend on the team. When Jake gets down Calvin is always right there to help him up. He is a great kid and respects the coaches and his teammates.

Impact of Setting
The main part of this book happens in Granger, Texas. The school is a small to average size school for Texas. It also takes place in Austin at the University of Texas. The author talks about the long drive from one side of the state to another. He also talks about some unique features Texas has to offer.

Audience/Recommendation
I would recommend QB 1 to any high school football player. I would say that, because Jake talks about how to overcome situations. He says if you want something bad enough you will work for it. I think adult males would enjoy this book too.

[Pardhu Namburi · Rating 3 out of 5]

“QB 1” by Mike Lupica.Jake Cullen, is the main character, he is playing high school football, in Texas.Jake is a freshman, and his older brother, had already been a quarterback, and he took his team to the Texas State Championship, and Jake has the pressure to try to do as well as his brother Wyatt did in high school, and on top of that Jake’s dad was a NFL quarterback.Jake has to even fight for his own QB job every single play and day.
Jake feels like he is competing with Wyatt his brother for his father's attention. Jake thinks that his father cares more about Wyatt than he does about him. Jake is agitated, when his father leaves during his game.Jake likes this girl named Sarah, and they didn’t talk as much at first, then they came closer, and at the end Casey throws the winning touchdown to Jake, and they won the championship game which was really big for them.
This book is basically showing that people are what they are, they’re not their brother or dad, they have their own expectations, like when Jake wanted to be like his older brother Wyatt, Jake isn’t Wyatt Jake is him, his own person.I personally think that this book is a cliche, you could predict what was going to happen next,like when in the championship game,“Wyatt was able to fling the ball while running,barely taking long enough to plant his right foot,heaving it half-sidearm as far as he could in the direction of Calvin Morton.Letting it rip even though Calvin was double-covered by a corner and a safety...Yet not like Calvin Morton,who went up and outfought both of them,bobbling the ball just slightly,somehow pinning it to the front of his right shoulder pad with his huge mitt of a left hand.Landing hard on his back,helmet going sideways as he did,somehow maintaining control of the ball”(Lupica 15-16), I could easily predict that there was going to be one big catch that wins the game.I also had a text to self connection, in the book it says,“Jake wondering if he’d ever get anywhere near a moment like that at granger high.Or if he’d ever even be the first string quarterback at Granger High, whether he was a Cullen or not”(Lupica 19), this was a text to self connection for me, because I could feel pressured to be like my brother, and wonder if I could do as well as he did, and Jake in this book was pressured to be like his brother, Wyatt.I would recommend this book, to people who are into sports.

[Cian Fischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Response-
QB 1 by Mike Lupica was more of a boring book to me. I say this because it seems like in all of the books I’ve read by this author, the same story is given. I feel that the only thing that has changed between books are the characters and there has been a slight plot twist. Every time I opened the book it felt as if I was re-reading a page from one of the author’s books, and the book became dull and boring to me. To others who have not read any of the other books by Mike Lupica this book would be entertaining, but to me it just was not enjoyable.

Plot-
QB 1 is the story of a boy, Jake Cullen, put placed in the shadow of his brother and father, Wyatt and Troy Cullen (both great football players). The only problem is Jake has nowhere near the talent his father or brother had. All he has is a good work ethic and a lot of brains. Jake is a freshman, competing for the job of quarterback and under the pressure of the Texas football “Friday Night Lights” of it all. His friends anticipate him to be handed the job on a silver platter because he’s a Cullen, but all he’s handed is a lot of work and a little respect. He has to work for every snap and every bit of respect he gets. By season time he starts competing for the starting quarterback spot with Casey Lindell, a sophomore with a good arm. As the season goes on Jake rises up as the star quarterback and gets the “girl of his dreams”. In the last game of the season Jake suffers from a severe concussion, and Casey is given the job of quarterback for the sectional game. He succeeds and Jake is cleared to play in the state championship game. His team wins the game and the story ends on that high note.

Recommendation-
I would recommend this book to anyone between the ages of 12-14. It feels like more of a boy book because it is sports oriented and i feel like boys, rather than girls would enjoy it. I feel like it is good for those between the ages of 12-14 since it has an advanced vocabulary and can be challenging to read at certain times. Personally, I would rate this book as a 4 out of five stars.

[Winter Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review Prediction
QB #1

I am reading a fantastic football book called QB #1. There are a variety of several possibilities that will lead to outcomes or turns this book could take right now. I truly do not know what to expect. Every page expresses another outstanding pass by this freshman and/or more enthusiastic talk about the final game. The main character is this freshman quarterback whom is the greatest of all time! Growing up in a town in Texas, he lives, breathes, and dies for the game of football. This kid’s team is expected to win it all knowing they have Jake, the uber talented freshman quarterback. The buzz on the street is this phenom Jake will win the Texas State High School Championship and then get drafted immediately to play at the collegiate level.

I love this book for many reasons with regards to athletes and competitive sports but this author Mike Lupica is probably my favorite aspect. He is famous for writing authentic sports novels and each one I’ve read just is better than the next!.

My prediction is that the Granger High Cowboys are going to win the championship just like they all dream...on a friday night, under the lights, down by 3 points with 5 seconds left, with the ball on the 40. The football is snapped, right before 1 second. The clock reads 00 as Jake drops back into the pocket knowing it's the last play of the game and darn straight knowing this could be the deciding factor in his career. Jake turns and sees two guys coming at him from the corner of his eye. Peripherally, he sees his wide receiver in the endzone, Jake throws a bomb which floats across Boone Stadium, the fans are on their toes, and the coaches are reluctant to even witness the outcome. Jake With two guys on him will not know what happened. He will stand up and see his whole team charging at him in sheer celebration and at that moment Jake will know he is the small town Texas hero who had just won it all!

[Collin Manzano]

I read the book QB1 by Mike Lupica, I thought this was a really good book and I also thought he did good on how he described being on the field in a game and in practice in the scorching heat. In this book the main character is Jake Cullen, a freshman quarterback at a small Texas high school. In QB1 Jake comes from a big football family, his dad was a NFL player, and his brother lead his high school team to a state championship. So Jake has a lot to live up to from his dad and his older brother’s legacy. While everyone on the team thinks Jake will be handed the starting job, Jake knows he will have to work every snap and not let up.
This book takes place in a small town in Texas where football is the one thing that everyone loves watching and playing. Like I said earlier in this book there are good descriptions of things like when they are practicing, i can imagine it in the book of what it's like and it makes me think of our football practices when it was hotter than a oven but we were still out there getting better. I really connected to this book because I love football and it had a lot of football sayings and feelings you went though playing the sport. My opinion about this book is that it was a really good book and was a exciting book.
My overall impression is that I enjoyed this book and would tell others to read it that enjoy sport books. I really never like to read books but this was a good book. I thought it was a little long but all book are long but besides that I liked it. It had good descriptions, words and good characters. All in all this was a 5 star book in my opinion.

[Alexander]

I liked Jake from the very beginning. Set in Texas, Jake Cullen is funny, he’s sweet, and he’s loyal. Add to that he’s the younger sibling of the town’s football star and his problems multiply. He has to now prove himself but yet, on top of it all he always somehow manages to do the right thing. That was one part of he book that I didn't like because it seemed too corny.

I knew how big of a deal high school football is in Texas before reading this book. Which is a key part to this book to me. Having something be such a focus of your life can be both good and bad. Good because it gives you focus, gives you something to work towards and obtain. But it can also become very bad when it becomes the only thing you know, the only thing you do, the only thing you think you can achieve. This is the trap that Jake’s father is stuck in, which is one of my favorite parts of the book. Never having made his own dream come true, he’s trying to make it happen through his sons which leads to some very upsetting times for Jake with lots of tension build up. There were more than a few times while reading this that I wanted to shake Troy Cullen and say, “Look. Stop it.” But you can’t, it's a book.

Overall, I would recommend this book to realistic-fiction, family-life, sports lovers for certain!

[Marwan El-Rifai · Rating 4 out of 5]

QB 1 is about a freshman quarterback for the Cowboys, Jake Cullen, whose father was a former NFL player. The starting quarterback for the Cowboys was injured in the first game so the Back up, Casey Lindell, was subbed in. After struggling in 3 quarters Jake Cullen was put and shined even though they lost because there wasn't enough time. Through out the course of the season Jake and Casey both took turns playing in every game but the last game of the season was crucial for the Playoffs. Jake shined this whole game but they were down with 30 seconds to go. Jake's favorite receiver was double covered so he rushed to the end zone and got a touchdown but also got a concussion. This meant that he missed next game. Casey was starting that game but struggled in practice so he went to Jake's dad for advice and practice next to their barn. At the end they ran a play where Casey would throw it to Jake for fun. The Cowboys won that game while Jake was cleared and played the championship game. They were losing with a a little bit of time left. Jake decided to make Casey the quarterback and they ran the same play Jake's dad did in their and Jake caught the game winning touchdown. I think that this book was very interesting and action packed throughout the whole story.

[Luke_C1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

QB1, another Mike Lupica book is just like all the others he has written. Simple, and very relatable regardless of interest. The book makes it seem like people in Texas take High School Football more seriously than High School Prom. Jake Cullen, the main character is in a family of quarterbacks. A family Equivalent if not better than the Manning’s. Jakes dad made it to the nfl but could not hang on because of injury similar to Archie Manning. Jake brother is the starter as a freshman at Texas University and is compared to be like the next Peyton Manning. Jake is the third wheel. Being the 3rd string quarterback at granger high, many think he is only on the team because he is a "Cullen". It reminds me of another Mike Lupica book called Summer Ball. In summer ball, People think Danny, the main character is only considered to be in this prestigious summer camp because of his NBA dad. Danny proves people wrong on the court just like Jake wants to do to get the starting job. Jake now is Eli Manning, the forgotten brother looking to get his footing in his family. Jake proves his dreams and is a true disney movie.

[Muluken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Name: Muluken Rucks

Book title: QB1

Personal Response:
I liked this book because I could relate to it. I play football and I can understand some of the struggles that Jake goes through. I also was able to enjoy reading about the good times that the main character and I both have had.

Summary:
In this book, the main character goes through lots of drama regarding the football season at Granger High. Jake, who is from a widely recognized family of football, has lots of pressure upon him. After Wyatt Cullen and Troy Cullen’s successful careers, Jake is expected to be like Eli Manning. Jake finds a way to finally pull himself together and bring the wins home for Granger High. His family is proud and his legacy at Granger High only as a freshman is forever to be remembered.

Recommendations:
I would recommend this book to anybody that is or would be interested in football. It has a great theme to it and is an easy read. If you're not interested in football or sports in general, this book isn’t for you. If you are, then I would greatly recommend it.

[Jackson Beaudry · Rating 5 out of 5]

QB 1 is a book about a freshman battling his mind and his co player at the same time. This kid named Jake lives under the title of two state championship quarterbacks and a college player for the horns. He does not think he could live up to the greatness. All the talk about his brother Wyatt and that their football Fields named after him he feels a lot of pressure. Other people see it in him though and will not give up. After practice Jake is asked to stay back for a while to work on mechanics by the quarterback coach and watches film to every practice. This pays off for Jake and he has earned the respect of the town and family. As he plays each game he dominates realizing that he has it in him. He gets the girl in the end and makes a three time college champion quarter back of Granger High. In conclusion this is a very good book about a kid fighting for a spot. And he gets it. I would recommend this book to people that like football.

[Harry K · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book, QB 1, by Mike Lupica was very good. Jake Cullen was in his father’s and his brother’s shadows as a freshman quarterback for Granger High school in Texas. Some other athletes probably feel the same way. Eli Manning was also in his father’s and his brother’s shadows. The writing is very effective. This is because Mike Lupica describes that Granger is all about football. A strength of this book is that it talks about football almost the entire time. A weakness about QB 1 is that it follows Wyatt Cullen’s (Jake's older brother) career into college instead of focusing more on the main character, Jake Cullen. I would recommend this book to a classmate who likes football because it is all about football. If QB 1 was part of a series I would definitely read the rest of the series.

[Nathan Ungruhn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book the rating I did because it htout it was a very good book that made you want to keep reading and reading aslo because I like sports books mostly football. I would reccomend this book to others mostly people that like sports books and I would recommend it to any age. QB 1 is a book about a freshmen boy who is living in the shadow of his brother that just moved on to play quarterback at Texas. But Jake the freshmen boy knows that he has to work very hard to live the name up because he is a third string quarterback, but after the first game the starting quarterback gets hurt and from there the quarterback job is a mystery. Eventually Jake wins out the job and leads his team to the finals. Finally Jake is realized by his dad that he is just as good as hi brother and can live up to the expectation.

[Byers P · Rating 5 out of 5]

QB1 is a book about Jake Cullen, a quarterback in 9th grade and is on the Varsity team. Jake is in competition for the position with another teammate. Jake has to follow in his older brother, Cullen's footsteps who was also a quarterback and won the state championship. Jake's dad is also a former NFL quarterback. Jake has to fight for every play he doesn't just get the position handed to him. He is a shy 14 year old who has big footsteps to follow and in Texas where playing football has a big spotlight on you. I really loved this book because I love football and can really relate to this book. I would recommend this book to anybody who likes sports and especially football. While I was reading this book, my football team was in the state championship so it made me really excited and feel like I was in the book! This book is five stars!!

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young man follows in his brother's footsteps as the quarterback of his high school football team in Texas, where football is everything. Coming from a family of quarterbacks, father, older brother and now himself and inspired by the Mannings, this is the story of a young quarterback fighting not only the legends of his father and brother but the other quarterback vying for the number 1 quarterback spot.

I found this and interesting book, which the author did a good job of play by play on some of the games which I enjoyed. However, I thought the youngest son was just a bit too grown up given all the challenges he was facing as a 9th grader trying to play quarterback of his team. He was just a bit too good to be true. I think as a 9th grader he should have been just a bit more belligerent.

Good writing though - hence the rating.

[Kade C · Rating 5 out of 5]

QB1 is about a boy named Jake Cullen who has an older brother who just led his high school football team to the state championship and won it all. Jake has big shoes to fill because his dad was also a state champion. The problem is though Jake is not that great at QB yet. Jake must train very hard to be as good as his dad and brother. He also has a crush on this girl but he is way too shy to talk to her. Can he take the team to state like his dad and brother. You should really read this book to find out!
I really like this book because it made me feel good for Jake at the end. I think that my dad should read this book because he is a football lover like me. This book is like summer ball because it is a underdog story a lot like summer ball. Thank you for reading!

[Enzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quarterback 1, this book caught my attention because I enjoy reading about football. QB1 shows an unstable relationship between a dad and his son. Troy Cullen, the father, also former NFL quarterback has two sons, Wyatt and Jake Cullen. Wyatt has just joined Texas on a full ride scholarship to play football. Wyatt has been a local hero ever since his freshman year winning two Texas state championships. His father has always overlooked Jake who is starting high school trying to play football as a quarterback while getting into a few fights and arguments with fellow teammates and teachers. I recommend this book to anybody who’s interested in sports or just looking for an emotional story with a relieving and suspenseful ending.