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216 pages, Hardcover
First published September 20, 2013
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This was my first book I have read from Kevin Waltman, and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the book Next. The purpose of Next was to clearly entertain the reader. It was clear from the point of view being first person. Having the book be in a first person point of view made it so much more entertaining and dramatic, it made the reader feel like you were the main character Derrick Bowen. Since the character is around my age I can relate to him very well. I can feel his emotions from the way the author wrote the book and him being my age. I know the stress from the parallel plot of him trying to get a starting position on his high school basketball team and wanting to be in a relationship with his crush, Jasmine. These parallel plots will give the reader anticipation that puts the reader in the narrator's shoes and a want to know what will happen next. I also thought Waltman was courageous in putting another conflict in the book by seeing if Derrick would want to move to a new school to help his family out. Having many plots going on at once always keeps you on the edge of your seat....
The Theme is very hard to find in the book because the reader get so wrapped up in the plot. The theme is stay true to where you are from. When Derrick was offered to go to a new school, which would have given both his uncle and his dad a job and it was in a safer school. The school would have also helped Derrick be spotted by colleges which would help his future. Throughout the entire book, when the plot was added in, you were asking if he was going to go to Hamilton (the new school). This is explained When Derrick said "I made my decision, Coach Campbell" (247). Derrick was walking back home after a game when his Uncle stops him to talk. As they are talking Coach Campbell comes up and is asking him why he asked for shoes and then told Coach Treat he decided to stay. Before this Derrick must have realized that he should stay for his friends and family....
Since the book was written to entertain and is narrated through the eyes of Derrick, it is easy to tell that the book is a narration. A way the reader can tell this is with this quote "I turn to watch Moose go to work, but am shocked to see Nick ignore him completely. Instead, he waves Devin down from the top of the key and then dribbles over to my side. He waves Royce down to the opposite baseline, though it takes a second for Bedford to obey. Finally, with everyone flattened out, he motions for me to come to the perimeter. At last, I see what he is doing" (204). The way I can tell that this is a narration is because he explains what happens in the game from his point of view. This way the reader feels as if he or she is the one playing the game. I loved how effectively the author used this style to make the reader feel as if they are Derrick Bowen. Another example of this would be "Unbelievable. I'm the one busting ass every day after practice, and this is how I get rewarded" (137). Derrick is upset that he is not in the starting 5 of the next game. I have to say when I read that, I felt Derrick's anger. With Derrick's anger before the game it makes the reader wonder how he will react on the court....
The book Next was a great book and could be considered my favorite bo0k. The way Waltman described the games and practices through Derrick's eyes made you feel his emotions. I have never read a sports book that made me feel like I was on a roller coaster the entire time. One thing that I would change would be the ending. I feel like it was a let down. Since there were so many plots going at once I was expecting the ending to tie everything together but it just didn't get to that point and it did not give me the closure I was looking for.