Last Man Out

by Mike Lupica

From the #1 bestselling author of Heat, Travel Team and Fantasy League comes a story of heroes, family, and football.

When the Brighton Bears suit up on game day, 12-year-old Tommy Gallagher is the toughest kid on the football field. And the bravest. After all, his father Patrick is a Boston firefighter--one of Boston's bravest. Tommy's dad taught him everything he knows about football--and life.

Yet even Tommy isn't strong enough for what happens when the sirens ring and, for the first time, they're racing away from the fire. "First man in; last man out" had always been his dad's motto . . . yet he never said anything about leaving in an ambulance. Now Tommy's biggest battle has nothing to do with a football field.

Set in New England, home of the Patriots' football dynasty, Mike Lupica shows off his trademark knack for spinning a tale that's equal parts sports action and heart. Last Man Out is a thoughtful tribute to the bravery of firefighters and the need we all have to live up to the level of our heroes.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Sports, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Football, Family, Juvenile, Contemporary

Audio CD

First published September 13, 2016

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

[ChubsDubs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very good to me.
It kind of got me in my feels. It is a story about a boy named Tommy, He is an all star Safety for the Brighton Bears. His dad is Bostons bravest firefighter, He loses his life saving a lot of people. Tommy and his family are heartbroken, Tommy has to take charge and become the new man of the house. This book inspired me to keep moving on even through worst of times. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the game of football or that needs some help through their own tough times.

[Liz Friend · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story: When Tommy's dad is killed fighting a fire, Tommy has to learn how to move forward--with his mom and sister, with a new friend and a new skateboard, and most importantly, with his football team. Can Tommy get over his anger and grief and help the Bears win a championship?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence G; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic and the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (death of a parent, rage and grief) PG; overall rating G.

Liz's comments: Suitable for any upper ES or MS kid who likes either football or skateboarding--just not so much for library ladies who aren't sports fans. Two stars here is less about the quality of the book and more about the fact that for me, reading a book about football is a unique punishment all its own. :P

[Beau · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a vary good book I really enjoyed it. Because I mean it was about football and I really like the sport. In some of the parts In the book I could relate to because I play the same sport.

[Rory · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book can be hard to read with Tommy's dad having to leave games or not making games because of fire fighting, you tell it hits Tommy hard in the story, you can see that when you see how "mad" Tommy plays and grinds to be the best.b

[Gavin F · Rating 3 out of 5]

a kid that is a very skinny wants to play for the football team when the coach found out that his brother was a very fast player and the coach wants the kid to play and the kid turns out to be a good player

[Ryan Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

i like the book i can relate to it my dad loves watching me play just like the dad in the book. The book is kinda sad but good

[Wyatt Mineheine]

it was very good book it was a true story

[Adrian Hammers]

good

[Kaden Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Man Out Review
Summary...
In Mike Lupica's sports novel “Last Man Out”, Tommy Gallagher plays safety for the Brighton Bears defense and he's every offenses worst nightmare. He is crazy about the game and is a really fierce competitor. Tommy’s the bravest and strongest kid on the team , mentally and physically. He did learn the game from his dad after all , who is a Boston firefighter Who Tackles every fire. First in last out, but what he never talked about was being carried out of the fire. Tommy wasn't strong enough when he heard those sirens on that Saturday as they are racing towards the hospital. Despite facing tragedy Tommy Gallagher kept on playing his favorite game. Tommy started to learn how to skateboard by his team mate mike, Tommy accepted skateboarding as another sport into his life .Tommy and his team was on the trail to the playoffs when they faced an obstacle, the other team that i forgot the name of. Tommy's cocky enemie Blake on the other team, got on his nerves which led to a fist fight, which got Tommy suspended from the next game. On the weekend Tommy and Mike decided to be risky and skate boarded holding on to the back of the bus, after Mike jumped he told Tommy too jump off. Tommy lost his balance and flew into a street light. He broke his shoulder, which made him not able to play in the championship.
What The Author Did Good On...
The author, Mike Lupica is generally a good author, but let's talk about what he did good in “Last Man Out”. Mike Lupica really added the detail to what Tommy Gallagher went through,his feelings,his personality, etc.. I like how the author didn’t make the beginning or end slow and boring to read. Every part of the story never got overly boring. Sometimes it got sad and dark but also changed to happy feelings plus more. I also like how it shows different feelings throughout the story. I also like how Mike Lupica Described most of Tommy’s games and the specific plays in the game. I also like how well he describes the obstacles his family went through,and the flashbacks that Tommy's had about his dad. Another thing that he did good was add the details of Tommy’s dad’s work of being one of Boston’s bravest firefighters.
What The Author Did Bad On...
Mike Lupica, The author of the sports novel “Last Man Out” did do bad on some things in the book. I didn’t think the author did good on the beginning of the book and how dark and sad it started out. Another bad thing he did bad on was making Em who is Tommy's sister quit her soccer team because of the tragedy she went through.I also didn't think he did good on not letting Tommy play in the championship. He also didn’t do good on how much Em wasn't included in the story that much. Another thing i personally thought was bad, was how the character Blake was added as a cocky, spoiled, and rude kid.
If I Could Be A Character From The Story I would Be…
I would like to become a character from the book if I could. I would be Tommy Gallagher for many reasons. I want to be Tommy Because of his character and his skill at sports.I like how athletic he is, how good of friends he has and the caring family he has. If I could be Tommy I would change the decision of punching Blake and going on the back of the bus with the skateboard.
Recommendations
I recommend this book because it is a very understandable book and has a lot of detail in the story. If you like books you will definitely like this one. Made by Mike Lupica the #1 New York Times bestselling author. Overall you will really enjoy this book if you like sports or not.

[Nick Plaso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the best book "Last Man Out" was just going to be another average sports book that I read all the time. I play football so I usually enjoy these kinds of books. Mike Lupica is an amazing author, but his stories began to get boring and all sound the same. I was really looking for a twist in a story, that kept me on the edge of my seat and I finally found one. This book isn't an ordinary happy ending sports book that everyone wins in. You as the reader may be surprised at what happens throughout the story.....

In the beginning of the story, I really liked the main character Tommy just because of the way he carried himself, and how he had that killer instinct about him. I too love football but not as much as Tommy and his dad. On an early Saturday morning however, Tommy is tearing it up on the field but hears sirens off in the distance and freezes knowing something has gone wrong. Tommy soon has to change the way he lives and has to lookout for the people in his family. This maturity in a young boy surprised me, because I honestly do not know how I would react at such a young age.

Tommy soon becomes distracted away from football which was not such a good thing for him at the time. He never really did show emotion, but everybody knew it was eating him up inside. I was kind of disappointed in Tommy because he was starting to love his love for football. He did however find a love for skateboarding, which did not surprise me at all. This is because Tommy lives for the thrill and adventure in life just like me. I love challenges and exciting things that keep me active just like Tommy does.

Later in the story, Tommy has to learn a very hard lesson about knowing when to take it too far. He gets injured and has to learn how to become a better teammate than he was before. The coach uses a really good quote that says "I don't how many teams you boys are going to play on in your lives." I personally think this was a great thing for him, because it made him become a man quicker because he had to learn from the mistakes he made in the past. I think I learned a lot from Tommy toward the end of the story, because he always kept himself in check and really tried his best to look lout for his family. I absolutely love my family, but Tommy became the "rock" that everybody came too when they needed something. I think I actually admired Tommy here in the story, for how strong willed and bravery he was.

If I really had to choose one overall quote that would some up this story, it would be "stay strong, and keep believing." Tommy as a character really changed from the beginning to the end of the story. I was really happy for him that he found his way through football and skateboarding to find true happiness. Tommy had already been through more in his life than I ever will. I really think readers can learn a lot from this book. I would recommend this book to anyone, because it is about way more than just sports. This book really shows the struggles and challenges in life, but if people keep fighting and stay determined, good things will come in the future. I absolutely love this book, and I think anybody that reads it will fall in love with the story.

[Mary Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tommy Gallagher is playing football in a competitive league when he hears the sirens go off. Although he pauses at the sound, he continues playing, knowing his dad, who is a fireman, will be at the game as soon as his shift is over.

After the win, Tommy finds his mom and little sister talking to the coach on the sidelines. A rushed trip to the hospital still doesn't allow them to make it there in time. Tommy, his sister, and their mom must redefine normal--a normal that does not include his dad.

The remainder of the story focuses on Tommy going through the stages of grief and redefining himself. Readers see him display anger and try to stay busy, while his sister withdraws from everything. Flashbacks of memories with his dad allows readers to understand how close Tommy and his dad were.

I typically enjoy Lupica's books, even when They are about sports I don't enjoy. His sports writing is great and drags readers in so they are rooting for the character and his team. This one was different. While the author did a good job showing the possible effects of losing a parent on a pre-teen, Tommy's actions and level of maturity strained my credulity.

In this story, Tommy is 12 years old. However, his mom depends on him to watch his younger sister who is 10. She expects him to try to draw the sister out when she retreats into herself. She also expects more responsibility and mature responses from Tommy than most tweets display. After working with middle school students for over 10 years,Tommy's responses just don't ring true. If he were closer to 15, his responses would be much more believable.

Readers, especially middle-school readers, should take this review with a grain of salt. My perspective of how true Tommy's reactions are as compared to what they should be are colored by my experiences as a teacher, librarian, and parent. I think Tommy's actions may be more believable for those readers, but some may not be able to identify or empathize with Tommy over such weighty matters.

[Jonah Dujovny]

Tommy Gallagher was a star on and off the football field, on the football field he was a linebacker who always made the right play at the right time. Off the football field, he was a great person who always helped his father, mother, and sister out. Patrick Gallagher was a firefighter in Boston who is also Tommy’s dad.

Patrick always said that he was the first man in, last man out. When Tommy had a game, Patrick was always there unless something big happened. Patrick wasn’t at the game, and Tommy just worried that his dad was just late. Tommy returned an interception for a touchdown when he heard sirens, a lot of sirens and thought something was big.

Tommy finished his game and his mom starting running over tears dripping down her face and his sister Emily right beside her. She explained that they had to leave and go in the car right away. Something happened right after the game that will affect Tommy more than ever. Read the book to find out what happened and how Tommy gets over the pain.

I think Mike Lupica really knows how to describe pain. He is a very descriptive author who always knows what to say at the right time. I like his style of writing and I love all of his sports books especially ones about football and basketball. He always has great flow too and this book was always exciting from the first word to the last.

Lupica also explained what Tommy was going through at the time. I like his plot of how he always has a very big obstacle in the way for that main character to overcome.

I give this book a 5 stars out of 5 because it was very interesting and had a great story and a great title too. If you are a sports fan, this book would be a thriller to you. If you’re not into sports, than this book wouldn’t be exciting for you.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, emotional story. Disappointed that there was profanity. The tough emotions of losing a parent were raw and well written. The heart behind this book was clearly exposed on every page.

Content: profanity (actual word as well as a replacement another time), replacement expletive, sexual phrase

[Levi W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a boy who’s dad died. His dad died in the fire, because he was always the last man out. Troys dad would always tell him to be the first in and the last out and work harder than anyone to be where you want to be someday.

[Monoskoonkiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

“First man in, last man out.” That is what Patrick Gallagher always said he was. That is exactly what he is, the last man out. Even if it means his life. Once he broke his ankle saving a dog out of a burning building because the job wasn't done. Meet Patrick Gallagher one of Boston’s greatest and bravest. Engine 41 ladder 14. Not just at firefighting, but at being a father and everything else he does. He always said “you only get so many Saturdays.” That's exactly what he got one last Saturday. Do you know what he did with it? He was the last man out… of a burning building.
While his son, Tommy Gallagher, was at a football game, he heard the sirens, he automatically looked at his mom and he knew exactly what that meant, his dad was out fighting a fire. But, he still continued to hear more and more sirens,he knew it had to be a big fire. The game was close and all Tommy could think about was those sirens that kept on going, but he knew he had to concentrate on the close game. After Tommy saved the game, his excitement was quickly shut down by his mother who had tears rushing down her face. They had to rush to the hospital, because his dad was badly hurt. When Tommy got there he could feel it, his dad was dead. Him and his sister Em (Emily) were so broken down it caused them to go into a downward spiral. How did they get out of the spiral? Well that's basically what the book is about (theme) Character – destruction, building up. What destroys him is his father's death, what builds him up is waiting inside the book for you to find out.
This book was a four out of five stars. ⅘. I'll tell you my reasoning for it too. Some cons were… the book is a mirror of what all his books are. The main character loses somebody or already has lost that person, and they use sports, friends, and family to get over it. Another thing that was wrong with it was that, the book didn't have a “can't put you down” feeling, but that could've been the fact that I was forced to read it.
Some pros are… the characters were very well developed, all of them had their own unique personality and not just one certain thing that they are known for. He does a great job of capturing personality with dealing with grief. He also instituted new characters into the story easily and fit them into Tommy’s life. Eventhough the storyline was unoriginal,Mike Lupica still found a way to make it great. If I could change this book I don't think I could.
If there is a group of people this is directed to it would be any reader who likes sports or realistic fiction.
His life motto is first man in, last man out and he ended his life following his motto.

[ColeB · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book i have read is Last Man Out. The author of this book is Mike Lupica and lexile of 840. This book is mainly about a boy named Tommy Gallagher. He has a sister a mom and dad who works as a firefighter. Tommy’s sister loves to play soccer and practices very often. Tommy loves to play football, and he is very skilled at the sport. Tommy uses his play reading abilities to exceed in football.

This book has very many incidents that happen, good and bad. Tommy and his dad are very close and they practice football very often. They love to spend time together and watch football games. But one day Tommy's dad got caught in a fire, He died. Tommy then had to practice by himself and teach himself good and bad. Tommy tried to make himself busy to keep his mind off the loss of his dad. He taught himself different skills in other sports and personal skills to keep him calm and happy. Having the loss of Tommy’s dad was very hard, though Tommy learned so many more skills. Another incident was when Tommy’s sister quit soccer. It was hard for him because his sister was sad and always in her room. She never got out of the house or even left her room. But she did join soccer again near the end of the book.

Overall this book was a pretty good book. It has different emotions throughout the book which makes the book more fun to read. There were some parts in the book were there was not much going on and it was pretty boring. And i didn't always like the decisions that were made from some of the characters in the book. Some of the decisions the characters made didn’t match up with the book. One reason why i liked the book was because it had to do with sports most of the book, and i like to read about sports. Overall i would recommend this book. It is fun book with many situations in it.

[Alex Anger]

The Last Man Out by Mike Lupica


Have you ever lost a family member while you were playing a football game? I have never had that happen and I hope it never does happen. Well it happened for Tommy, the main character in the book. Tommy lost his dad on the same day he was playing one of his football games. The book shows the emotions associated with losing a parent. It also shows how Tommy moves forward and try to continue on without his role model.
One of the things that got me interested in this book is football and firefighting. The reason these things got me interested is because I played football and plan to become a volunteer firefighter when I graduate. The book captures the emotions that families of firefighters have to deal with. It also puts into perspective how a young boy handles this father’s death.
The second thing I enjoyed about the book was the references to playing football. I can compare how Tommy had to overcome not only his father’s death but injury. I too had to overcome an injury that left me sidelined for a season. The bravery and commitment to doing his best and being there for his family as well as the team was very inspiring.
The Last Man Out was a great book for someone that interested in sports and the drive to overcome obstacles in one’s life. As a teenager, this book could keep the interest of someone who doesn’t really like to read. Mike Lupica finds ways to draw his readers in with real life situations. He makes it seem real for boys who are involved in sports and other activities at school.

[Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book Last Man Out, Tommy Gallagher , the main character, loves to play football and soon gets involved with skateboarding with one of his friends on his football team. He also loves his father, who is a firefighter and was also Tommy's guider in life and to help him in football. His sister Emma loves soccer just as much as Tommy loves football. Their father always had the motto of , "First man in, last man out." But Tommy's dad was right about his motto, until the downfall of his dad trying to save people in a terrifying house fire, only causing him to be rushed to the hospital and eventually dying. So he basically ended his life by following his own motto. Tommy knows he has to stay strong and do everything he can for his family. The first couple of chapters talk about the death of his father and the funeral. After the heroic tragedy we than move onto in the book how tommy is kicking butt on the football field. In the middle of the story Emma decides to quit her soccer team and left everyone on the team down. Tommy's mother managed to hold up her family. Later in the book, Tommy decides to go skateboarding before his big championship game that week. Knowing that Tommy loves the excitement and the thrill of things, he took it way to far. As a result he dislocated his shoulder which ended his football season. But the Bears still managed to win the championship without the presence of Tommy Gallagher. After Tommy's game his family decided to go over and watch Emma's team play in the championship. Which her team had won. In conclusion this book was the right book for me and caught my interest right away. I can relate to it about me playing football and all the events in the book relating to me

[Thomas Toone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas
Period 2
Last Man Out
34


Exposition: The book talks about how Tommy is a good football player and how he loves to play football and his dad is a firefighter.

Rising action: is how and the end of Tommy’s first football game his dad is called to a fire and gets killed. Tommy now is not playing football as well as he used too.

Climax: is how a kid that Tommy hate’s makes fun of is dad and Tommy gets into a fight with the kid. He might get banned from the league.

Falling action: He goes skateboarding one day and decides to ride on the back of a bus and he lets go and breaks his arm right before the championship game.

Resolution: He helps win the championship game by coaching the last play from the sideline that wins the game.


The character is Tommy and he likes to play football. He learns how to skateboard from his friend Mike. At the start of the book he likes to have fun and mess around. He does this until his dad dies. At the end of the book he has just broken his arm because he thought that it would be fun to hang on to the back of a bus while it went down a hill. After the accident the doctor tells him that he will not be able to play in the championship game so he decides not to be as reckless as before and they win the championship game.




I liked the book because I love to skateboard and play football so Tommy has a lot in common with me. His name is Tommy and mine it Thomas. I disliked the book because it made me sad when Tommy’s dad died in the second chapter of the book. I also didn’t like how Tommy couldn’t play in the last game of the season because Tommy was so good at football and he was the one who made it so they could get to the championship game. But otherwise it was a great book. I give it 5 stars.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Dad always said that you only get so many Saturdays in your life."

Tommy Gallagher is almost as devoted to football as his father is to firefighting. Patrick Gallagher is always the first one into a building and the last man out. But he is also a devoted father who spends his time helping Tommy understand the game of football and cheering on Tommy's sister, Emily, on the soccer field. So, when Patrick Gallagher is killed in a fire, there is a big hole in the family.

Tommy doesn't know what to do with his pain. He knows he needs to be strong for his mother and his sister, but that just adds pressure to his already high stress level. On the football field he becomes more aggressive - almost reckless, even to the point where he almost hurts a teammate in practice. As mistakes on the field pile up, no one is harder on Tommy than he is. He begins to berate his every play and blame himself for every mental mistake. When he explodes on the field and fights with another player, suspension looms. It is only the coach, speaking up for Tommy and his current situation, that keeps him on the field. "You were living your life, son, even if you were doing it recklessly in that moment. And in the process of living our lives, we all make mistakes."

What Tommy needs is a release. And it is his friend, Mike, who provides him with one. Mike is a new kid from California who introduces Tommy to the world of skateboarding. And Tommy soon finds that the adrenaline rush is just what he needs. But he still doesn't know how to help his sister, who has quit her soccer team and has basically stopped talking to everyone. What would his father do to reach Emily?

[Dritacco18 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you know what it feels like to lose your role model? Well if you do, Tommy can relate to you. Tommy is an 8th grader from a small town called Brighton, where he lives with his sister Emily and his mom. Tommy is on his local football team with his friends Greck and Mike. Football is Tommy’s love, and he will do anything to win a football game. Everything is going good in Tommy’s life, until he loses his father. Tommy looked up to his father, so when he lost him, his whole world went upside down. The author shows Tommy’s feelings by the use of signposts. One signpost is a memory moment. In the text on page 36 it states, “But there was usually enough room for Tommy and his dad on a summer night, after supper, to come and work on the small things that Patrick Gallagher said were going to make Tommy a big star someday.” This quote shows that Tommy’s father would do whatever it took to make Tommy into a star. He knew that Tommy loved football, so he wanted to teach his son so he could be better at the game. I like how Patrick Gallagher put his kids before everything. He would go out there until Tommy got whatever he needed to do. I would rate this book 3.5 stars out of 5. I would rate this only a 3.5 because the ending was so predictable. You could totally tell that Tommy’s team was going to win the championship. I would recommend this book to others, because besides the ending it was a really good book. I liked the whole storyline of the book. I liked how Tommy and his whole family went through their grief and got back up on their feet. All in all, Last Man Out is a very good book, and it was a good read.

[Jdangelo]

Over these past three weeks, I have read now one of my favorite books Last Man Out by Mike Lupica. Tommy Gallagher is a twelve-year-old star at football. He and his dad Patrick Gallagher have been working on football since he could walk. Tommy is now one of the best defensive linemen on his team. While He's sacking quarterbacks on the field his dads sacrificing his life for others. His dad works as a firefighter for their town. One day while Tommy was on the field he heard the frightening sound of the sirens. Fifteen minutes later Tommy's in the hospital about to hear the news that could change his life.

If I had to recommend this book to anyone I would probably say 6th grade and above. It's a fast easy read, but some of the chapters in the book are confusing or scary for young readers. One thing you may have to be familiar with is football. Lots of the chapters themselves are about football alone and if you aren't educated enough in the sport, you will be confused.

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The name of the book is called Last Man Out. The author of Last Man Out is Mike Lupica. The book Last Man Out is sports fiction You should read the book Last Man Out because it is about a kid and his Dad who is Boston Massachusetts, firefighter. Lupica was taunting people in football.

I like the book because it is about firefighters and football and my brother is a firefighter. I like the book because it has action about football. I don't like the book because it took me a long time because the action that interests me is like right at the end but closer to the middle. When I was reading the beginning, I thought it was gonna be boring but it turned out to be a good book.

[Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

“First man in. Last man out” Last Man Out, written by Mike Lupica, is about a teenage boy that has to lead his football team to the championship game while fighting through the many obstacles that are thrown at him. Mike Lupica throws just the right amount of drama mixed with the sport of football. This book has wonderous imagery and a great mixture of family, drama, and fun.

This book gives the reader a great novel using a mixture of family, drama, and fun. The way that Mike Lupica puts these real-life situations into his book is like no other. They are shown a lot throughout the story. One of the best examples is when Tommy broke his arm, so he couldn't play his game. Instead of playing, though, he helped coach the game. Another great example is when Tommy's dad gets in an accident during his job, so Tommy has to fight through all of those obstacles of not having a man to help him through life.

Another reason that I loved this book was that of the imagery that the author, Mike Lupica, tossed into the story. For example, when Tommy grabs on to a bus while riding his skateboard, Lupica makes it so easy to visualize the scene. He provides a clear description of the scene and what’s going on. This makes the story easy to comprehend and better to read.

I definitely recommend this book to any reader, like 7th grade to 9th grade, or anybody that is looking for a good book to read. I give this book a four out of five-star rating for the great detail, imagery, drama and the real-life situations that are shown throughout.

[New Washington MHS · Rating 5 out of 5]

How much do you really care about your family? They won’t be around forever. Tommy Gallagher learns this the hard way. He is a high school freshman who loves football. He would always work on drills for football with his dad. He plays safety, which is the same position his dad played. Tommy’s dad is a firefighter for the local fire department and he takes his job very seriously.
On Friday night, the day before the big game, Tommy’s dad comes into his room late and tells him that if everything goes as plan, he will be at Saturday’s game. Saturday comes, and Tommy’s dad is not there. Tommy figures that he has to stay late and he will be there later. In the third quarter, that is when the sirens go off. Tommy doesn’t think much of it now, but will later realize that it is the last time he will ever hear the sirens with his dad on the firetruck.
The book Last Man Out is a very serious sports novel that is written by Mike Lupica. This book is very well written if you are interested into sports stories. The plot is very well laid out, and you almost feel as if you are in Tommy’s shoes. The details in the story are very clear and almost as if you could paint the picture in your mind. Even if you do not enjoy football you will still love the book. On a scale out of one to ten, one being very bad, this book would be a ten out of ten and I would definitely read it again. -- Garrett W.

[JP McClure]

I am on Pg. 157 and have not yet finished the book but here is what I have read and seen from the part of the book I have read.

I really enjoyed this book because in the beginning it was a casual book that many teen athletes can relate to but during the middle of the book things take a sharp turn in Tommy(the main character) life and things change forever. This book teaches kids and teens how to work through hardships and how even when life is at its worst you can still have hope. This book is also a lot about friendship and family and how important it is to have a great relationship with your friends and family. Overall The Last Man Out by Mike Lupica is not only a great book but it also has many life lessons that can be easily comprehended by teens.

The overall writing uses a lot of adolescent language and is slow during casual events and speeds up during action. The book is a lot like all Mike Lupica books in the way that there is a conflict that has to be overcome and the hardships the main character has to go through in order to overcome the obstacle.

Some pros of the book is that it is very well organized and the plot of the book is very well thought out. There is also a lot of suspense and you will never want to stop reading.

Some cons of the book is it is a little childish and the diction is designed for younger audiences.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last Man Out is a well written book about a twelve year old football ball player named Tommy Ghallanger, and his great relationship with his family, but especially with his dad Patrick Ghallanger who dedicates a lot of his time to the local fire department. Patrick tries to make all of Tommy's games when he’s not working. One day during one of Tommy’s football games his dad gets called into work to put out a fire. Tommy really wanted his dad to see that game. Tommy looked where his dad normally sits and saw that he wasn't there and then shortly heard fire trucks racing in the street so he knew his dad was called in and going to take care of that fire. Tommy assumed that it was no big deal and that his dad would hopefully be able to see the next game. Little did Tommy know at the time that would be the last time he would see his Dad. His dad follows a motto every time he goes into a fire “first man in, last man out.” I think this is a very well written book and I recommend this book to any reader interested in sports, or interested in putting yourself in the “shoes” of another character and having some sympathy and maybe even some empathy for them. Read the book to find out what Tommy and his family work with this saddening tragic event.

[Cole Heller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, imagine being in the middle of a play and fire truck sirens roaring when your dad is a firefighter. Tommy is in high school and his dad is a firefighter. Tommy is an all star football player and his dad is his greatest teacher. Tommy is in a family of four members including his little sister Emmily, who is very good soccer player. When Tommy was in the middle of the play he was struck with a bad feeling and left the field during the game. What is going on and what is the all star doing leaving the field?

I would like to discuss this books vocabulary. This book was very easy to understand and very well written. The book made great sense and it felt like it had all the words in all of the right places.

I would also like to discuss the paste of this book. This was a book of a pretty fast paste that made good sense and still described and explained everything. I personally don’t like short paste books that take a long time to get to the point they are making and i didn’t have a problem with this book.

I overall enjoyed this book and couldn’t take my eyes off it at some points in the book. This book was a great thriller and kept me busy the whole time. I would recommend this book to younger, medium aged people. I would recommend highly recommend reading this book.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Lupica has earned a reputation as one of the best sports writers in America. He has applied that talent to writing middle grade novels. “Last Man Out” paints a picture of one season in the life of Boston area firefighter Patrick Gallagher – 12 year old Tommy plays football, while his sister excels at soccer. The children incur a life-changing event which affects their on-field performance, their off-field existence, and their views of life.

It's been a long time since I was 12, but as best I can tell, Mr. Lupica has captured the spirit of the age group – their attitudes, their language, their views of the world … everything. I would think that if I were in that age group, I would either be admiring Mr. Lupica for his ability to do this – or incredibly suspicious of him for the same reason!

I would recommend this book highly to the 5th-8th grade set, especially sports fans, as well as to those adults that would like a sneak peek at what goes on behind their eyes.

RATING: 5 stars.

NOTE: I was provided a free copy of this book in a random draw, with the hope (but not requirement) of an honest and hopefully prompt review.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Lupica has earned a reputation as one of the best sports writers in America. He has applied that talent to writing middle grade novels. “Last Man Out” paints a picture of one season in the life of Boston area firefighter Patrick Gallagher – 12 year old Tommy plays football, while his sister excels at soccer. The children incur a life-changing event which affects their on-field performance, their off-field existence, and their views of life.

It's been a long time since I was 12, but as best I can tell, Mr. Lupica has captured the spirit of the age group – their attitudes, their language, their views of the world … everything. I would think that if I were in that age group, I would either be admiring Mr. Lupica for his ability to do this – or incredibly suspicious of him for the same reason!

I would recommend this book highly to the 5th-8th grade set, especially sports fans, as well as to those adults that would like a sneak peek at what goes on behind their eyes.

RATING: 5 stars.

NOTE: I was provided a free copy of this book in a random draw, with the hope (but not requirement) of an honest and hopefully prompt review.