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Takedown
“You’re only as good as your partner.”
Mikayla is a wrestler; when you grow up in a house full of brothers who are die-hard mat heads, it's in your DNA. She even has a wrestling name: Mickey. Some people don’t want a girl on the team. But that won’t stop her. She's determined to work hard, and win.
Lev is determined too--he's going to make it to the state championship. He's used to training with his two buddies as the Fearsome Threesome. But at the beginning of sixth grade, he's paired with a new partner—a girl. This better not get in the way of his goal.
Mickey and Lev work hard together, and find a way to become friends. But at States, there can only be one winner.
This warmhearted, engaging novel by the author of the highly praised The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary explores competition among athletes, how it influences family and friendships, and what happens when one girl wants to break barriers in a sport dominated by boys.
Awards and Honors:
2019 Amelia Bloomer List of Recommended Feminist Literature for Birth through 18
Wisconsin State Reading Association "Just One More Page!" Recommendation List
Missouri Association of School Librarians Mark Twain Award Nominee
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A PJ Our Way Selection
Selected for Amazon Prime Book Box's Children's Subscription
Mikayla is a wrestler; when you grow up in a house full of brothers who are die-hard mat heads, it's in your DNA. She even has a wrestling name: Mickey. Some people don’t want a girl on the team. But that won’t stop her. She's determined to work hard, and win.
Lev is determined too--he's going to make it to the state championship. He's used to training with his two buddies as the Fearsome Threesome. But at the beginning of sixth grade, he's paired with a new partner—a girl. This better not get in the way of his goal.
Mickey and Lev work hard together, and find a way to become friends. But at States, there can only be one winner.
This warmhearted, engaging novel by the author of the highly praised The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary explores competition among athletes, how it influences family and friendships, and what happens when one girl wants to break barriers in a sport dominated by boys.
Awards and Honors:
2019 Amelia Bloomer List of Recommended Feminist Literature for Birth through 18
Wisconsin State Reading Association "Just One More Page!" Recommendation List
Missouri Association of School Librarians Mark Twain Award Nominee
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A PJ Our Way Selection
Selected for Amazon Prime Book Box's Children's Subscription
272 pages, Hardcover
First published June 19, 2018
18 people are currently reading
452 people want to read
About the author
Laura Shovan
11 books145 followersLaura Shovan is a children's novelist, arts educator, and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet. Her chapbook, Mountain, Log, Salt, and Stone won the inaugural Harriss Poetry Prize. She has edited literary journals and anthologies. Laura Shovan’s middle grade debut, THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY, won multiple awards including the Arnold Adoff Poetry Award for New Voices honor book. Her middle grade sports novel TAKEDWON was selected for Junior Library Guild, PJ Our Way, and the ALA’s RISE Project. A PLACE AT THE TABLE, co-written with Saadia Faruqi, was a Sydney Taylor Notable. Laura is a longtime poet-in-the-schools and serves on the faculty of Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in writing for children and young adults. Her first poetry collection for kids, WELCOME TO MONSTERVILLE, will be published in 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
July 2, 2018
5/5
Takedown is a novel aimed at middle-grade readers, aged 9-12. I’m incredibly outside that age range, yet I found this book quite a satisfying read. The two protagonists, Mykayla and Lev, are sixth-grade wrestlers who have just moved up from their town rec teams to a traveling team. Their story is told in alternating first-person narratives. Mykala (Mickey) Delgado is the third child and only daughter of a wrestling family. Her older brothers are both wrestlers on their high school teams. Mickey has always tagged along after her brothers and had followed them into the sport of wrestling at the rec team level. As both her brothers had played for the Eagles traveling team when they were in middle school, Mickey went there to enroll. But as it turned out, the coach of the Eagles did not allow girls onto his team. So Mickey headed over to enroll with the Gladiators, where she was welcomed to the team by the coach. That’s where she meets Lev Sofer, who is the younger of two children; his older sister is a fierce field hockey player. As wrestlers compete in weight categories, Mykala and Lev were assigned to each other as practice partners. And that is where our story begins.
Although a reader will learn quite a bit about middle school wrestling, as we follow both our protagonists throughout the entire season, that’s hardly all this book is about. The families and friends of both Lev and Mickey figure prominently. In addition to seeing how Mickey and Lev deal family and social-emotional situations, we see them both at school, navigating all the other issues middle-class American eleven year-old sixth graders come across as they mature. And we see what happens when a young girl determined to wrestle on a middle-school travel team comes up against some folks who think girls can’t (shouldn’t) wrestle. There are no wrong notes anywhere in the book. At the same time the book is very entertaining; I strongly suspect young readers will love both of the characters as we follow along as they also take in some key life lessons about finding themselves and their place in the world. I’ll be trying the book out this summer on my rising fourth-grade granddaughter. And I wouldn’t be surprised if her high school age brother and male cousin also end up liking it.
Takedown is a novel aimed at middle-grade readers, aged 9-12. I’m incredibly outside that age range, yet I found this book quite a satisfying read. The two protagonists, Mykayla and Lev, are sixth-grade wrestlers who have just moved up from their town rec teams to a traveling team. Their story is told in alternating first-person narratives. Mykala (Mickey) Delgado is the third child and only daughter of a wrestling family. Her older brothers are both wrestlers on their high school teams. Mickey has always tagged along after her brothers and had followed them into the sport of wrestling at the rec team level. As both her brothers had played for the Eagles traveling team when they were in middle school, Mickey went there to enroll. But as it turned out, the coach of the Eagles did not allow girls onto his team. So Mickey headed over to enroll with the Gladiators, where she was welcomed to the team by the coach. That’s where she meets Lev Sofer, who is the younger of two children; his older sister is a fierce field hockey player. As wrestlers compete in weight categories, Mykala and Lev were assigned to each other as practice partners. And that is where our story begins.
Although a reader will learn quite a bit about middle school wrestling, as we follow both our protagonists throughout the entire season, that’s hardly all this book is about. The families and friends of both Lev and Mickey figure prominently. In addition to seeing how Mickey and Lev deal family and social-emotional situations, we see them both at school, navigating all the other issues middle-class American eleven year-old sixth graders come across as they mature. And we see what happens when a young girl determined to wrestle on a middle-school travel team comes up against some folks who think girls can’t (shouldn’t) wrestle. There are no wrong notes anywhere in the book. At the same time the book is very entertaining; I strongly suspect young readers will love both of the characters as we follow along as they also take in some key life lessons about finding themselves and their place in the world. I’ll be trying the book out this summer on my rising fourth-grade granddaughter. And I wouldn’t be surprised if her high school age brother and male cousin also end up liking it.
June 10, 2020
My wrestling knowledge is next to nothing, yet I am still a huge fan of this book. Mickey (Mikayla) and Lev are training partners on the Gladiator wrestling team. They tell their story in alternating chapters. We learn different lessons from them individually as well as in their wrestling partnership. Lev's chapters often include poems as he works through his feelings in a notebook. Those were some of my favorite bits. I also loved the way Laura Shovan depicted each family and their struggle to maintain their religious traditions on the weekends. Both acknowledge the real struggle in our society to be competitive in sports and prioritize family time; especially times that were once dedicated to Shabbat or a Sunday church service. This book was on the long list for the 2020-21 Mark Twain Award. I hope that even though this title did not make the short list, it will still get more readers from the consideration. I would highly recommend it!
November 2, 2017
To be fair, she had me at "female wrestler." I'm on the quest to read more books about sporty girls, and "The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary," Laura Shovan's debut novel in verse was one of my favorites of 2016. So, when I heard about TAKEDOWN, coming out in spring 2018, I knew I had to get my hands on an ARC. It's told in chapters that alternate between Mickey (real name Mikayla), a girl wrestler, and Lev, the boy who starts off as her wrestling partner and becomes a true friend.
Now, admittedly, I know next to nothing about wrestling when I started the book, but now I feel like I actually do! The wrestling scenes are vividly imagined, with enough explanation to clue in a wrestling noob like me.
As an author of a sporty book, I know that the sports story must be balanced with other elements for readers who might not be a huge sports fan, and Shovan does this so well. The contrasting depictions of Lev's and Mickey's families add depth and heart the story. Kids who grow up in sporty households will recognize Mickey's experience with her older brothers and father, all wrestlers. And kids who see how much their family's schedule becomes dominated by endless after school activities and sports practices and car rides and competitions will see this over-scheduled reality reflected in Lev's yearning for the quieter family times, like their traditional Shabbat dinner.
This is a fantastic story that will serve so many purposes in classroom collections. Keep an eye out for it in 2018!
Now, admittedly, I know next to nothing about wrestling when I started the book, but now I feel like I actually do! The wrestling scenes are vividly imagined, with enough explanation to clue in a wrestling noob like me.
As an author of a sporty book, I know that the sports story must be balanced with other elements for readers who might not be a huge sports fan, and Shovan does this so well. The contrasting depictions of Lev's and Mickey's families add depth and heart the story. Kids who grow up in sporty households will recognize Mickey's experience with her older brothers and father, all wrestlers. And kids who see how much their family's schedule becomes dominated by endless after school activities and sports practices and car rides and competitions will see this over-scheduled reality reflected in Lev's yearning for the quieter family times, like their traditional Shabbat dinner.
This is a fantastic story that will serve so many purposes in classroom collections. Keep an eye out for it in 2018!
December 2, 2017
Wow!!! Shouldn’t be surprised at all after reading her last story, @LauraShovan this story is...wonderful! The characters are memorable and the wrestling vernacular is just spot on. There is a great flow to this story as well. Can’t wait for others to read! #Bookjourney
October 13, 2017
I had the privilege of reading an advance manuscript for this book, and I loved it! A much-needed wrestling story that features sixth graders Lev and Mikayla who are vying for the state championship title. Along the way they battle bullies, sexism, and family troubles. Beautifully written with an intriguing plot, I think this book is going to be much loved by readers!
May 30, 2018
Note: I was fortunate to have the opportunity to read this as an ARC.
Laura Shovan has done an excellent job of alternating points of view. While this middle-grade novel focuses on a girl who is wrestling boys, the story also delves into important middle-grade issues of family dynamics and fitting in.
Shovan has been strategic in crafting characters who mesh gender expectations without feeling like caricatures. Both Mikayla and Lev are likeable and complicated enough not to seem shallow while also having appropraite "kid" voices.
At the end of the day, you root for both of them to make the right choices and to acheive their goals. This novels crosses so many genres, I can't imagine it would be difficult for teachers and librarians to find readers interested in a book with human interest, action and boundary-pushing!
Laura Shovan has done an excellent job of alternating points of view. While this middle-grade novel focuses on a girl who is wrestling boys, the story also delves into important middle-grade issues of family dynamics and fitting in.
Shovan has been strategic in crafting characters who mesh gender expectations without feeling like caricatures. Both Mikayla and Lev are likeable and complicated enough not to seem shallow while also having appropraite "kid" voices.
At the end of the day, you root for both of them to make the right choices and to acheive their goals. This novels crosses so many genres, I can't imagine it would be difficult for teachers and librarians to find readers interested in a book with human interest, action and boundary-pushing!
December 27, 2018
Takedown follows two middle-schoolers, Mikayla (Mickey) and Lev, both of whom are wrestlers. I don’t know much about the sport itself and couldn’t picture a lot of the moves the kids performed in the book, but the stand out themes for me were friendship and identity. Both kids grew so much by the end of the book, it made my heart very happy. Plus, I love reading about sensitive male characters and Lev is just the sweetest boy!
December 13, 2019
The book “Takedown” by Laura Shovan is about a girl named Mickey and a boy named Lev. Mickey is the only girl wrestler on the team, and Lev is a wrestler who has a rivalry with a kid named Nick. Lev and Mickey become friends and partners in their wrestling team. Outside of the gym, Lev loves writing poems and is having trouble with his friend because wrestling is taking up his time. Mickey is having friend problems too because her friend dropped out of wrestling to be in drama. One day at a wrestling tournament, Mickey is paired up with Nick and he forfeits because she is a girl. Mickey doesn’t know what to feel and Lev is furious. Mickey has to figure out how to wrestle when she is the only girl, and fix things with her friend and Lev has to figure out if he wants to be a wrestler or be a poet. I recommend this book because it is about not caring what people think and doing what you love.
July 27, 2018
Thank you to #bookportage for a free ARC of TAKEDOWN. All opinions are my own.
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I truly, madly, deeply LOVED this book. I really enjoy reading books where a female character is working had to prove herself in a male-dominated sport. Mikayla is a wrestler, and comes from a wrestling family. When she decides to join a travel team, and her best friend decides to quit wrestling with her, Mikayla faces resistance from coaches and players. At the same time, Lev is assigned to be her new partner, and he is struggling with his own commitment to the sport. Told in alternating voices, the story feels like a full course meal from seeing so many details, characters and perspectives. This is another one of my favorite #MgLit reads from this year, and an excellent addition to classrooms and libraries.
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I truly, madly, deeply LOVED this book. I really enjoy reading books where a female character is working had to prove herself in a male-dominated sport. Mikayla is a wrestler, and comes from a wrestling family. When she decides to join a travel team, and her best friend decides to quit wrestling with her, Mikayla faces resistance from coaches and players. At the same time, Lev is assigned to be her new partner, and he is struggling with his own commitment to the sport. Told in alternating voices, the story feels like a full course meal from seeing so many details, characters and perspectives. This is another one of my favorite #MgLit reads from this year, and an excellent addition to classrooms and libraries.
December 31, 2017
I could not put down this new novel by Laura Shovan. A full review and interview will be coming to Sporty Girl Books before the book releases in June 2018. For now, I will just tell you that this book should be on your TBR list.
January 6, 2018
Great story about a girl and boy both in the world of wrestling. Themes of friendship, family, and being your very best!
January 14, 2019
I loved this novel! It’s a middle school novel about two wrestlers—one a boy, one a girl—becoming friends and navigating challenges in their families and sense of themselves in the course of their first year in middle school. Serious and fun at the same time.
January 11, 2018
I don’t know anything about wrestling, but I know good stories when I read them, and this one deserves to win a state championship. Told from a dual perspective by Mickey and Lev, tossed together when Mickey has to change wrestling teams because she’s a girl, this wonderful story of friendship, sport, and finding your true self is an absolute winner! Laura Shovan for the takedown!
March 4, 2019
Mikayla wrestles just like her two older brothers. It's a Delgado family tradition. But being a girl on the mats often means working twice as hard as everyone else. Lev is part of the Gladiators traveling team, and the last thing he expected this season was being partnered with a girl. Can he make it to States, strapped with this noob?
Alternating POVs between Mickey and Lev, Shovan pulls us into two very different eleven-year-old's worlds. Family life, school life, friendships, and their commitment to the sport. Both of them are so very brave. Oodles of emotional depth and tough choices. Loved this so hard. Pink shoes, can't lose!
Alternating POVs between Mickey and Lev, Shovan pulls us into two very different eleven-year-old's worlds. Family life, school life, friendships, and their commitment to the sport. Both of them are so very brave. Oodles of emotional depth and tough choices. Loved this so hard. Pink shoes, can't lose!
July 9, 2018
Middle-Grade books are not always my favorites. I realize their simple plots are necessary for younger readers, but while I enjoy many, I prefer older YA novels. This time, however, I knew that Laura Shovan's new book, just out, would be good. Her first novel, The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary, is marvelous and so creative. So now, Takedown, about wrestling? I have a nephew who wrestled and while I liked watching and rooting for him, it isn't a favorite sport.
From the first two chapters, I'm captured by the lives of Mikayla (Mickey) and Lev, two opposites, two who will be thrown together by their love of wrestling. Both are hanging out in their lives at the beginning of middle school; both are pre-teens. And the friendships each thought were set in cement begin to crumble. This pre-puberty time means change, and it's no different for these two. For most of the book, wrestling on a more competitive "travel" team fills each of their lives, along with family and school and friendships. Inside, Mikayla wishes her father would pay more attention to her own wrestling as he does for her two older brothers' wrestling. Inside, Lev wishes his older sister would pay more attention to him as she used to do.
These are only two of the troubles these two young middle-schoolers face. Mickey stays strong in her quest to be a great wrestler, but it's a fight often with unhappy consequences because she's a girl. Lev's nerves continue to be an inner struggle so he finds that writing and doodling in a notebook helps. His poetry is important, though he hesitates to share.
Laura beautifully lets Lev and Mickey share their thoughts in alternating chapters, each time making me want to find out more. What will Mickey do when she discovers her best friend Kenna wants to quit wrestling and move on to other fun in school, and with other friends? "Kenna studies my face. Now she has this secret life with a vocabulary I know nothing about. Until middle school started, we were always together. How different could we be after just a few weeks? A lot. I tell myself." What will Lev do when he discovers Mickey, a girl, is going to be his practice partner? "I follow Mickey to the gym. "My sister says you're thinking about quitting."/"What do you care?"/"You're good," I tell her. "For a first-year Gladiator, you're really good." Laura manages to help us find sympathy for both and to root for them as they navigate their lives that aren't so simple anymore.
The basic plot is there, making us readers ask what will happen to both these young people who are growing up and finding that what used to be isn't necessarily going to stay. These people in the lives of Lev and Mikayla are regular people who struggle in their own lives. From old friends to beloved family members, we come to care for them, too, and that makes a marvelous story of a few months in the lives of two middle schoolers. I'm very glad that Laura wrote about wrestling, and Lev and Mikayla, too!
From the first two chapters, I'm captured by the lives of Mikayla (Mickey) and Lev, two opposites, two who will be thrown together by their love of wrestling. Both are hanging out in their lives at the beginning of middle school; both are pre-teens. And the friendships each thought were set in cement begin to crumble. This pre-puberty time means change, and it's no different for these two. For most of the book, wrestling on a more competitive "travel" team fills each of their lives, along with family and school and friendships. Inside, Mikayla wishes her father would pay more attention to her own wrestling as he does for her two older brothers' wrestling. Inside, Lev wishes his older sister would pay more attention to him as she used to do.
These are only two of the troubles these two young middle-schoolers face. Mickey stays strong in her quest to be a great wrestler, but it's a fight often with unhappy consequences because she's a girl. Lev's nerves continue to be an inner struggle so he finds that writing and doodling in a notebook helps. His poetry is important, though he hesitates to share.
Laura beautifully lets Lev and Mickey share their thoughts in alternating chapters, each time making me want to find out more. What will Mickey do when she discovers her best friend Kenna wants to quit wrestling and move on to other fun in school, and with other friends? "Kenna studies my face. Now she has this secret life with a vocabulary I know nothing about. Until middle school started, we were always together. How different could we be after just a few weeks? A lot. I tell myself." What will Lev do when he discovers Mickey, a girl, is going to be his practice partner? "I follow Mickey to the gym. "My sister says you're thinking about quitting."/"What do you care?"/"You're good," I tell her. "For a first-year Gladiator, you're really good." Laura manages to help us find sympathy for both and to root for them as they navigate their lives that aren't so simple anymore.
The basic plot is there, making us readers ask what will happen to both these young people who are growing up and finding that what used to be isn't necessarily going to stay. These people in the lives of Lev and Mikayla are regular people who struggle in their own lives. From old friends to beloved family members, we come to care for them, too, and that makes a marvelous story of a few months in the lives of two middle schoolers. I'm very glad that Laura wrote about wrestling, and Lev and Mikayla, too!
August 29, 2018
As you might guess from the kind of fiction I write, I'm rather big on gender equality. As I was reading TAKEDOWN, I saw what I love to see in female protagonists and aim for myself: Show girls being powerful in their own way, learning, thinking, and focusing on a lot more than "girl power" because there needs to be so much more. Laura Shovan nails that in this book. Mikayla wants not to be the girl who beats the other wrestlers, but the wrestler who beats the other wrestlers. She's been the shadow of her wrestler brothers all her life, so part of her motivation is matching up to them, but it's also being herself, being what she alone can be on the mat. She's challenged at the very start of the book by a coach who doesn't want a girl on his team, and he continues to haunt her throughout, refusing to let his wrestler son compete with her (by default, she wins those matches, but there's no satisfaction in that). Mikayla learns new techniques quickly, is swift, and is a strong wrestler, which is one of the reasons that Lev, her initially unwilling partner on her team, eventually accepts her. Though at first he resents being paired with a girl, even he sees the casual daily discrimination she faces. When he finally stands up for her, things start to change—for her, and for himself, and he struggles to understand who *he* really is as well. This book is filled with wrestling, so anyone who loves that sport will find a lot to enjoy. But it's also has an important theme: That equality will come a lot more easily, and it will make life better for us all, if our world's men and boys accept that women and girls can be equal champions and support them the way they do everyone else.
And I just have to say that Drest and Mikayla (and Drest and Lev, and all Drest's brothers and Mikayla) would get along very nicely. This is a fantastic read that should be read by kids of any gender.
And I just have to say that Drest and Mikayla (and Drest and Lev, and all Drest's brothers and Mikayla) would get along very nicely. This is a fantastic read that should be read by kids of any gender.
June 25, 2018
The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary was one of my favourite reads of 2016. This year, Laura Shovan has brought her incredible characterization skills to a prose novel with Takedown. I'm not a sporty person, but I do enjoy a good sports story and this one is great!
Mickey and Lev are newly matched up partners on their wrestling team. Both are determined to make it to the state championships and after a bumpy start, they begin to see each other as allies rather than obstacles.
I loved the dual POV in this book. Mickey and Lev's voices were woven seamlessly throughout the narrative, giving the reader an in-depth look into their lives, dreams, and inner turmoil. Their friendship has a natural build that I really enjoyed.
I also loved the heart of this novel - dreams. The importance of chasing after them and being persistent. Knowing that the first person who has to believe in you is YOU. But also the very important flip side of how important and difficult it can be to re-evaluate your dreams and recognize when they've shifted. The process of accepting that what you thought you always wanted for yourself has changed and that it's ALLOWED to change.
An overall excellent read that I greatly enjoyed.
Mickey and Lev are newly matched up partners on their wrestling team. Both are determined to make it to the state championships and after a bumpy start, they begin to see each other as allies rather than obstacles.
I loved the dual POV in this book. Mickey and Lev's voices were woven seamlessly throughout the narrative, giving the reader an in-depth look into their lives, dreams, and inner turmoil. Their friendship has a natural build that I really enjoyed.
I also loved the heart of this novel - dreams. The importance of chasing after them and being persistent. Knowing that the first person who has to believe in you is YOU. But also the very important flip side of how important and difficult it can be to re-evaluate your dreams and recognize when they've shifted. The process of accepting that what you thought you always wanted for yourself has changed and that it's ALLOWED to change.
An overall excellent read that I greatly enjoyed.
January 2, 2018
“She may be a noob and a girl, but Mickey is the best partner for me. Every time she walks into practice, she has to prove herself. She understands better than anyone what it means to work hard and push yourself.”
•
In Laura Shovan’s latest novel, Takedown, Lev has been a member of the Gladiators wrestling team for the past few years, and he has always dreamed of going to the state wrestling championship. Mikayla, or Mickey, has wrestling in her blood. Her two older brothers and her dad are obsessed with the sport, and she’s decided to follow in their footsteps and join the Eagles travel wrestling team. But when the coach isn’t keen on having a girl on the team, Mickey joins their rivals: the Gladiators. And who does Mickey get paired to train with? None other than Lev. Can they work together and help each other succeed on the mat? Or will having girl on the team be a negative distraction for Lev and his teammates? Takedown was a great book about competition, family, friendship, and perseverance. I can’t wait for you to meet Lev and Mickey when it’s released in June 2018! 💜📖🤼♀️🏆❤️
•
In Laura Shovan’s latest novel, Takedown, Lev has been a member of the Gladiators wrestling team for the past few years, and he has always dreamed of going to the state wrestling championship. Mikayla, or Mickey, has wrestling in her blood. Her two older brothers and her dad are obsessed with the sport, and she’s decided to follow in their footsteps and join the Eagles travel wrestling team. But when the coach isn’t keen on having a girl on the team, Mickey joins their rivals: the Gladiators. And who does Mickey get paired to train with? None other than Lev. Can they work together and help each other succeed on the mat? Or will having girl on the team be a negative distraction for Lev and his teammates? Takedown was a great book about competition, family, friendship, and perseverance. I can’t wait for you to meet Lev and Mickey when it’s released in June 2018! 💜📖🤼♀️🏆❤️
December 14, 2017
I was fortunate enough to snag an ARC, but my 11-year-old son stole it before I could read it. Here is his review:
"I wasn't sure at first that I liked it but as I read more and more I grew captivated especially during the tournaments as Mickey finally gets up to states I can easily support her. I loved the sad but happy ending and Although you might not feel this, I think it really brings out that girls are still being underestimated and that they're just as good as boys or even better. After I read it I realized that it is fantastic book and one of the best realistic fiction books I have ever read."
I will add my own review very soon, now that he gave it back to me. :D
"I wasn't sure at first that I liked it but as I read more and more I grew captivated especially during the tournaments as Mickey finally gets up to states I can easily support her. I loved the sad but happy ending and Although you might not feel this, I think it really brings out that girls are still being underestimated and that they're just as good as boys or even better. After I read it I realized that it is fantastic book and one of the best realistic fiction books I have ever read."
I will add my own review very soon, now that he gave it back to me. :D
May 22, 2018
In her supremely readable sophomore effort, Laura Shovan delivers a story of two wrestlers whose paths intersect, raising questions about what wrestling means to each of them.
Lev and Mikayla have each been wrestling for years, but when the new season arrives the two find themselves on the same team, and paired as partners. Mikayla's determined to produce a successful season, even though many of her teammates struggle with the idea of having a girl on the team. Lev has his own challenges, with a burgeoning love for poetry leading him to question his commitment to his team and his partner.
Over the course of the season, each kid experiences changes in their families and themselves that indicate things won't stay as they've always been, and that change is in a way, as unavoidable as growing up. Shovan portrays each character with warm-hearted accuracy which will inspire young readers to examine their own feelings about belonging, friendship, and family.
This is a great read for fans of middle grade and much more than a sports book. Perfect for readers of THE CROSSOVER, GHOST, and LOST IN THE SUN.
“You’re only as good as your partner.”
I received an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Lev and Mikayla have each been wrestling for years, but when the new season arrives the two find themselves on the same team, and paired as partners. Mikayla's determined to produce a successful season, even though many of her teammates struggle with the idea of having a girl on the team. Lev has his own challenges, with a burgeoning love for poetry leading him to question his commitment to his team and his partner.
Over the course of the season, each kid experiences changes in their families and themselves that indicate things won't stay as they've always been, and that change is in a way, as unavoidable as growing up. Shovan portrays each character with warm-hearted accuracy which will inspire young readers to examine their own feelings about belonging, friendship, and family.
This is a great read for fans of middle grade and much more than a sports book. Perfect for readers of THE CROSSOVER, GHOST, and LOST IN THE SUN.
“You’re only as good as your partner.”
I received an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 19, 2018
I reviewed this book thanks to an ARC through #bookexcursion given to us by the author.
Times are changing and more and more girls are competing in wrestling. Mickey wants it to be commonplace that girls are in the sport, but not too many others feel that way. She struggles with finding her place in her family, figuring out how she fits in this male dominated sport, discovering how to mesh old and new friendships and mix that with wrestling season, and just the general change that middle school provides. It's a lot for one kid to be dealing with, but she soon figures out who she is, what she wants and who is in her corner. With the help of her family and friends, she battles her way through the wrestling ranks and discovers how strong she really is.
Times are changing and more and more girls are competing in wrestling. Mickey wants it to be commonplace that girls are in the sport, but not too many others feel that way. She struggles with finding her place in her family, figuring out how she fits in this male dominated sport, discovering how to mesh old and new friendships and mix that with wrestling season, and just the general change that middle school provides. It's a lot for one kid to be dealing with, but she soon figures out who she is, what she wants and who is in her corner. With the help of her family and friends, she battles her way through the wrestling ranks and discovers how strong she really is.
August 29, 2018
TAKEDOWN introduced me to wrestling, a sport I’d never been interested in before and knew nothing about.
The story is told through alternating first-person point of view by the two protagonists, Mikayla, one of the rare girls in the sport, who comes from a family of wrestlers, and Lev, who’s been wrestling for years with his two best friends.
The author does a great job giving us a glimpse into the world of wrestling, no previous knowledge is necessary to understand what’s going on as Mickey and Lev train and fight in tournaments.
I especially enjoyed the alternating viewpoints, and how Mickey and Lev become friends while both striving, for different reasons, for the state championships.
The story is told through alternating first-person point of view by the two protagonists, Mikayla, one of the rare girls in the sport, who comes from a family of wrestlers, and Lev, who’s been wrestling for years with his two best friends.
The author does a great job giving us a glimpse into the world of wrestling, no previous knowledge is necessary to understand what’s going on as Mickey and Lev train and fight in tournaments.
I especially enjoyed the alternating viewpoints, and how Mickey and Lev become friends while both striving, for different reasons, for the state championships.
October 27, 2018
This book is about girl wrestlers, boy wrestlers who are embarrassed to have to fight a girl, and the heroes that we worship.
What happens when you're the only girl on a wrestling team? What if you're already an awkward boy and now your partner has bits that you feel weird grabbing?
That's only the first layer of this book. Laura Shovan is really brave in her exploration of wrestling, the challenges that come with breaking the gender barrier of the sport, and the violence that bubbles beneath sportsmanship. I couldn't believe how warm and interesting this book is! I like wrestling alright and it's hard for me to read sports books sometimes, but this one is a very special work. Love the humanity and how unafraid the author is to dig deeper and excavate the things we're afraid of at our very core. Wonderful!
What happens when you're the only girl on a wrestling team? What if you're already an awkward boy and now your partner has bits that you feel weird grabbing?
That's only the first layer of this book. Laura Shovan is really brave in her exploration of wrestling, the challenges that come with breaking the gender barrier of the sport, and the violence that bubbles beneath sportsmanship. I couldn't believe how warm and interesting this book is! I like wrestling alright and it's hard for me to read sports books sometimes, but this one is a very special work. Love the humanity and how unafraid the author is to dig deeper and excavate the things we're afraid of at our very core. Wonderful!
July 20, 2020
Excellent story. My daughter and I read this aloud together. It was tough for my 7 year old to follow because each chapter alternates point of view between two wrestling partners on a travel team, but the 9 year old had no problem. The story is about wrestling and the struggles of a girl wrestlers but it also has poetry, a diverse cast of characters, and is mostly a story about how to be a friend. The wrestling components were authentic and the characters were real and likeable. We loved it!
Wrestling fans would like it. Anyone involved in a travel team or competitive sports would relate as well. The characters are male and female, definitely not for girls only.
Wrestling fans would like it. Anyone involved in a travel team or competitive sports would relate as well. The characters are male and female, definitely not for girls only.
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July 8, 2018Full of Grrl Power!, Laura Shovan also deftly explores how girl power can separate as well as support. Why is Mikayla a girl wrestler? Why isn't see simply a wrestler? She's a good one, and not only good "for a girl." This is one of many reasons I recommend TAKEDOWN. Shovan is wonderful at exploring a range of meaningful characters and social-political issues (equally evidenced in her novel-in-verse The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary), doing so in an organic way that never makes the reader feel overwhelmed or as if we're being "taught a lesson." Add in fun and funny middle grade interactions and hijinks, and TAKEDOWN earns a W for Win!
August 21, 2018
I loved the changing perspectives for each chapter as it allowed the reader a deeper understanding of the two main characters and some of the other characters, as well. I know nothing about wrestling as a sport, but was interested throughout as the characters and their focus and motivation is so important as the story progresses. This is a good book and should allow for some quality conversation about situations that affect athletes and their families as well as typical middle grade school issues. Kudos to Laura Shovan for keeping my interest in a book so far away from my typical reading.
November 15, 2017
Laura Shovan has a gift for writing characters you'd want as friends. She had a classroom full of them in THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY, and in TAKEDOWN, we get to know two wonderful characters who make up a story of perseverance, family, and sexism that is more applicable than ever.
If you loved THE LAST FIFTH GRADE and want to see what Shovan can do with the traditional narrative format, you will not be disappointed by TAKEDOWN.
If you loved THE LAST FIFTH GRADE and want to see what Shovan can do with the traditional narrative format, you will not be disappointed by TAKEDOWN.
May 23, 2018
I was so excited when I heard that Laura Shovan was writing a middle grade novel and my expectations were totally met. Ms. Shovan gives such lively and distinct voices to her main characters (which should be no surprise to anyone who watched her breathe life into an entire class for Last 5th Grade at Emerson Elementary!). With a sports story that everyone will love and its themes of persistence, unlikely friendships, and finding yourself/your values, Takedown is already on my preorder list and will 100% be a read aloud next year for my 4th grade class. Read with #booktrek
November 9, 2017
I simply loved this book. Mikayla and Lev are unforgettable characters who you would want as your own friends. Laura does a wonderful job of making the wrestling world accessible to all, especially those who know nothing of it, like me. This will most certainly be a well-loved title in my classroom library!
August 1, 2018
You'll root for Mikayla Delgado and Lev Sofer as they wrestle - literally and figuratively - with being eleven, middle-school friendships, what family means to each of them, and their ambitions in the sport they both love. TAKEDOWN is a beautifully crafted novel, a sensitive portrait of two young athletes and the unique dynamics of their respective families, and an exploration of what it means to be a good sport and what it takes to transcend stereotypes. It's also an action-packed account of a wrestling season that left me guessing until the end - not to mention hungry for one of the Delgado family's after-match donuts. And there's some wonderful poetry, too. I highly recommend this book.
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