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Rivals
A novel about two student-athletes searching for stardom, a young reporter searching for the truth, and a crosstown basketball rivalry that goes too far.
The people of Walthorne love their basketball—and one of the things they love most is the special rivalry between the Walthorne North Middle School Cougars and the Walthorne South Middle School Panthers. As the season begins, two star players are feeling the heat: Austin Chambers, captain of Walthorne North, worries that he’s not good enough to live up to his father’s legacy, while across town, the brilliantly talented Carter Haswell, captain of Walthorne South, is already under pressure to get a scholarship that might ease his family’s financial stress.
While both boys do whatever they can to make sure their team wins, Alfie Jenks, a school sports reporter, discovers that behind-the-scenes scandals are just as much a part of youth sports as on-the-court action. When she blows the story wide open, the whole season is jeopardized.
Told through a series of flashbacks, newspaper reports, social media posts, and interviews.
The people of Walthorne love their basketball—and one of the things they love most is the special rivalry between the Walthorne North Middle School Cougars and the Walthorne South Middle School Panthers. As the season begins, two star players are feeling the heat: Austin Chambers, captain of Walthorne North, worries that he’s not good enough to live up to his father’s legacy, while across town, the brilliantly talented Carter Haswell, captain of Walthorne South, is already under pressure to get a scholarship that might ease his family’s financial stress.
While both boys do whatever they can to make sure their team wins, Alfie Jenks, a school sports reporter, discovers that behind-the-scenes scandals are just as much a part of youth sports as on-the-court action. When she blows the story wide open, the whole season is jeopardized.
Told through a series of flashbacks, newspaper reports, social media posts, and interviews.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 23, 2021
48 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
Tommy Greenwald
43 books188 followersTommy Greenwald's book GAME CHANGER has been named an Amazon Best Book Of The Month, a 2019 YALSA Top Ten Pick for Reluctant Readers, and a Junior Library Guild Premier Selection. Tommy is also the author of the CRIMEBITERS, CHARLIE JOE JACKSON and PROJECT Z series, among many other books for children.
Day-job-wise, Tommy is the Co-Founder of Spotco Advertising, an entertainment advertising agency in New York City, and the lyricist and co-bookwriter of JOHN & JEN, an off-Broadway musical.
To read woefully outdated information about Tommy, visit tommygreenwald.com. (To send an email telling him how much you liked whatever book it was that you just read, holla at tommy@tommygreenwald.com.)
Day-job-wise, Tommy is the Co-Founder of Spotco Advertising, an entertainment advertising agency in New York City, and the lyricist and co-bookwriter of JOHN & JEN, an off-Broadway musical.
To read woefully outdated information about Tommy, visit tommygreenwald.com. (To send an email telling him how much you liked whatever book it was that you just read, holla at tommy@tommygreenwald.com.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
March 30, 2024
Took a while to get into but by the end I actually really really liked it and I couldn't help but smile, I was just so happy for everyone. I wasn't a huge fan of Game Changer, the first book in this companion series, but I really do think this one is much better.
Rivals continues with the multimedia format that the first book had and I really liked that.
This book actually really really reminded me of the early seasons of One Tree Hill, when they were in Highschool.
If u like this series I recommend the Crossover Series by Kwame Alexander, it's another MG/YA Companion Sports series like this one but written in verse, which like this series also makes it pretty easy to read.
Rivals continues with the multimedia format that the first book had and I really liked that.
This book actually really really reminded me of the early seasons of One Tree Hill, when they were in Highschool.
If u like this series I recommend the Crossover Series by Kwame Alexander, it's another MG/YA Companion Sports series like this one but written in verse, which like this series also makes it pretty easy to read.
August 1, 2022
Really good book if you like basketball drama or basketball it self!
November 11, 2023
it was a good book. took me a little while to get into tho
July 14, 2022
You know what’s weird?
- first line
This is the story of a basketball rivalry between two middle schools, Walthorne North Cougars and Walthorne South Panthers and the kids who are caught in the middle. Two star athletes, Austin and Carter, are feeling the pressure to perform and win, and Alife, a school sports reporter, writes news reports and does radio shows. Both boys want to enjoy basketball like they used to but can’t because of the intense pressure from adults around them. Alfie loves reporting about sports and calling the games. She is really good at it, but she too notices the problem. The book alternates between Austin, Carter, and Alfie, news stories, radio shows, and text messages.
The story looks at the good and bad sides of sports, and all of the kids learn lessons along the way. I found it difficult to keep track of which students were from which school, but I was listening to the audio, so that could be why. This book is a great choice for reluctant readers, especially sports fans. The format makes the book a quick read.
- first line
This is the story of a basketball rivalry between two middle schools, Walthorne North Cougars and Walthorne South Panthers and the kids who are caught in the middle. Two star athletes, Austin and Carter, are feeling the pressure to perform and win, and Alife, a school sports reporter, writes news reports and does radio shows. Both boys want to enjoy basketball like they used to but can’t because of the intense pressure from adults around them. Alfie loves reporting about sports and calling the games. She is really good at it, but she too notices the problem. The book alternates between Austin, Carter, and Alfie, news stories, radio shows, and text messages.
The story looks at the good and bad sides of sports, and all of the kids learn lessons along the way. I found it difficult to keep track of which students were from which school, but I was listening to the audio, so that could be why. This book is a great choice for reluctant readers, especially sports fans. The format makes the book a quick read.
December 8, 2023
Do you like rivalries? If so then the book Rivals by Tommy Greenwald would be an excellent book for you to read. The book is about two middle schools, Walthorne North and Walthorne South. These two schools have very good basketball programs and two of the best middle school basketball players in the state. I really like the plot of this book because it shows two completely different perspectives of students. For example, one student’s family is struggling to earn money while another student is rich enough to own very expensive statues and artwork. I like how the book switches its perspective every couple pages so you can know what all the characters are thinking about and how they live their lives.
Spoilers Ahead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The best basketball player from Walthorne South, Carter, is suspended from the team for most of the season for cheating on a test. He isn’t the best in math and decided to cheat on a test to not fail math and not be able to play basketball. Carter is unsuspended from the team for the last game of the season which is the rival game between the two schools. The problem is that at the girls basketball game, Carter got into an argument with players from Walthorne North and ended up falling off the bleachers. He got injured pretty badly and they decided to cancel the rivalry game. After Carter healed, the two teams decided to schedule the game on their own. No coaches and no refs. I like how the game was still competitive but the players learned to have good sportsmanship and not be disrespectful to each other. This book was very fun to read because the plot was always having something interesting happening. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars as it was one of my favorite books I have read.
Spoilers Ahead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The best basketball player from Walthorne South, Carter, is suspended from the team for most of the season for cheating on a test. He isn’t the best in math and decided to cheat on a test to not fail math and not be able to play basketball. Carter is unsuspended from the team for the last game of the season which is the rival game between the two schools. The problem is that at the girls basketball game, Carter got into an argument with players from Walthorne North and ended up falling off the bleachers. He got injured pretty badly and they decided to cancel the rivalry game. After Carter healed, the two teams decided to schedule the game on their own. No coaches and no refs. I like how the game was still competitive but the players learned to have good sportsmanship and not be disrespectful to each other. This book was very fun to read because the plot was always having something interesting happening. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars as it was one of my favorite books I have read.
January 13, 2021
Rivals by Tommy Greenwald is an excellent exploration of the cultural issues surrounding youth sports, rivalries, different economic classes, and the internal conflict I'm sure many athletic youth face between their love for the game and all of the drama and demand that goes along with playing it. While the cover suggests a classic middle-grades sports story, and it certainly fits the genre, there is depth to be found here alongside some great starting off points for important discussions with young readers.
The main characters, Carter, Austin, and Alfie each go through their own struggles as they work through their increasing understanding that the demands the adults in their world place on them are killing their love of the game. This book highlights all the issues that permeate youth sports today: overbearing parents, supremely intense rivalries between children, the us-and-them mentality of families from different social classes, the pressure to succeed at all costs, and the pressure to secure the family's future through that success. All the kids in this book want to do is play ball- it is the adults whose pressures start to cause the kids to make poor choices. I think many youth athletes will find this book relatable and perhaps even eye-opening, and it should prompt some excellent discussions with students about the pressures the world places on their shoulders to be increasingly 'perfect' and 'successful' at increasingly younger ages.
One of the things I really love about this book is that the kids ultimately solve the social problems themselves- in fact, they actively work to get the adults out-of-the-way, so to speak, so that they can come together and unify over their love of basketball. This is a great message for kids in a position where the adults may not be able to be supportive in solving social problems, such as in school. It gives kids a blueprint for how to be better people now, where they are, rather than assuming that adults should be the ones to solve all the problems.
Now for the teachery bit: This book is a true middle-grades book. Content-wise, it's appropriate for upper-elementary students, but I think the true demographic is 7th-8th graders. There are some instances of bullying and some conflict that occur as part of sports trash-talk between kids, and some of this is based on race/ class (a student makes a disparaging comment suggesting that another student should go work at the country club like the rest of her family, for example). But, there are a lot of excellent examples of other kids in this book who are upstanders, not bystanders, including kids who are considered popular. Students see lots of great demonstrations of how to stand up in the moment when a friend or teammate makes an inappropriate comment. There is some diversity in this book, but all the central characters are white. It is noted early on that the town in which the book takes place has an obvious class division, where one middle school is mostly rich, white kids while the other school is lower-income and more diverse.
This is an excellent addition to any classroom library, and I think it would make a great book club offering or whole-class novel for students in grade 6 and lower-level readers in grade 7. I think on-level readers in grade 7 might find this book too easy a read, but there is enough depth to dive into characterization, theme, connections to the real world, etc. There are a ton of great articles, documentaries, etc. out there about youth sports, so this book could be a good basis for an argument or research unit as well!
The main characters, Carter, Austin, and Alfie each go through their own struggles as they work through their increasing understanding that the demands the adults in their world place on them are killing their love of the game. This book highlights all the issues that permeate youth sports today: overbearing parents, supremely intense rivalries between children, the us-and-them mentality of families from different social classes, the pressure to succeed at all costs, and the pressure to secure the family's future through that success. All the kids in this book want to do is play ball- it is the adults whose pressures start to cause the kids to make poor choices. I think many youth athletes will find this book relatable and perhaps even eye-opening, and it should prompt some excellent discussions with students about the pressures the world places on their shoulders to be increasingly 'perfect' and 'successful' at increasingly younger ages.
One of the things I really love about this book is that the kids ultimately solve the social problems themselves- in fact, they actively work to get the adults out-of-the-way, so to speak, so that they can come together and unify over their love of basketball. This is a great message for kids in a position where the adults may not be able to be supportive in solving social problems, such as in school. It gives kids a blueprint for how to be better people now, where they are, rather than assuming that adults should be the ones to solve all the problems.
Now for the teachery bit: This book is a true middle-grades book. Content-wise, it's appropriate for upper-elementary students, but I think the true demographic is 7th-8th graders. There are some instances of bullying and some conflict that occur as part of sports trash-talk between kids, and some of this is based on race/ class (a student makes a disparaging comment suggesting that another student should go work at the country club like the rest of her family, for example). But, there are a lot of excellent examples of other kids in this book who are upstanders, not bystanders, including kids who are considered popular. Students see lots of great demonstrations of how to stand up in the moment when a friend or teammate makes an inappropriate comment. There is some diversity in this book, but all the central characters are white. It is noted early on that the town in which the book takes place has an obvious class division, where one middle school is mostly rich, white kids while the other school is lower-income and more diverse.
This is an excellent addition to any classroom library, and I think it would make a great book club offering or whole-class novel for students in grade 6 and lower-level readers in grade 7. I think on-level readers in grade 7 might find this book too easy a read, but there is enough depth to dive into characterization, theme, connections to the real world, etc. There are a ton of great articles, documentaries, etc. out there about youth sports, so this book could be a good basis for an argument or research unit as well!
May 18, 2022
When did middle school sports -- specifically basketball -- stop being a game? Played for fun? Or is the question, was it ever?
This book explores these questions through the POVs of several different characters: two star boys basketball players who live on opposite sides of Walthorne and have totally opposite financial and parental support; a girl school sports reporter who opens several cans of worms, just by observing carefully and asking questions; and a couple of girls' basketball players.
It starts with an injury and an argument between two players. One pressures the other to play through his injury, and a couple of spectators not only see the argument, but the entire gym sees when the injured player really gets hurt (in the next play) and blames his teammate.
They try to put a spin on it, but soon it's out that the coach mighta/sorta ignored that his player was injured in that, he notices (how could he not?), but didn’t specifically ask why the player was limping. And when the school sports reporter asks if the coach had a responsibility to ask and get the kid off the court before he seriously hurt himself, and can't play for the rest of the season…well, things begin to heat up.
One of the star players is having trouble in school, and his coach casually suggests to the other players that it's their responsibility to see their teammate isn't disqualified from the team. They interpret that as -- they should let the star player cheat. Copy test questions in math. And the reporter, again, is well-positioned to see it happen.
She doesn't rat the kid out, but he thinks she does, and treats her like … well, you-know-what for much of the rest of the book. And the heat is on the coach again. This time, he leaves the team!! Resigns. Now the team's really in turmoil.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, one of the boys wrangles with the fact that he's not such a good player, no matter how much he practices, but his dad is a sponsor of his club team and that means…he gets to play. When others probably should be in the game, instead of him.
This was a great read, one I highly recommend. It's a high interest topic that will certainly interest your students and spark discussion about the ethics of school sports.
Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
This book explores these questions through the POVs of several different characters: two star boys basketball players who live on opposite sides of Walthorne and have totally opposite financial and parental support; a girl school sports reporter who opens several cans of worms, just by observing carefully and asking questions; and a couple of girls' basketball players.
It starts with an injury and an argument between two players. One pressures the other to play through his injury, and a couple of spectators not only see the argument, but the entire gym sees when the injured player really gets hurt (in the next play) and blames his teammate.
They try to put a spin on it, but soon it's out that the coach mighta/sorta ignored that his player was injured in that, he notices (how could he not?), but didn’t specifically ask why the player was limping. And when the school sports reporter asks if the coach had a responsibility to ask and get the kid off the court before he seriously hurt himself, and can't play for the rest of the season…well, things begin to heat up.
One of the star players is having trouble in school, and his coach casually suggests to the other players that it's their responsibility to see their teammate isn't disqualified from the team. They interpret that as -- they should let the star player cheat. Copy test questions in math. And the reporter, again, is well-positioned to see it happen.
She doesn't rat the kid out, but he thinks she does, and treats her like … well, you-know-what for much of the rest of the book. And the heat is on the coach again. This time, he leaves the team!! Resigns. Now the team's really in turmoil.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, one of the boys wrangles with the fact that he's not such a good player, no matter how much he practices, but his dad is a sponsor of his club team and that means…he gets to play. When others probably should be in the game, instead of him.
This was a great read, one I highly recommend. It's a high interest topic that will certainly interest your students and spark discussion about the ethics of school sports.
Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
March 10, 2023
I really enjoyed my reading experience with this book, and I am very glad that I read it. It exceeded my expectations because I didn't think much of it when I started, but as it went on it showed some lessons that not only kids, but the whole world could learn from. This is why I thought very fondly of the book and it exceeded my average expectations. I have some connections to this book because I try to have good sportsmanship and be a good guy to competitors. I've been on a sports team before and I've seen big rivalries in sports many times as well. What I really liked about this book is how there's more to the sport than the sport itself, like teamwork, respect, and great sportsmanship. These are good kids in the book, and they go through their hardships, but they learn a lot and end up enjoying it, which is relatable. We learn about the kids' characters, which is more than just their talent in basketball, which is another great concept that I like was displayed in the book. These kids are in middle school, and although they show great character and sportsmanship which is great, I, unfortunately, find it a bit unrealistic at times, because harsh trash talk is always a part of it. I would recommend this to teenagers because teenagers often show that they need to hear and learn about the important messages and lessons displayed in the book. Other age groups would like it a lot too, but I think teens would understand, relate, and learn from it the most. I am happy to say that I have read this book.
Read
November 6, 202511.5.25. 6+. Race, class, drinking/alcohol abuse. No lang. No sx. Very clean but touches on heavy issues.
Walthorne 2021
In the town of Walthorne, middle school sports revolve around the storied rivalry between the Walthorne North Middle School Cougars and the Walthorne South Middle School Panthers. North is captained by point guard Austin Chambers, whose rich parents provide him with everything he needs to succeed—in part because his father is a Penn State basketball legend. Things aren’t so rosy for Carter Haswell, captain of South. His parents see basketball as his job & a ticket to the kind of money they've never had. Peer relationships cause problems: Austin pressures wounded teammate Clay to play a high-stakes game leading to his injury. Best intentions go awry: Alfie Jenks, a die-hard hoops fan and aspiring journalist, learns the importance of oversight, diligence, and context as her reporting sparks scandals. Egocentricity reigns: Carter’s coach encourages him to cheat in class, leading to the player’s suspension and the coach’s resignation. All this misconduct leads to a tense rivalry game at the end of the season with much more on the line than just a win and a loss.
Book overt in its theme: sports should be fun. Multimedia (message board, texts, interviews, youtube video). Multiple conflicts and problems over course of season. Good take on crazy parents at games.
Walthorne 2021
In the town of Walthorne, middle school sports revolve around the storied rivalry between the Walthorne North Middle School Cougars and the Walthorne South Middle School Panthers. North is captained by point guard Austin Chambers, whose rich parents provide him with everything he needs to succeed—in part because his father is a Penn State basketball legend. Things aren’t so rosy for Carter Haswell, captain of South. His parents see basketball as his job & a ticket to the kind of money they've never had. Peer relationships cause problems: Austin pressures wounded teammate Clay to play a high-stakes game leading to his injury. Best intentions go awry: Alfie Jenks, a die-hard hoops fan and aspiring journalist, learns the importance of oversight, diligence, and context as her reporting sparks scandals. Egocentricity reigns: Carter’s coach encourages him to cheat in class, leading to the player’s suspension and the coach’s resignation. All this misconduct leads to a tense rivalry game at the end of the season with much more on the line than just a win and a loss.
Book overt in its theme: sports should be fun. Multimedia (message board, texts, interviews, youtube video). Multiple conflicts and problems over course of season. Good take on crazy parents at games.
Read
December 2, 2022What happens when basketball teams from middle schools on opposite sides of town compete for best in the league? Author Tommy Greenwald's RIVALS pits Walthorne North against Walthorne South and the result is not quite what the fans expect.
Written in the style of GAME CHANGER with numerous POVs, blog posts, chat room discussions, and more, RIVALS focuses on two players, one from each team, each hoping to be the stand-out player. Austin wants to prove he is worthy of being the player his father thinks he is, but now that many of the players have gotten taller than him and possess more natural talent, Austin worries he'll let everyone down. Carter knows his only chance at college will be a scholarship for basketball, but he has to pass middle school first. He sucks at math, and if he doesn't come through with a passing grade, he won't even be on the team.
As the two rival players battle their own personal demons, the people who root for the teams have their own opinions about how important basketball should be in Walthorne. One observant young reporter, Alfie Jenks, may just see through all the hype to see that the fun of the sport may be lost for these middle school players.
Greenwald throws in plenty of play-by- play action, personal life issues, and fan drama to make RIVALS a fast-paced, page-turner middle school and even high school readers will enjoy.
Written in the style of GAME CHANGER with numerous POVs, blog posts, chat room discussions, and more, RIVALS focuses on two players, one from each team, each hoping to be the stand-out player. Austin wants to prove he is worthy of being the player his father thinks he is, but now that many of the players have gotten taller than him and possess more natural talent, Austin worries he'll let everyone down. Carter knows his only chance at college will be a scholarship for basketball, but he has to pass middle school first. He sucks at math, and if he doesn't come through with a passing grade, he won't even be on the team.
As the two rival players battle their own personal demons, the people who root for the teams have their own opinions about how important basketball should be in Walthorne. One observant young reporter, Alfie Jenks, may just see through all the hype to see that the fun of the sport may be lost for these middle school players.
Greenwald throws in plenty of play-by- play action, personal life issues, and fan drama to make RIVALS a fast-paced, page-turner middle school and even high school readers will enjoy.
February 16, 2022
The story: The people in Walthorne love basketball--especially when their two middle school teams are battling it out. So when the season begins, two star players are feeling the heat: Austin Chambers, captain of Walthorne North, worries that he's not good enough to live up to his father's legacy, while across town, talented Carter Haswell, captain of the less-wealthy South team, is already under pressure to get a scholarship to help with college costs. As the season progresses, Alfie Jenks, a school sports reporter, discovers that behind-the-scenes scandals are just as much a part of youth sports as on-the-court action. When she blows the story wide open, the whole season is jeopardized. Now what?
June Cleaer's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; Adult themes (family pressures, cheating) PG; overall rating PG.
Liz's comments: I like Tom Greenwald's sports stories because rather than having everything be "rah-rah" all the time, he acknowledges that there are both good and bad sides to sports. Hand this one to readers who liked "Game Changer", as well as kids who like Carl Deuker's books (although Greenwald's are admittedly easier to read).
June Cleaer's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; Adult themes (family pressures, cheating) PG; overall rating PG.
Liz's comments: I like Tom Greenwald's sports stories because rather than having everything be "rah-rah" all the time, he acknowledges that there are both good and bad sides to sports. Hand this one to readers who liked "Game Changer", as well as kids who like Carl Deuker's books (although Greenwald's are admittedly easier to read).
December 15, 2023
Two athletes from different sides of the 'tracks, a young female reporter trying to learn the trade and make a name for herself, basketball rivalry between schools, and parents that are too involved.
This book is a great illustration of how a game can be fun- or ruined. Basketball (and all sports) is supposed to be hard. It is also supposed to be fair and fun. When rivalries get too intense, fun and fair are the first things to go. The expectations, the competition, the cheating, bribing, and the pressure from adults involved can take a wonderful sport and ruin in for all involved.
I wish every parent was required to read this before enrolling their child in any sports program. I am a huge basketball and most other sports fan, and have seen both sides of the games. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon to have parents and coaches ruin the game for their children and others on the team.
"We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing." Ben Franklin
I recommend this book to older elementary and up students and their parents. I enjoyed it,
This book is a great illustration of how a game can be fun- or ruined. Basketball (and all sports) is supposed to be hard. It is also supposed to be fair and fun. When rivalries get too intense, fun and fair are the first things to go. The expectations, the competition, the cheating, bribing, and the pressure from adults involved can take a wonderful sport and ruin in for all involved.
I wish every parent was required to read this before enrolling their child in any sports program. I am a huge basketball and most other sports fan, and have seen both sides of the games. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon to have parents and coaches ruin the game for their children and others on the team.
"We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing." Ben Franklin
I recommend this book to older elementary and up students and their parents. I enjoyed it,
January 18, 2022
Walthorne North and South Middle take their basketball seriously, and no where is this more on display than during their annual matchups at the beginning and end of the season. During the season opener, one of North's star players is severely injured, and when Alfie, a sports reporter from South, incorrectly reports that his coach pressured him to play injured, she embroils herself into the world of middle school basketball and how much the players and coaches are willing to overlook to maintain a winning team.
Pretty similar to Game Changer in theme and format, but this one has prose chapters rather than verse.
I had some trouble keeping the North and South players straight, especially since some of them interact with each other early on. But it was clear how much pressure these kids were under, either from themselves or their parents. Sports should be fun, and they're not if we're focused on records ad winning.
Pretty similar to Game Changer in theme and format, but this one has prose chapters rather than verse.
I had some trouble keeping the North and South players straight, especially since some of them interact with each other early on. But it was clear how much pressure these kids were under, either from themselves or their parents. Sports should be fun, and they're not if we're focused on records ad winning.
May 31, 2021
Greenwald follows the success of his football-themed Game Changer with the basketball-themed Rivals which tells the story of cross-town rivals Walthorne South Middle School and Walthorne North Middle School. Using a combination of prose, text messages, newspaper articles, and blog entries, Greenwald probes what winning by any means can actually cost. The story centers on Austin, the captain of the wealthy Walthorne North team, Carter, captain of Walthorne South, and Alfie, the sports journalist. For Carter’s family, his talent is their ticket out of poverty. For Austin, his talent is never enough for his father. As tensions rise, will the athletes be able to rediscover their love of the game? This page-turning story should appeal to reluctant middle-grade readers because of the compelling story and the ever-changing format.
August 9, 2021
With the start of basketball season, Carter and Austin’s old rivalry reignites. Star captains of the two middle schools in town, their schools’ differences fuel their resentments of each other. As tensions rise, will their rivalry go too far? Told through alternating points-of -view as well as in texts, social media posts, and radio interviews, readers are drawn into the worlds of the characters. Mixed with action scenes and scenes of Carter and Austin’s realistic struggles, the story will appeal to more than just basketball fans. Recommended for libraries where sports fiction is popular. 3.5 stars, gr 4 to 8
Please note: This was a review copy given to us by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No financial compensation was received.
Please note: This was a review copy given to us by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No financial compensation was received.
December 6, 2022
In Walthorne, basketball is everything, but one of the most anticipated games is between Walthorne North Middle School and Walthorne South Middle School. This game starts the season and pressure and emotions are high. With all the focus on the game, players feel extra pressure to perform. Will that pressure lead them to do things they might regret?
Told from multiple perspectives and through texts, social media, sports reports, and flashbacks, Rivals presents an interesting perspective on the student sports scene. The story is exciting and will be a great read for Sports lovers, but the message is also important. We need bring fun and sportsmanship back to school sports.
Recommended ages–11-15 years old
Told from multiple perspectives and through texts, social media, sports reports, and flashbacks, Rivals presents an interesting perspective on the student sports scene. The story is exciting and will be a great read for Sports lovers, but the message is also important. We need bring fun and sportsmanship back to school sports.
Recommended ages–11-15 years old
July 9, 2024
I listened to this book and think that I may have enjoyed more if I had read it. It is a mixed media book, so getting used to listening to the different types narrated was confusing initially. The other struggle that I had was that the female characters sounded like middle school student voices, but the male characters didn’t always sound like middle school students. Also, changing voices for the two main characters seemed to be a struggle, so I often had a hard time realizing which character was which.
The other struggle I had was with content. The games and rivalry as well as many of the practices as well as classroom struggles seemed to be high school level rather than middle school, except for when they played ball at the courts at the park.
The other struggle I had was with content. The games and rivalry as well as many of the practices as well as classroom struggles seemed to be high school level rather than middle school, except for when they played ball at the courts at the park.
February 21, 2025
Story is told through the voice of a female MS sports podcaster, a group text thread between rival schools, individual texts, school announcements, school news, and student reflections/monologues.
Story begins as a sports rivalry between schools but quickly changes to a discussion on how too much emphasis on winning sports creates an environment that encourages unhealthy, unethical, and even dangerous choices.
The kid who tries to do the right thing gets ostracized for a few months, but no emphasis is placed on the difficulty for that student other than having to eat lunch alone or endure some harassment.
It’s a very quick read that teaches the importance of love ❤️ of the game over winning the game at any cost.
Story begins as a sports rivalry between schools but quickly changes to a discussion on how too much emphasis on winning sports creates an environment that encourages unhealthy, unethical, and even dangerous choices.
The kid who tries to do the right thing gets ostracized for a few months, but no emphasis is placed on the difficulty for that student other than having to eat lunch alone or endure some harassment.
It’s a very quick read that teaches the importance of love ❤️ of the game over winning the game at any cost.
June 17, 2022
The book focuses on what happens when kids (and adults) take youth sports too seriously. It touches on how children can and do misinterpret what adults say and do. Greenwald also accurately portrays how children learn from what they see the adults in their lives doing (whether for good or bad depends on the outcome). The disparity between schools within the same system but on opposite sides of town reflects real-life situations that our students face. I also like that the story, while including racial diversity, did not focus on the specific race of the characters as a major plot point. Overall, it is a great story for kids and adults alike.
March 23, 2021
Tommy Greenwald's new book is in a similar format to Game Changer which transcripts, news articles, and text conversations sprinkled throughout. This is an interesting look at youth sports and the challenges that get in the way. There is the pressure from adults, the inequalities between girls' and boys' sports, and the disparities between kids of different socioeconomic classes. This is a sports novel that will make you think.
Read more at Bookish Adventures.
Read more at Bookish Adventures.
March 28, 2021
Game Changer by this same author was one of my favorite books of 2020, so I was VERY excited to pre-order Rivals! I think what Tommy Greenwald is doing with his books is wildly important. Kids need these stories about youth sport culture, but adults need them too. Like when reading Game Changer, I cried through the whole ending of Rivals. I gave this one 4 instead of 5 just because I felt some of the subtleties weren’t there as much for me (as an adult reader). I’d consider these books companion novels, and they are impactful works, that’s for sure.
August 14, 2024
I liked this one a lot more in his Walthorne universe than the others. I think it'll be good for the kids at school as it touches on the disparity and advantages that kids who have more money vs low income have when it comes to sports and money. And it also showed how kids themselves can solve some these social issues surrounding them. It doesn't have to be the adults only. Change can always happen at any step.
August 11, 2021
Perfect middle school read. Believable protagonists. Told from alternating perspectives - boys from each rival team and Alfie, the female sports reporter.
Great for basketball lovers as well as those interested in the reporting side of sports. This book tackles the sacrifices and hard choices some student athletes are forced to make.
Great for basketball lovers as well as those interested in the reporting side of sports. This book tackles the sacrifices and hard choices some student athletes are forced to make.
July 20, 2022
I really enjoyed it, despite not being a big sports fan. Some weighted topics were handled well and I always appreciate his storytelling through texts, discussion posts, and transcripts; it's rare to have a novel told this way but it really works with the content. Looking forward to booktalking it to students in my MS library.
August 28, 2022
Another great book by Tommy Greenwald. I wouldn’t say I enjoy reading sports fiction but his stories are so much more. Like Game Changers, Rivals has a deeper meaning. Told in alternating texts messages, newspapers, blogs, etc the story unfolds of Walthorne’s middle schools: North vs South. The morale is when does youth sports loose the big picture of playing for fun.
September 8, 2022
Tommy Greenwald once again delivers a fast-paced story about the role and impact of youth sports in American society today.
Told from the alternating perspectives of two middle school basketball players and one aspiring sports journalist, Rivals captures the complex world that young atheletes and sports fans find themselves in when the game becomes about more than just having fun.
Told from the alternating perspectives of two middle school basketball players and one aspiring sports journalist, Rivals captures the complex world that young atheletes and sports fans find themselves in when the game becomes about more than just having fun.
January 28, 2023
Another wonderful sports book by Tommy Greenwald. Rivals was a great read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It reminded me of how much fun we would have in the summer playing pick up games of softball and baseball with whoever showed up at the park. It was all so much fun even though we really took the game seriously as 8-10 year olds! I guess I will be ordering his next book, Dinged!
May 22, 2024
Pretty good book! It had a nice ending and I liked how it was centered around the issue of the intense atmosphere of youth sports. However, the language seemed out of character for the kids and was almost kind of cringy. It was a fast read because of the format, but overall I’d say it wasn’t the most realistic due to the dialogue and plot.
September 9, 2025
I think I may have liked this one better than Dinged. (I can’t compare it to Game Changer, as I don’t remember how well I liked that one.) Two-day read. I loved the honesty and the realistic events. I loved the addition of the “kids with money” and the kids without. Good lessons about assumptions and cheating and respect. Totally getting it for the 7th graders.
July 18, 2021
Tommy Greenwald explores the "must win at all costs" culture plaguing many youth sports teams. Similar to GAME CHANGER, this story is told through text messages, blog posts, online articles, and prose via alternating POV. The craft is definitely engaging for middle grade readers.
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