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Danny Walker #2
Summer Ball
The sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Travel Team!
When you’re the smallest kid playing a big man’s game, the challenges never stop—especially when your name is Danny Walker. Leading your travel team to the national championship may seem like a dream come true, but for Danny, being at the top just means the competition tries that much harder to knock him off. Now Danny’s leaving Middletown for the summer and heading to Right Way basketball camp, where he’s out of his element and maybe out of his league. The country’s best ballers are in attendance, and Danny will need to raise his game if he wants to match up. But it won’t be easy. Old rivals and new battles leave Danny wondering if he really has what it takes to stand tall.
When you’re the smallest kid playing a big man’s game, the challenges never stop—especially when your name is Danny Walker. Leading your travel team to the national championship may seem like a dream come true, but for Danny, being at the top just means the competition tries that much harder to knock him off. Now Danny’s leaving Middletown for the summer and heading to Right Way basketball camp, where he’s out of his element and maybe out of his league. The country’s best ballers are in attendance, and Danny will need to raise his game if he wants to match up. But it won’t be easy. Old rivals and new battles leave Danny wondering if he really has what it takes to stand tall.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
419 people are currently reading
2777 people want to read
About the author
Mike Lupica
110 books1,206 followersMichael 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.
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February 25, 2015It all takes place in a city called Morrisville a small city in Maine were there are 4 friends Tess Hewitt who plays tennis and her and Danny kind of have a relationship were its more than just friends and Danny Walker’s mom and dad finally got back together. His dad was a former NBA player but a car accident forced him into an early retirement. Ty is a tall guy that is very good at basketball all around. Will is kind of short but is a lights out three point shooter. There is a camp called Right away where the best players in the Northeastern part of the U.S. come to show college coaches and scouts what they can do. Danny, Ty, Will, met a guy named Tarik who talks a lot of different language than the others are used to using. Will tries to adopt this new language but there were too many words. When Danny and his friends arrive at Right away Coach Ed Powers says something that Danny thinks is funny and he tells Will and he laughs out loud and to start camp they run. About a month into camp Danny is having seconds thoughts about camp so he fakes a n injury and in the medical office Nick Pinto knows he faking and he swears he won’t tell anyone he’ll just let him deal with the thought that he quit set in his mind. Danny later figures out that Tess is just across the river so Danny, Will, Ty, Will, Tarik, and Zach Danny’s roommate steal a row boat in the middle of the night to go see Tess. While they are there Tess convinces him not to leave. When they get back Danny get more playing time and makes the most out of it and leads his team to the championship.
November 13, 2013
The book "Summer Ball" is a realistic fiction by Mike Lupica. It is about a thirteen year old boy who is the son of a former NBA player that goes to a summer basketball camp. The boy, Danny, has one of his dads old coaches coaching him. But this coach hated Danny's dad and is really hard on Danny and he makes the camp miserable. Danny also runs into a kid named Rasheed who he had played against in the national championship the year before. This made matters worse because Rasheed hated Danny and made camp even harder for him. I really liked this book because i can connect with the main character. Danny is really short for his age but has always been one of the best basketball players on the court. This reminds me of my brother Chris. Chris and Danny play the same position and from Mike Lupica's description, they look alike as well. Another reason that this is a good book is because the author really seems to capture the emotions of Danny this whole time. You can really understand what or why he does something.I have read this book more than once and it always makes me want to go out and play basketball. But you do not have to like basketball if you want to read this book, it is an all around good book, and it is a pretty quick read. I hope you will consider reading it!
March 30, 2018
This book was so boring had really no good parts to it and it was so predictable. He finally got his revenge at the end but it was just so easy to figure out what was going to happen
January 16, 2014
In the book Summer Ball by Mike Lupica a kid named Danny Walker is the smallest kid out there playing basketball. He play's travel basketball and is trying to get his team to the National Championships, but he has many challenges from getting there. His travel team has people two years ahead of him , so it makes it really hard for him to play the game he loves.
I really liked this book because it's a great adventure. It is a great adventure because danny, the smallest guy on the team, leads his team to the National Championship. In the book Danny compares himself to a lot of pro basketball players. His dad was a pro basketball player and he wants to do the same thing his dad did. His dad helped him get through the challenges he needed. It makes you believe that you can do anything no matter what size you are.
I recommend this book to people who like sports. People who like getting through challenges. Also, People who like a fast paced book. This was one of the best books I have ever read.
I really liked this book because it's a great adventure. It is a great adventure because danny, the smallest guy on the team, leads his team to the National Championship. In the book Danny compares himself to a lot of pro basketball players. His dad was a pro basketball player and he wants to do the same thing his dad did. His dad helped him get through the challenges he needed. It makes you believe that you can do anything no matter what size you are.
I recommend this book to people who like sports. People who like getting through challenges. Also, People who like a fast paced book. This was one of the best books I have ever read.
December 4, 2018
This book was a pretty interesting book overall. I loved to see Danny start getting harder and tougher competition. He started off as a win all type of person and later changed to a don't be a cocky person. This gives me a reminder when a kid was the #1 ranked in his class and challenged Michael Jordan. The kid got too cocky and he lost badly to Jordan. This proves later when Danny starts to lose in the season, he makes a huge jump and starts to have a humble mind. But unfortunately for the guy who challenged Jordan, he got all his college offers removed because he got too cocky. Overall great book.
January 23, 2009
I think this book was really good, mainly because I luv sports books. Even if u don't like sports books you shuld still like this book.
January 18, 2016
Summer Ball
Mike Lupica
“A ball in his hands always made him feel smarter.” -Ali Walker (Danny’s dad). Summer Ball by Mike Lupica is about a kid called Danny who is very tiny, but still has a very big talent and dream. Basketball. He goes to a basketball camp where there are players just like him who have very big goals to become great basketball players when they grow up. During the camp Danny goes through many ups and downs to play the game of big men.
Before Danny goes to camp he persuades his friends to come with him who are not as good at basketball as he was but it is still good to have friends with you. Danny also talks to a girl called Tess who have been really good friends when they were younger but have drifted apart lately but still he has a crush on her.
When Danny gets to camp things already went bad. He did not get to room with his friends and his worst enemy also went to camp. During the camp people thought that he is just someone who came to the camp to just have fun but Danny keeps proving himself. One of the coaches even advised him to start playing soccer not basketball. One of his goals for the camp was to prove everyone wrong and to show them the player he really is. But that did not work out so well. At one point things went so bad that he pretended be be injured because he felt like he needed to rest. Also Tess was in her vacation house right across the lake so Danny and his friends snuck out to see her. But Danny is very special. No matter what happened to him he never gives up. He decided to try his best and then ended up playing like he never did before!
This has been one of my favourite books because I am a very big basketball fan. The things that make the book so interesting is that during the read there are many intense points. Also the book always puts you at the edge of your chair because you really want to know what happens next.
I would recommend this book to people who are in middle school, and to like this book you have to know a lot about basketball and if you don't like basketball you also won't like the book.
Mike Lupica
“A ball in his hands always made him feel smarter.” -Ali Walker (Danny’s dad). Summer Ball by Mike Lupica is about a kid called Danny who is very tiny, but still has a very big talent and dream. Basketball. He goes to a basketball camp where there are players just like him who have very big goals to become great basketball players when they grow up. During the camp Danny goes through many ups and downs to play the game of big men.
Before Danny goes to camp he persuades his friends to come with him who are not as good at basketball as he was but it is still good to have friends with you. Danny also talks to a girl called Tess who have been really good friends when they were younger but have drifted apart lately but still he has a crush on her.
When Danny gets to camp things already went bad. He did not get to room with his friends and his worst enemy also went to camp. During the camp people thought that he is just someone who came to the camp to just have fun but Danny keeps proving himself. One of the coaches even advised him to start playing soccer not basketball. One of his goals for the camp was to prove everyone wrong and to show them the player he really is. But that did not work out so well. At one point things went so bad that he pretended be be injured because he felt like he needed to rest. Also Tess was in her vacation house right across the lake so Danny and his friends snuck out to see her. But Danny is very special. No matter what happened to him he never gives up. He decided to try his best and then ended up playing like he never did before!
This has been one of my favourite books because I am a very big basketball fan. The things that make the book so interesting is that during the read there are many intense points. Also the book always puts you at the edge of your chair because you really want to know what happens next.
I would recommend this book to people who are in middle school, and to like this book you have to know a lot about basketball and if you don't like basketball you also won't like the book.
April 4, 2008
Summer Ball, by Mike Lupica, is the second book in the Danny Walker series. Danny is a basketball obsessed 13-year-old point guard who has to face the same problem over and over again, Danny is too short. In the time between first book of the series, Travel Team, Danny leads his town’s (Middletown) team to the national championship. But on the way, Danny made a few rivals, such as Rasheed. Rasheed was the point guard of the team that Danny’s team played. Rasheed never let go of that game after losing on National T.V. So when Danny goes to Right Way basketball camp, and ends up on the same team as Rasheed, Rasheed decides to make up for losing the National Championship by making Danny Walker look horrible. Then Danny gets placed in the bunk house for the younger group. On top of that, Ed Powers, the former head coach at Providence College for his coach. Coach Powers doesn’t like Danny because Danny’s dad Richie Was going to providence on a basketball scholarship, when at the last second, he backed out and went to Syracuse. With everything going against he starts to think about quitting the game that he loved so much. But Danny has always been the underdog, and Danny also meets Zach, a younger version of himself. Summer Ball was a good sequel to Travel Team. I would recommend this book to any one who has read Travel Team, or anyone who likes basketball. 246 words
November 27, 2017
Summer Ball was a great sequel to Travel Team in my opinion. It does a great job of showing how people might seem one way, but if you just take the time to get to know them, you'll see that they might not be the person you imagined. I also really liked seeing Danny having his perspective change about basketball camp just because of one person. Because of that one person he was able to stop looking at all the bad things that had happened to him and turn to look at the good things and it showed later in future games
December 4, 2014
I thought this was a good book because it had a good storyline and plot. It followed that, and I think the book proved a point. You down have to be tall to be good for basketball. Overall the book was great and you should read it.
November 7, 2017
This was an extraordinary book. Especially because I am a sports lover, I totally would recommend it. My favorite part was probably when they played the final game and won. However, there were some parts to the book that I didn't understand. But overall, I definitely would recommend it.
September 23, 2016
In Summer Ball by Mike Lupica the main character, Danny Walker, is one of the shortest kids you will encounter throughout the book. Usually being short isn’t a big problem, but when you are a short kid who wants to play basketball, things might not work out as well for you. Basketball is known as a big mans game so if you are a small man on a big court, you might get made fun of or just do poorly. After leading his travel basketball team to the national championship, he decides to go to Right Way basketball, which is a camp that top kids all over the country will go to. Danny has the skill and potential to do great as a basketball player but being short might give him a disadvantage at the camp. With his friends by his side at camp even though he was small, he would have a great group of people to be with him. At this camp, Danny was bullied by a kid named Lamar Parish because he was short and supposedly bad at basketball. Since Danny was put in a different group than his friends, they couldn’t be there all the time when Lamar was. In addition to Lamar trying to put Danny down, his coach Ed Powers was very mean to Danny saying how he couldn’t play basketball if he tried. The reason that Coach Powers decided to pick on Danny was because Danny’s dad decided to go to Syracuse instead of Coach Powers team for college. His coach also told him he should just quit basketball and go play soccer. If you know one thing about Danny Walker, it is that he never quits at anything he does. Even though Danny did not like the camp at the beginning because everyone teased him and told him that he couldn’t do it, he decided to stay and keep trying. This shows that when you knock Danny Walker to the ground he will get up right back up just to beat you in the game he loves.
The setting of the book takes place at Right Way basketball camp and at home. When he goes to the camp he is with his friends but when he is at home he is with both his friends and family. The main theme in this story is that friendship is a key factor in life. Just when Danny wants to leave camp and go home because it is too hard, he figures out that one of his best friends, Tess Hewitt, is across the lake. After sneaking out so he could go talk to her, she shows him that he should not quit the game he loves because of some jerks. Another theme in the story is to never give up that things can keep getting better. After being bullied by kids and his coach, Danny decides to fake an injury so they will send him home. After sitting aside to see what will happen next Danny decides to go back in which is a decision that changed his life. When he comes back to his team at the camp, he helps them win the championship game for Coach Power’s 5th year in a row.
The author decided to use some figurative language as he is writing the story. In my opinion, this book was a fast-paced book that was fun to read. This book was a bit mysterious because you would never know what Danny would do and you might think that he would quit and then he would get back up and never stop. When he kept getting bullied you would think that when he started to give up he would quit but he changed his mind at the last second and help his team. One character that stood out to me was Tess. Whenever something had gone wrong in Danny’s life, Tess would always be there to cheer him up. When he was at camp and needed help, Tess was across the lake at the perfect time so she could help him with his problems. The book was written in a way you can easily relate to because there are some kids in life that get bullied but will always have friends to help them get past the obstacles in life.
My favorite part of the book is when Danny faked an injury so he could go home and then came right back to his team at the camp because he didn’t want to give up. This is my favorite part because it shows how he is tough and can face obstacles that he will go through in life. My least favorite part of the book had to be when he was at home with his friends because at this part in the story there wasn’t anything that was making the reader want to finish the book. If I had to change anything about the book it would be the first couple of chapters. I would want the author to go into more detail about the problems that Danny was having so you understand more when he is leaving to go to camp. I believe that the author successfully conveys the theme because at many different parts of the book he shows how Danny always has his friends by his side and how even when things get hard you have to try harder. The storytelling was good because you knew exactly what was going on in Danny’s point of view so you know all of his reactions when he was bullied and you know how he felt when he won the championship game. I would definitely recommend this book because of the way the diction the author used. Even though the first part of the book was not my favorite I still believe that the rest of the book made up for it. I would recommend this book for kids because it is a fiction book about a kid who is told by others that he won’t make it far in the sport he loves. The reason I would also recommend it for kids because it might inspire them to overcome the obstacles just like Danny had to do. After reading this book I have decided to read more of his books to see what other information I could get out of them.
The setting of the book takes place at Right Way basketball camp and at home. When he goes to the camp he is with his friends but when he is at home he is with both his friends and family. The main theme in this story is that friendship is a key factor in life. Just when Danny wants to leave camp and go home because it is too hard, he figures out that one of his best friends, Tess Hewitt, is across the lake. After sneaking out so he could go talk to her, she shows him that he should not quit the game he loves because of some jerks. Another theme in the story is to never give up that things can keep getting better. After being bullied by kids and his coach, Danny decides to fake an injury so they will send him home. After sitting aside to see what will happen next Danny decides to go back in which is a decision that changed his life. When he comes back to his team at the camp, he helps them win the championship game for Coach Power’s 5th year in a row.
The author decided to use some figurative language as he is writing the story. In my opinion, this book was a fast-paced book that was fun to read. This book was a bit mysterious because you would never know what Danny would do and you might think that he would quit and then he would get back up and never stop. When he kept getting bullied you would think that when he started to give up he would quit but he changed his mind at the last second and help his team. One character that stood out to me was Tess. Whenever something had gone wrong in Danny’s life, Tess would always be there to cheer him up. When he was at camp and needed help, Tess was across the lake at the perfect time so she could help him with his problems. The book was written in a way you can easily relate to because there are some kids in life that get bullied but will always have friends to help them get past the obstacles in life.
My favorite part of the book is when Danny faked an injury so he could go home and then came right back to his team at the camp because he didn’t want to give up. This is my favorite part because it shows how he is tough and can face obstacles that he will go through in life. My least favorite part of the book had to be when he was at home with his friends because at this part in the story there wasn’t anything that was making the reader want to finish the book. If I had to change anything about the book it would be the first couple of chapters. I would want the author to go into more detail about the problems that Danny was having so you understand more when he is leaving to go to camp. I believe that the author successfully conveys the theme because at many different parts of the book he shows how Danny always has his friends by his side and how even when things get hard you have to try harder. The storytelling was good because you knew exactly what was going on in Danny’s point of view so you know all of his reactions when he was bullied and you know how he felt when he won the championship game. I would definitely recommend this book because of the way the diction the author used. Even though the first part of the book was not my favorite I still believe that the rest of the book made up for it. I would recommend this book for kids because it is a fiction book about a kid who is told by others that he won’t make it far in the sport he loves. The reason I would also recommend it for kids because it might inspire them to overcome the obstacles just like Danny had to do. After reading this book I have decided to read more of his books to see what other information I could get out of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2019
The book I read was Summer Ball by Mike Lupica. I chose this book for multiple reasons. One of the reasons is because its all about playing basketball. Basketball is my number one sport, always has been and always will be. It is the best sport to watch in my opinion and best to play. This book also was involved with a teenage boy which i am right now so i can relate a lot to. This book hit the spot with what i wanted to read because like i was reading about myself.
Summer ball was an excellent book. Summer Ball started out with a kid from Middletown named Danny. Danny, his mom Ali Walker and his father Richie Walker, who played in the NBA for one season then got into a car accident and was told he could never play again. Danny and his friends Will, and Ty play basketball at Middletown. There is a girl that Danny likes a lot, her name is Tess, She came to their championship game that won them the whole nation wide championship game in North Carolina. Tess was their number one supporter and one of their best friends. Danny, Ty and Will leave to go to a summer camp in Portland Maine for a couple of days. Meanwhile Danny doesn’t really want to go because he will be missing a lot of summer. He also is worried that Tess is going to fall for “Mr perfect” one of the guys she plays tennis with. Danny is scared Tess will forget about him and so he fights with Tess about it right before he leaves. Him and his pals take a flight from Middletown to Portland then drive the rest of their way to Coffee lake where “Right Way” basketball camp is. As soon as they get there, things already get messed up. They were supposed to be in the same cabin and teams together but it ends up being Ty and Will in one cabin, Madison Square Garden and Danny getting put in Gambel. It ends up turning out fine because Danny ends up meeting a new friend named zach who is exactly like him, short for his age. Zach does not want to be at Right Away camp but his mom forced him too and he is really sad. He starts to cry about everything but Danny cheers him up and decides to make it his mission for Zach to have a good time. Danny Gets assigned to the Boston Celtics team and on that team Danny also meets his coach, Ed Powers, a tough former college coach who takes an immediate dislike to Danny. Also on Danny's team is Rasheed Hill, a kid from Baltimore who played on the team Danny's team beat for the national championship and who still holds a grudge. Adding to his bad luck is Lamar Parrish, a tough kid who is such a star player that he is allowed to get away with anything he wants on and off the court and who also takes an immediate dislike to Danny. As the camp goes on, Danny does not get a lot of playing time. When Danny gets on the court he always finds a way to mess up and do something wrong leading to his coach suggesting he should stop playing basketball and go to soccer. Danny takes it straight to his heart. He does something his dad has never taught him to do. Quit. Danny does so by fake hurting his knee and saying he needs to get it looked it at by his father's doctor back in Middletown. However, he changes his mind when he finds out Tess came up to Coffee Lake and is staying with her uncle just across the lake. Tess convinces him not to quit and they are back together as happy friends. After hard work and dedication to the game Rasheed and Danny become really close friends. So close that when Lamar starts picking on Zach and Danny and is about to punch Danny, Rasheed steps in and beats up Lamar. Rasheed, Zach and Danny get 2 day suspension but nothing to Lamar who started it. After their suspension it leads to playoffs and in the playoffs danny realizes that he needs to have better moves and work harder to win and beat Lamar in the finals. Danny is faced with a challenge which he conquers about his size. In the last play to win the game he stops Lamar from scoring and secures the ball to win. He ends up saying to the coach he would be a good soccer player but he's a better basketball player
The positive outlook on this book: Summer ball was an excellent book. This book had lots of drama and action packed times. The plot was very good by having a kid who never wanted to be there at the beginning and then wanting to be there so much at the end and what he goes through to get the championship and be number one. The dialogue in the book was very good and used a very diverse meaning of words to explain different types of situations.
The Negatives of this book: There were really not a lot of negatives actually overall a very solid book but the only thing I could say that needed work was if at the end i wished they explained more about what happened after the championship and so forth. That also just might be me wanting to know more about the story .
Summer ball was an excellent book. Summer Ball started out with a kid from Middletown named Danny. Danny, his mom Ali Walker and his father Richie Walker, who played in the NBA for one season then got into a car accident and was told he could never play again. Danny and his friends Will, and Ty play basketball at Middletown. There is a girl that Danny likes a lot, her name is Tess, She came to their championship game that won them the whole nation wide championship game in North Carolina. Tess was their number one supporter and one of their best friends. Danny, Ty and Will leave to go to a summer camp in Portland Maine for a couple of days. Meanwhile Danny doesn’t really want to go because he will be missing a lot of summer. He also is worried that Tess is going to fall for “Mr perfect” one of the guys she plays tennis with. Danny is scared Tess will forget about him and so he fights with Tess about it right before he leaves. Him and his pals take a flight from Middletown to Portland then drive the rest of their way to Coffee lake where “Right Way” basketball camp is. As soon as they get there, things already get messed up. They were supposed to be in the same cabin and teams together but it ends up being Ty and Will in one cabin, Madison Square Garden and Danny getting put in Gambel. It ends up turning out fine because Danny ends up meeting a new friend named zach who is exactly like him, short for his age. Zach does not want to be at Right Away camp but his mom forced him too and he is really sad. He starts to cry about everything but Danny cheers him up and decides to make it his mission for Zach to have a good time. Danny Gets assigned to the Boston Celtics team and on that team Danny also meets his coach, Ed Powers, a tough former college coach who takes an immediate dislike to Danny. Also on Danny's team is Rasheed Hill, a kid from Baltimore who played on the team Danny's team beat for the national championship and who still holds a grudge. Adding to his bad luck is Lamar Parrish, a tough kid who is such a star player that he is allowed to get away with anything he wants on and off the court and who also takes an immediate dislike to Danny. As the camp goes on, Danny does not get a lot of playing time. When Danny gets on the court he always finds a way to mess up and do something wrong leading to his coach suggesting he should stop playing basketball and go to soccer. Danny takes it straight to his heart. He does something his dad has never taught him to do. Quit. Danny does so by fake hurting his knee and saying he needs to get it looked it at by his father's doctor back in Middletown. However, he changes his mind when he finds out Tess came up to Coffee Lake and is staying with her uncle just across the lake. Tess convinces him not to quit and they are back together as happy friends. After hard work and dedication to the game Rasheed and Danny become really close friends. So close that when Lamar starts picking on Zach and Danny and is about to punch Danny, Rasheed steps in and beats up Lamar. Rasheed, Zach and Danny get 2 day suspension but nothing to Lamar who started it. After their suspension it leads to playoffs and in the playoffs danny realizes that he needs to have better moves and work harder to win and beat Lamar in the finals. Danny is faced with a challenge which he conquers about his size. In the last play to win the game he stops Lamar from scoring and secures the ball to win. He ends up saying to the coach he would be a good soccer player but he's a better basketball player
The positive outlook on this book: Summer ball was an excellent book. This book had lots of drama and action packed times. The plot was very good by having a kid who never wanted to be there at the beginning and then wanting to be there so much at the end and what he goes through to get the championship and be number one. The dialogue in the book was very good and used a very diverse meaning of words to explain different types of situations.
The Negatives of this book: There were really not a lot of negatives actually overall a very solid book but the only thing I could say that needed work was if at the end i wished they explained more about what happened after the championship and so forth. That also just might be me wanting to know more about the story .
December 8, 2019
I really liked it. There was lots of twists that made the book better and better as it went on.
January 21, 2016
Summer Ball
By Mike Lupica
Have you ever work you butt off for a coach that doesn’t respect you and you game. Summer Ball by Mike Lupica is a Book about basketball and playing for a coach that doesn't like you from a kid named danny's past. I read this book because I like sports books and the author Mike Lupica. I loved this book and i hope whoever reads it next will love it too.
The setting of this book is in the summer for the entire story, and it takes place in Danny’s hometown, Middletown, and at the basketball camp which is in Maine. Danny talks to his parents (Richie and Ali Walker) and asks them when he will get the growth spurt they’ve been promising him. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen like he’s wishing. Then he learns he is spending his summer at Right Way basketball camp. But on the bright side, Danny’s friends Will Stoddard and Ty Ross are going to the basketball camp too. Before the boys leave, Danny talks to his friend Tess Hewitt. He figures out that she likes someone else, so he gets rather angry, and for a while, it looks like Danny and Tess are no longer friends. Once they go to the camp, Danny, Will, and Ty also meet Tarik, a boy their age, and Zach Fox, a younger kid who plays on the eleven and twelve year old team. Danny faces a few conflicts while at camp. One of them is having the same coach as his dad, Ed Powers. Other problems Danny faces are faking a swollen knee as an excuse to leave camp early, and a kid named Lamar Parrish, who is basically the camp bully, and finally, Rasheed Hill, a kid Danny played against in Middletown. After being at camp, Danny receives emails from ConTessa44 Hewitt (also known as Tess). He asks her how Middletown is going, but she doesn’t know because she is across the lake at her uncle’s place. Danny and Tess become friends again, fortunately. Soon, Lamar starts really being mean to Danny and his friends. He ruins Zach’s basketball that he brought from home by sticking a needle into it. Danny and Zach get in a fight with Lamar and Rasheed grabs him by the neck. But the three boys get caught, and their punishment is two games in the penalty box and two days of cleaning toilets. Soon, Danny sees something really weird; Lamar is talking to Tess! Apparently, he’s “interested in photography.” After that, Tess comes to Right Way with unfortunate news: someone broke her camera! Danny suspects Lamar. The play-offs start the Wednesday of the last week of camp. Danny’s team (The Celtics) plays Ty’s team (The Cavaliers) and wins! It feels good for Danny, but he’s sad to see Ty lose. But as his last game, Danny and The Celtics play against Lamar and his team, the Lakers. At halftime, the Lakers are ahead by fourteen points. When twenty seconds are left, both teams are tied 63-63. Danny makes the final shop and wins the playoffs for The Celtics! Then, Danny gives the basketball a killer soccer kick, and decides that he will stick with basketball.
I think the ending was predictable midway through the book but it was a good book. In conclusion, I really like the book Summer Ball by Mike Lupica. I really enjoyed the plot of the book. My favorite part was when Danny had the choice to play soccer, but he stuck with basketball. I think that showed a lot of his personality. I would probably read another book by Mike Lupica because I think he does a good job of writing plot. And even though I didn’t like sports books before, I changed my mind. I would definitely recommend this book to people who like basketball and characters with strong personalities. That’s why I like the book Summer Ball.
When I was younger I thought I should quit baseball but I keep driving myself to succeed and I think that coach ed would say to danny to play soccer was a big mistake. I think if you like sports books and basketball books you would love to read this book.
By Mike Lupica
Have you ever work you butt off for a coach that doesn’t respect you and you game. Summer Ball by Mike Lupica is a Book about basketball and playing for a coach that doesn't like you from a kid named danny's past. I read this book because I like sports books and the author Mike Lupica. I loved this book and i hope whoever reads it next will love it too.
The setting of this book is in the summer for the entire story, and it takes place in Danny’s hometown, Middletown, and at the basketball camp which is in Maine. Danny talks to his parents (Richie and Ali Walker) and asks them when he will get the growth spurt they’ve been promising him. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen like he’s wishing. Then he learns he is spending his summer at Right Way basketball camp. But on the bright side, Danny’s friends Will Stoddard and Ty Ross are going to the basketball camp too. Before the boys leave, Danny talks to his friend Tess Hewitt. He figures out that she likes someone else, so he gets rather angry, and for a while, it looks like Danny and Tess are no longer friends. Once they go to the camp, Danny, Will, and Ty also meet Tarik, a boy their age, and Zach Fox, a younger kid who plays on the eleven and twelve year old team. Danny faces a few conflicts while at camp. One of them is having the same coach as his dad, Ed Powers. Other problems Danny faces are faking a swollen knee as an excuse to leave camp early, and a kid named Lamar Parrish, who is basically the camp bully, and finally, Rasheed Hill, a kid Danny played against in Middletown. After being at camp, Danny receives emails from ConTessa44 Hewitt (also known as Tess). He asks her how Middletown is going, but she doesn’t know because she is across the lake at her uncle’s place. Danny and Tess become friends again, fortunately. Soon, Lamar starts really being mean to Danny and his friends. He ruins Zach’s basketball that he brought from home by sticking a needle into it. Danny and Zach get in a fight with Lamar and Rasheed grabs him by the neck. But the three boys get caught, and their punishment is two games in the penalty box and two days of cleaning toilets. Soon, Danny sees something really weird; Lamar is talking to Tess! Apparently, he’s “interested in photography.” After that, Tess comes to Right Way with unfortunate news: someone broke her camera! Danny suspects Lamar. The play-offs start the Wednesday of the last week of camp. Danny’s team (The Celtics) plays Ty’s team (The Cavaliers) and wins! It feels good for Danny, but he’s sad to see Ty lose. But as his last game, Danny and The Celtics play against Lamar and his team, the Lakers. At halftime, the Lakers are ahead by fourteen points. When twenty seconds are left, both teams are tied 63-63. Danny makes the final shop and wins the playoffs for The Celtics! Then, Danny gives the basketball a killer soccer kick, and decides that he will stick with basketball.
I think the ending was predictable midway through the book but it was a good book. In conclusion, I really like the book Summer Ball by Mike Lupica. I really enjoyed the plot of the book. My favorite part was when Danny had the choice to play soccer, but he stuck with basketball. I think that showed a lot of his personality. I would probably read another book by Mike Lupica because I think he does a good job of writing plot. And even though I didn’t like sports books before, I changed my mind. I would definitely recommend this book to people who like basketball and characters with strong personalities. That’s why I like the book Summer Ball.
When I was younger I thought I should quit baseball but I keep driving myself to succeed and I think that coach ed would say to danny to play soccer was a big mistake. I think if you like sports books and basketball books you would love to read this book.
March 20, 2017
Summer is the favorite part of many peoples’ year, but Danny Walker’s summer didn’t go as smooth as he’d wanted it to. When you're the smallest on your team, the challenges never stop. But Danny Walker looked passed that and led his team to win the National Championship. In Summer Ball by Mike Lupica, the 2nd book in the series, Danny Walker was ready to go to Right Way summer camp in Cedarville, Maine. Right Way was one of the top 5 star camps, and Danny couldn’t wait to ball with his friends, Will and Ty. When he arrives, Danny recognizes some rivals from the championship game. When assigned teams, Danny gets stuck with Coach Ed Powers, who had a bad relationship with Danny’s dad in his college career and is now out to get him. The book falls under realistic fiction because everything that happens in the book could happen in real life. Many people go to basketball camp throughout the year, and it's possible to go through the challenges and rivalries Danny had. The book takes place in modern time as Danny uses social media to message his friend Tess back home. In the book Summer Ball, Danny learns about true friendship, how to deal with bullies, and most of all, that size doesn’t matter.
Danny had faced many challenges for many different reasons. He had problems both internally and externally. An example of an internal trait is when Danny was tempted to leave the camp. Coach Powers had been picking on Danny and ruining his Summer. Lamar, another bully at camp, hasn’t been making his stay any better. Danny’s playing time during the game has been minimized by Coach Powers, and he had been humiliated in front of the whole camp. This really made Danny want to quit to the point where he faked a knee injury. The doctors at camp believed it, and he could have left camp if he wanted to, but his passion for basketball and his true friendship held him back. Yes, Danny would like to get out of camp and be away from Lamar and Coach Powers, but he would be leaving Zach alone. Zach Fox was Danny’s roommate. Ever since the first day, Zach complained about camp and wanted to go home. Danny was the only one who accompanied him and was his only friend. He couldn’t stand leaving Zach alone. He also realized he was quitting. Danny was never a quitter, and he never will be. Although it was tempting to leave, Danny had no choice but to stay at camp.
As well as internal conflicts, Danny had countless external conflicts as well. An example of character vs. character is between Danny and Coach Powers. Back when Richie Walker (Danny’s dad) was in college, Coach Powers knew he had to get him on his team. He knew that he had the capability to take them to the Final Four. Richie had turned down their offer way early. Still wanting him, they tried again and also offered some money under the table, but Richie still declined. For this reason, Coach has been picking on Danny and ruining his stay at Right Way as soon as he found out he was Richie Walker’s boy. Everything Danny did was wrong. He said Danny would never grow up to be a basketball player. Danny knew that he had to prove to Coach Powers that he can truly ball. The hatred between the two characters continued throughout the book. No matter what Danny did, Coach Powers would not let go. This is an example of character vs. character.
I liked this book for many reasons. I enjoyed this book because it included more than one plot. I also liked it because there wasn’t too much action. Other sports books that I have read had too much of the game which eventually got repetitive and boring. I think Mike Lupica did a great job of including the right amount of action to keep you interested in the book. I would recommend this book to kids who are in 5th grade or even adults looking for a great story. Kids both boys and girls can learn to enjoy Summer Ball, if they know and love basketball.
Danny had faced many challenges for many different reasons. He had problems both internally and externally. An example of an internal trait is when Danny was tempted to leave the camp. Coach Powers had been picking on Danny and ruining his Summer. Lamar, another bully at camp, hasn’t been making his stay any better. Danny’s playing time during the game has been minimized by Coach Powers, and he had been humiliated in front of the whole camp. This really made Danny want to quit to the point where he faked a knee injury. The doctors at camp believed it, and he could have left camp if he wanted to, but his passion for basketball and his true friendship held him back. Yes, Danny would like to get out of camp and be away from Lamar and Coach Powers, but he would be leaving Zach alone. Zach Fox was Danny’s roommate. Ever since the first day, Zach complained about camp and wanted to go home. Danny was the only one who accompanied him and was his only friend. He couldn’t stand leaving Zach alone. He also realized he was quitting. Danny was never a quitter, and he never will be. Although it was tempting to leave, Danny had no choice but to stay at camp.
As well as internal conflicts, Danny had countless external conflicts as well. An example of character vs. character is between Danny and Coach Powers. Back when Richie Walker (Danny’s dad) was in college, Coach Powers knew he had to get him on his team. He knew that he had the capability to take them to the Final Four. Richie had turned down their offer way early. Still wanting him, they tried again and also offered some money under the table, but Richie still declined. For this reason, Coach has been picking on Danny and ruining his stay at Right Way as soon as he found out he was Richie Walker’s boy. Everything Danny did was wrong. He said Danny would never grow up to be a basketball player. Danny knew that he had to prove to Coach Powers that he can truly ball. The hatred between the two characters continued throughout the book. No matter what Danny did, Coach Powers would not let go. This is an example of character vs. character.
I liked this book for many reasons. I enjoyed this book because it included more than one plot. I also liked it because there wasn’t too much action. Other sports books that I have read had too much of the game which eventually got repetitive and boring. I think Mike Lupica did a great job of including the right amount of action to keep you interested in the book. I would recommend this book to kids who are in 5th grade or even adults looking for a great story. Kids both boys and girls can learn to enjoy Summer Ball, if they know and love basketball.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2018
I have always been a fan of sports books, especially by Mike Lupica. Also, summer season is court season, but until school gets out I needed something that would make me feel like I was apart of basketball. Conveniently, I found a book in my classroom library named “Summer Ball” by Mike Lupica.
The book revolves around a young 13-year old boy named Danny. Danny is a basketball star in his hometown of Middleton, Long Island. Danny is entering summer after winning the biggest game of his life, so far. He and his friends, Ty and Will, won the national championship game against one of the nations best 13-year-old, Rasheed Williams. This achievement did not give Danny more confidence but made him think that his unusually short height was no longer going to allow him to compete with other players his age because their skill levels were almost on the same level as Danny. Danny had about a week of summer vacation that he could spend with Tess, his crush before he and his friends headed for a basketball camp that lasted the duration of the summer. Unfortunately, Tess spends a lot of time with another guy, a tennis player like herself, which makes Danny jealous and hurts their friendship. Danny heads off to camp worried that their friendship was over, but also nervous that he was going to be the smallest player at the camp. Danny had a rough start at camp because he couldn’t stay in the same cabin at his friends, he got the worst coach at the camp, and Rasheed Williams who held a grudge against Danny was his teammate. A few minutes into the first team practice, Danny’s coach made it evident that Danny would sit on the bench while Rasheed played the whole game. After several days of trying to figure something out, Danny fakes an injury and goes to his coach to talk about what to do next. The result of their meeting was the opposite of what Danny had expected, and makes Danny consider something he never has in his whole life. Only then, the most unexpected person comes to Danny’s help and helps him push through the tough circumstances.
What I loved about the story was how Danny had reacted to the situations that were presented to him. They weren’t good situations for sure, but Danny had persevered through it all and kept pushing. This was what kept me interested in the story because just as Danny had solved one problem and felt that he was in a good spot, he encountered another problem and just continued to solve it. This motivated me, as a reader, to connect Danny’s personality and mindset into my life, so that I can push through my problems without being taken down.
What could have been improved in the story was the pace of the story. The beginning of the story took forever to get going and didn’t engage me as the reader. Also, the fact that the book only did a “drive-by” of the national championship game in the beginning of made me mad. This was the biggest game that Danny had ever played, but the author not once talked about how they had won and what the journey was that led up to it. Besides for that, the book was relatively interesting but would have been much more if the pace was faster.
The book revolves around a young 13-year old boy named Danny. Danny is a basketball star in his hometown of Middleton, Long Island. Danny is entering summer after winning the biggest game of his life, so far. He and his friends, Ty and Will, won the national championship game against one of the nations best 13-year-old, Rasheed Williams. This achievement did not give Danny more confidence but made him think that his unusually short height was no longer going to allow him to compete with other players his age because their skill levels were almost on the same level as Danny. Danny had about a week of summer vacation that he could spend with Tess, his crush before he and his friends headed for a basketball camp that lasted the duration of the summer. Unfortunately, Tess spends a lot of time with another guy, a tennis player like herself, which makes Danny jealous and hurts their friendship. Danny heads off to camp worried that their friendship was over, but also nervous that he was going to be the smallest player at the camp. Danny had a rough start at camp because he couldn’t stay in the same cabin at his friends, he got the worst coach at the camp, and Rasheed Williams who held a grudge against Danny was his teammate. A few minutes into the first team practice, Danny’s coach made it evident that Danny would sit on the bench while Rasheed played the whole game. After several days of trying to figure something out, Danny fakes an injury and goes to his coach to talk about what to do next. The result of their meeting was the opposite of what Danny had expected, and makes Danny consider something he never has in his whole life. Only then, the most unexpected person comes to Danny’s help and helps him push through the tough circumstances.
What I loved about the story was how Danny had reacted to the situations that were presented to him. They weren’t good situations for sure, but Danny had persevered through it all and kept pushing. This was what kept me interested in the story because just as Danny had solved one problem and felt that he was in a good spot, he encountered another problem and just continued to solve it. This motivated me, as a reader, to connect Danny’s personality and mindset into my life, so that I can push through my problems without being taken down.
What could have been improved in the story was the pace of the story. The beginning of the story took forever to get going and didn’t engage me as the reader. Also, the fact that the book only did a “drive-by” of the national championship game in the beginning of made me mad. This was the biggest game that Danny had ever played, but the author not once talked about how they had won and what the journey was that led up to it. Besides for that, the book was relatively interesting but would have been much more if the pace was faster.
May 6, 2018
Summer Ball by Mike Lupica is about a boy named Danny Walker, this book is the sequel to Travel Team where Danny’s team wins the championship in basketball. Danny is worried about his height as a basketball player, he is very short for his age and worries that he is not good enough because of his height. Although Danny is focused on becoming a good player and has his sights set on Right Way which is and elite basketball camp in Maine that players from all around the country come to compete at. Danny is very excited to go to the camp but once again starts to worry about his height and how well he will match up against the nations best players. Right before Danny is about to leave to go to the camp he has a fight with his friend Tess and worries that their friendship may be over. When Danny gets to the camp it’s tough for him at first because he is placed in the wrong bunkhouse. He is placed with the younger kids at the camp rather than with the kids that are his age. Although Danny is rather upset about this he decides to stay with the younger kids and meets another kid who is rather short for age named Zach Fox. Since Danny is small and knows what it is like to be small he decides to help Zach and make sure that he is not bullied because of his height. Danny’s camp experience starts to get even tougher when he meets an old college coach named Ed Powers who is a very strict coach and it seems as though he dislikes Danny. Then Danny finds out that a boy from a team they beat in the championship game is on his team for the camp and the boy is still holding a grudge, so he starts to bully Danny. He sees no point in staying at camp with the experience he has had so far until he talks to his friend Tess who tells him to stick up for himself. To wrap up the story Danny works out the problems with the boy who was bullying him and they end up winning the championship game at the camp. Overall I felt that this was a well written book and that it compares well to other books written by Mike Lupica. As with many of his books the major theme throughout the story was perseverance, this is because Danny had to persevere through many things such as being bullied and his friendship with Tess. In the end he was able to work both problems out. Although this story is very good it has a lot of problems for Danny and most of the story is focusing on Danny while he is in a bad mood, so I think it would be better if there weren’t so many problems in the story. This book mainly appealed in an emotional way because of all the emotions that Danny experiences. Overall thought this was a very good book.
March 24, 2015
This book was very good. The book's main character is a boy named Danny. Danny loves to play basketball even though he is a lot shorter than everyone he plays against. During the summer he is scheduled to go to a basketball camp with his friends. He has a friend named Tess who he secretly likes. One day Tess and Danny get in a fight and Tess ends up storming away from Danny crying. Danny feels really bad and he leaves Middleton in a very bad funk. When he arrives at camp he learns that his bad luck will continue. Danny gets stuck in the bunk house for younger kids. He meets a boy named Zach who is crying. Zach didn't want to come to camp and is upset that he is there. Danny comforts him and tells him it will be okay. They soon become friends and they make a pact. The pact is they will make it so that camp will be fun for both of them. When all the campers are split into different teams for the camp tournament Danny learns that he will be on a different team than his friends. His coach used to be the coach at Providence College. When Danny's dad was being recruited to play college basketball Providence really wanted him. He was unable to get Danny's dad so he takes it out on Danny. Danny is once again very sad and tries to fake an injury to get out of camp. After he talks to Tess and makes things better with her he decides to stick in there. Danny soon gets his confidence back. This helps him play really good in the tournament. In the championship Danny is visited by his dad. This helps him calm down. Danny ends up making the winning free throws. His team celebrates and Danny realizes that camp wasn't that bad after all.
Danny's character is very persistent throughout the book. He is a very determined and hardworking boy who has a passion for basketball that is unending. He does have a couple of rough patches where he falls into a sad state. With the help of his friends he is able to overcome this and be back to his normal and happy self. His undying love for basketball is the one thing that keeps him at camp which is very fortunate for him and his friends.
This book is more geared to the male audience. I also think that it is a good book for anyone in middle school to early high school. I don't think it is for girls because it doesn't have that many female characters. It is also more geared towards sports which might make girls not as interested in reading this book.
Danny's character is very persistent throughout the book. He is a very determined and hardworking boy who has a passion for basketball that is unending. He does have a couple of rough patches where he falls into a sad state. With the help of his friends he is able to overcome this and be back to his normal and happy self. His undying love for basketball is the one thing that keeps him at camp which is very fortunate for him and his friends.
This book is more geared to the male audience. I also think that it is a good book for anyone in middle school to early high school. I don't think it is for girls because it doesn't have that many female characters. It is also more geared towards sports which might make girls not as interested in reading this book.
November 2, 2015
Personal Response
I liked the book Summer Ball, because I like sports books. I also like the author, Mike Lupica, and realistic fiction books. This book was taking me longer to read, because I am a slow reader. I also liked the part when the main character was starting to become friends with a kid that use to be mean to him. I disliked the part when the main character faked an injury, and lied to everyone. I can’t relate to the main character, because I do not play basketball, and don’t fake injuries. I liked the book, but I could not relate to it too much.
Plot
Danny, the main character, lives in Middletown, a small town in New York. He has many friends and is worried that he won't make the team because he is so small. His dad played in college and could have went to the NBA, but he had a knee injury that ended his career before it started. Then Danny went to a basketball camp, and he hated it, so he faked the knee injury when he got hit by Rasheed. Rasheed is a kid that Danny played in school and Danny beat him, so they don’t get along well,a bit later in the story they became friends, because they were on the same team and the coach was Ed Powers. Danny’s dad did not get along with him because they were on the same team in college and Danny’s dad made the game winning shot and made Ed Powers jealous. Later in the season Danny faced many problems, but still won the championship game against one of the kids he had problems with.
Recommendations
I would recommend this book to any kid that likes sports, and likes a lot of suspense in books. Guys at any age from 10 and up would like this book. I rate this book four of five stars, because it is a good book. This book is all about facing your problems with proving them wrong. Whoever reads this book will have a lot of suspense, and twist in the book you would not see coming.
October 19, 2018
Personal Response
I liked the book Summer Ball by Mike Lupica. The characters were very easy to understand. The plot was kind of hard to understand at times. The story got better as I kept reading through page by page.
Plot Summary
Danny's dad, Richie Walker was a professional NBA player. Danny always had a love for basketball. Danny signed up for the Right Way Basketball Camp with his friends. Right away, Danny got put into a different bunkhouse than all his friends. He was stuck with the little twelve year olds. He makes a friend named Zac. Danny tries to get moved into the bunkhouse where his friends are, but there are no beds so Danny has to stay with the twelve year olds. He gets put on a team with some of his friends and his arch nemesis, Rasheed. After a while Danny and Rasheed become friends. They play well together on the court and do not have any more fights until Lamar Parrish comes around. Lamar always looked for trouble. He bullied kids and did mean, nasty things. Danny and Lamar get into a fist fight one day and Rasheed has to step in and hold Lamar down. Danny and Rasheed got suspended for two games and Lamar got nothing. When Danny comes back he is all ready to go. Danny's team makes it to the championship game at the basketball camp in there age group. Danny has to guard Lamar. Lamar trash talks Danny all game. Danny's coach, Coach Powers, yells at Danny for not playing good enough. Now Danny is really ready to go and shows it in his playing. At the end of the game it is tied and Lamar is taking the last shot. Danny gets a clutch block and knocks down the free throws to win the championship game.
Recommendations
I would recommend this book to ages 12-16. It has a good and easy to follow story line. The author makes the book easy to understand. I would also recommend this book to someone who likes basketball.
I liked the book Summer Ball by Mike Lupica. The characters were very easy to understand. The plot was kind of hard to understand at times. The story got better as I kept reading through page by page.
Plot Summary
Danny's dad, Richie Walker was a professional NBA player. Danny always had a love for basketball. Danny signed up for the Right Way Basketball Camp with his friends. Right away, Danny got put into a different bunkhouse than all his friends. He was stuck with the little twelve year olds. He makes a friend named Zac. Danny tries to get moved into the bunkhouse where his friends are, but there are no beds so Danny has to stay with the twelve year olds. He gets put on a team with some of his friends and his arch nemesis, Rasheed. After a while Danny and Rasheed become friends. They play well together on the court and do not have any more fights until Lamar Parrish comes around. Lamar always looked for trouble. He bullied kids and did mean, nasty things. Danny and Lamar get into a fist fight one day and Rasheed has to step in and hold Lamar down. Danny and Rasheed got suspended for two games and Lamar got nothing. When Danny comes back he is all ready to go. Danny's team makes it to the championship game at the basketball camp in there age group. Danny has to guard Lamar. Lamar trash talks Danny all game. Danny's coach, Coach Powers, yells at Danny for not playing good enough. Now Danny is really ready to go and shows it in his playing. At the end of the game it is tied and Lamar is taking the last shot. Danny gets a clutch block and knocks down the free throws to win the championship game.
Recommendations
I would recommend this book to ages 12-16. It has a good and easy to follow story line. The author makes the book easy to understand. I would also recommend this book to someone who likes basketball.
December 12, 2024
Basketball is my favorite sport. Basketball has always been my favorite sport since I can remember. Basketball will always be my favorite sport. I love playing and watching everything about basketball, but my favorite basketball team of all is the Boston Celtics, without a doubt. The Celtics are everything to me. I watched all their games and even went to the parade over the summer when they won last year. I had read this book before in I believe middle school, as I have always liked reading Mike Lupica books. However, I didn't remember what this book was about because many of his books blend together, and I hadn’t really picked up a book and read in a while before the start of this school year. But obviously, the cover is really catchy and aesthetically pleasing, at least in my opinion. So just based on looks alone, I wanted to re-read this book. And aside from the cover, anything involving basketball is something I will most likely love. If not love, then never hate. So this book was an easy choice for me.
Danny lives in Middletown, Long Island with his parents, Richie and Ali Walker, who have recently got back together after a long separation. Danny, like his father before him, is a star basketball player whose 7th grade travel team won the national championship in their age group, largely behind the skills of Danny and his friends Will and Ty. But Danny has a serious concern. He is very short for his age and since his father is also only 5'10" tall, he is unlikely to grow to be as tall as he'd like to be to become a better basketball player and play at the next level. When Danny was younger his height wasn't that big of a problem but as Danny is entering his freshman year of high school a lot of the boys around him are growing and the size difference is becoming a problem. Even Tess Hewitt, who he has a not-so-secret crush and one of his best friends, but their relationship has cooled since she began hanging out with a new boy who shares her interest in tennis. Is taller than him.
As the summer going into his freshman year starts, Danny's big problem is his upcoming trip to Right Way, an elite basketball camp in Maine that is run by Josh Cameron, an NBA player and friend of Danny's dad Riche Walker who also played in the NBA. He should be excited about the camp, but he is afraid he'll learn that he is simply too short to play against the top players he'll find there. Making matters worse, just before he, Will and Ty leave for camp, he hurts Tess' feelings and fears that their friendship might be over.
At the airport, Danny and his friends meet and become friends with Tarik Meminger, and upon their arrival they meet Nick Pinto, one of the camp counselors who plays basketball in college. Things go wrong for Danny immediately when he learns that there's been a mix-up in his housing situation that his dad had specifically arranged with John Cameron for him and his friends to be together. He ends up having to stay in a bunkhouse for 11 and 12 year olds rather than with his own 13 and 14 year olds friends. However, he passes up a chance to move to the one with his friends after meeting Zach Fox who takes his trusty basketball everywhere he goes. Zach is short like Danny and miserable at camp, so Danny feels an obligation to look after him. Dannys sees himself in Zach when he watches Zach play basketball.
Danny also meets his coach, Ed Powers, a tough former college coach who takes an immediate dislike to Danny because when Danny's dad was picking a college he denied going to coach Ed's college basketball program to go to Syracuse instead. Also on Danny's team is Rasheed Hill, a black kid from Baltimore who played on the team Danny's team beat for the national championship and who still holds a grudge after a controversial play where Danny took a charge and Rasheed thinks Danny flopped still to this day. Adding to his bad luck is Lamar Parrish, a tough black kid who is such a star player that he is allowed to get away with anything he wants on and off the court and who also takes an immediate dislike to Danny.
As camp progresses, Danny finds himself sitting on the bench in favor of Rasheed, and when he does get into the game, he seems to find a way to make a mistake every time. When Coach Powers suggests that he switch from basketball to soccer because of his height, Danny decides to do something he's never done before. Quit. He comes up with a plan to fake an injury that will get him sent home, but changes his mind when he learns that Tess is just across the lake from camp, visiting her uncle. He goes over to see Tess and fixes their relationship and Tess “sticks some sense into him” as Danny's best friend Will would say.
Eventually Danny and Rasheed put their rivalry behind them and become close friends and stick up for each other both on and off the court. Their new friendship and ability to work together enable them to turn their team around in time to face down Lamar and his team in the camp's championship game. Lamar's team the Lakers lead the entire games until the very end when Danny makes the biggest play of the entire camp in front of all the parents with seconds left on the clock Lamar shot a 3 missed it got the rebound and then it was just Lamar and Danny all alone on the court and Lamar tries to pull up from a game winner jumper but as he does Danny sticks his right hand out and hits the ball away winning the game from his team. After Danny celebrates with his new friends Rasheed and Tarik and his friends from back home Will, Ty and Tess and his parents he walks by his coach Ed Powers who he had a deep hatred for the entire camp and says “I could play soccer if I wanted, but Im a basketball player.” Danny gets the last laugh at Lamar and Ed Powers, the two biggest enemies to Danny throughout the book.
What I enjoyed about this book was Mike Lupica’s story telling. I couldn't put this book down after I really got to the meat of it. If I was in the middle of a chapter and had to stop to go to practice the second I got home I would open up the book and finish the chapter to find out what happens next. Another thing that I liked about the book was how Mike Lupica showed Danny and Tess texting on their computers to each other. I thought it was creative how he did it and worked well.
There weren't really any parts that I didn't not like so 2 more things that I did enjoy were the descriptive details about certain locations in the book. There was something about the way Mike Lupica described the places in the book that I can literally imagine. For example places like “The house” the big indoor arena that a lot of Danny's games were played at I can imagine the side looking at Coffee Lake being completely open and able to walk right out to it. Also all the people in the stands cheering for the teams. Finally Mike Lupica's character development was very good. I can picture Rasheed with his braids and tattoos and Will and Tarik never stopping talking and Zach looking just like Danny and small.
I would recommend this book to middle schoolers and high schoolers who love the game of basketball. Or anyone that enjoys reading about basketball.
Danny lives in Middletown, Long Island with his parents, Richie and Ali Walker, who have recently got back together after a long separation. Danny, like his father before him, is a star basketball player whose 7th grade travel team won the national championship in their age group, largely behind the skills of Danny and his friends Will and Ty. But Danny has a serious concern. He is very short for his age and since his father is also only 5'10" tall, he is unlikely to grow to be as tall as he'd like to be to become a better basketball player and play at the next level. When Danny was younger his height wasn't that big of a problem but as Danny is entering his freshman year of high school a lot of the boys around him are growing and the size difference is becoming a problem. Even Tess Hewitt, who he has a not-so-secret crush and one of his best friends, but their relationship has cooled since she began hanging out with a new boy who shares her interest in tennis. Is taller than him.
As the summer going into his freshman year starts, Danny's big problem is his upcoming trip to Right Way, an elite basketball camp in Maine that is run by Josh Cameron, an NBA player and friend of Danny's dad Riche Walker who also played in the NBA. He should be excited about the camp, but he is afraid he'll learn that he is simply too short to play against the top players he'll find there. Making matters worse, just before he, Will and Ty leave for camp, he hurts Tess' feelings and fears that their friendship might be over.
At the airport, Danny and his friends meet and become friends with Tarik Meminger, and upon their arrival they meet Nick Pinto, one of the camp counselors who plays basketball in college. Things go wrong for Danny immediately when he learns that there's been a mix-up in his housing situation that his dad had specifically arranged with John Cameron for him and his friends to be together. He ends up having to stay in a bunkhouse for 11 and 12 year olds rather than with his own 13 and 14 year olds friends. However, he passes up a chance to move to the one with his friends after meeting Zach Fox who takes his trusty basketball everywhere he goes. Zach is short like Danny and miserable at camp, so Danny feels an obligation to look after him. Dannys sees himself in Zach when he watches Zach play basketball.
Danny also meets his coach, Ed Powers, a tough former college coach who takes an immediate dislike to Danny because when Danny's dad was picking a college he denied going to coach Ed's college basketball program to go to Syracuse instead. Also on Danny's team is Rasheed Hill, a black kid from Baltimore who played on the team Danny's team beat for the national championship and who still holds a grudge after a controversial play where Danny took a charge and Rasheed thinks Danny flopped still to this day. Adding to his bad luck is Lamar Parrish, a tough black kid who is such a star player that he is allowed to get away with anything he wants on and off the court and who also takes an immediate dislike to Danny.
As camp progresses, Danny finds himself sitting on the bench in favor of Rasheed, and when he does get into the game, he seems to find a way to make a mistake every time. When Coach Powers suggests that he switch from basketball to soccer because of his height, Danny decides to do something he's never done before. Quit. He comes up with a plan to fake an injury that will get him sent home, but changes his mind when he learns that Tess is just across the lake from camp, visiting her uncle. He goes over to see Tess and fixes their relationship and Tess “sticks some sense into him” as Danny's best friend Will would say.
Eventually Danny and Rasheed put their rivalry behind them and become close friends and stick up for each other both on and off the court. Their new friendship and ability to work together enable them to turn their team around in time to face down Lamar and his team in the camp's championship game. Lamar's team the Lakers lead the entire games until the very end when Danny makes the biggest play of the entire camp in front of all the parents with seconds left on the clock Lamar shot a 3 missed it got the rebound and then it was just Lamar and Danny all alone on the court and Lamar tries to pull up from a game winner jumper but as he does Danny sticks his right hand out and hits the ball away winning the game from his team. After Danny celebrates with his new friends Rasheed and Tarik and his friends from back home Will, Ty and Tess and his parents he walks by his coach Ed Powers who he had a deep hatred for the entire camp and says “I could play soccer if I wanted, but Im a basketball player.” Danny gets the last laugh at Lamar and Ed Powers, the two biggest enemies to Danny throughout the book.
What I enjoyed about this book was Mike Lupica’s story telling. I couldn't put this book down after I really got to the meat of it. If I was in the middle of a chapter and had to stop to go to practice the second I got home I would open up the book and finish the chapter to find out what happens next. Another thing that I liked about the book was how Mike Lupica showed Danny and Tess texting on their computers to each other. I thought it was creative how he did it and worked well.
There weren't really any parts that I didn't not like so 2 more things that I did enjoy were the descriptive details about certain locations in the book. There was something about the way Mike Lupica described the places in the book that I can literally imagine. For example places like “The house” the big indoor arena that a lot of Danny's games were played at I can imagine the side looking at Coffee Lake being completely open and able to walk right out to it. Also all the people in the stands cheering for the teams. Finally Mike Lupica's character development was very good. I can picture Rasheed with his braids and tattoos and Will and Tarik never stopping talking and Zach looking just like Danny and small.
I would recommend this book to middle schoolers and high schoolers who love the game of basketball. Or anyone that enjoys reading about basketball.
May 8, 2018
Personal Review
I really enjoyed reading the book Summer Ball by Mike Lupica. The reason I started reading the book is because it's a sequel to a book I also really liked. The dynamic between Danny and Coach Powers was really interesting throughout the book. Coach Powers was very hard on Danny right away, and I had assumed he would like Danny by the end of the book, which never really happened. Danny's dad came to the championship game in Danny's league and defended his son against Coach Powers, which I thought was cool.
Plot Summary
The book starts with Danny getting into a fight with his best friend Tess, right before he goes away to summer camp with his friends. He hates the camp at first, because there was a problem with the bunking and he can't be by his friends. He is on a team with Coach Powers. The team struggles at first, but eventually picks it up when Danny and Rasheed start playing well together. At the championship game, Danny's parents are both there to watch as his team wins.
Characterization
Danny changed a lot throughout the book. He started off not wanting to go to summer camp because he thought he was going to be the worst player there. He is not happy right away because he gets separated from his friends. Later in the book, he tries to fake an injury because the coach is being mean to him so he can go home. He talks to his dad and his dad tells him to stick the camp out. He then starts playing good, and wants to stay at the camp. He learns to face his problems instead of running away.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to a lot of people. First, I would recommend this to any basketball fans, because it talks a lot about basketball. I would also recommend it to any sports fan because I feel like they would like this book.
I really enjoyed reading the book Summer Ball by Mike Lupica. The reason I started reading the book is because it's a sequel to a book I also really liked. The dynamic between Danny and Coach Powers was really interesting throughout the book. Coach Powers was very hard on Danny right away, and I had assumed he would like Danny by the end of the book, which never really happened. Danny's dad came to the championship game in Danny's league and defended his son against Coach Powers, which I thought was cool.
Plot Summary
The book starts with Danny getting into a fight with his best friend Tess, right before he goes away to summer camp with his friends. He hates the camp at first, because there was a problem with the bunking and he can't be by his friends. He is on a team with Coach Powers. The team struggles at first, but eventually picks it up when Danny and Rasheed start playing well together. At the championship game, Danny's parents are both there to watch as his team wins.
Characterization
Danny changed a lot throughout the book. He started off not wanting to go to summer camp because he thought he was going to be the worst player there. He is not happy right away because he gets separated from his friends. Later in the book, he tries to fake an injury because the coach is being mean to him so he can go home. He talks to his dad and his dad tells him to stick the camp out. He then starts playing good, and wants to stay at the camp. He learns to face his problems instead of running away.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to a lot of people. First, I would recommend this to any basketball fans, because it talks a lot about basketball. I would also recommend it to any sports fan because I feel like they would like this book.
October 3, 2014
Do not have access to the book
Danny Walker and his friends go to a summer camp to play basketball for the summer. Danny is nervous from the start because even though their travel team ended up winning the championship there are always people who want to knock you down. When he arrives at the camp he learns that his name was left off the bunk list and he has to room with the younger kids. He takes this news surprisingly well considering the fact that he has issues with people thinking he is younger than he is due to his height. The rival from the championship game, Rasheed, is at camp and they are placed on the same team. Early on in the camp Danny learns that Rasheed and their team coach believe Danny has no place on a basketball court.
Danny Walker has many obstacles in this book considering his success in the previous one. The degree to which his coach dislikes him is amazing considering his ill treatment of Danny begins almost immediately. As Danny struggles with confidence, bullies, and even a homesick younger roommate he considers some drastic measures for escaping but ends up fighting his battles whether her wants to or not. The sports action is as good as ever in this book and fans of sports fiction will enjoy it. The fact that not everyone comes around to Danny’s way of thinking is a good reminder to readers that you will never get along with everyone and you just have to make the best of it. A good sports read. It connects to me that I like basketball. I recommend this book to basketball lovers. The theme of this book is never give up.
Danny Walker and his friends go to a summer camp to play basketball for the summer. Danny is nervous from the start because even though their travel team ended up winning the championship there are always people who want to knock you down. When he arrives at the camp he learns that his name was left off the bunk list and he has to room with the younger kids. He takes this news surprisingly well considering the fact that he has issues with people thinking he is younger than he is due to his height. The rival from the championship game, Rasheed, is at camp and they are placed on the same team. Early on in the camp Danny learns that Rasheed and their team coach believe Danny has no place on a basketball court.
Danny Walker has many obstacles in this book considering his success in the previous one. The degree to which his coach dislikes him is amazing considering his ill treatment of Danny begins almost immediately. As Danny struggles with confidence, bullies, and even a homesick younger roommate he considers some drastic measures for escaping but ends up fighting his battles whether her wants to or not. The sports action is as good as ever in this book and fans of sports fiction will enjoy it. The fact that not everyone comes around to Danny’s way of thinking is a good reminder to readers that you will never get along with everyone and you just have to make the best of it. A good sports read. It connects to me that I like basketball. I recommend this book to basketball lovers. The theme of this book is never give up.
March 21, 2017
If you are a basketball fan, and want a story to keep you reading then this is a great book for you. Summer Ball by Mike Lupica is my favorite book that I have read. It is about a kid who plays on a basketball team with his friends but the coach doesn't like him very well. Also, him and his girlfriend broke and she moved away so he is bummed out on how he messed up his chances with her. He thinks he will never see the court, or her again. All that changed when he...
I like everything about this book and the dialogue that went in it. I picked this book because I am a basketball fanatic and I made a great choice on choosing this book in particular. My favorite part of the book was when he hit the game winning shot but still got yelled at by his couch in front of everyone because he ran the wrong play. This kinda related to me because I like to do things my way because I believe I know what to do and the right thing to do in a situation especially a basketball situation. I cannot find a thing i dislike about this book. It has a great body chapters and the story keeps you wanting to be engaged.
So overall i would rate this book a 10/10. The dialogue and story that goes with this book makes me want to read it again and I wouldn't mind reading it again. If you are looking for an addicting book that makes you keep reading then this is the one. Also, if you are a sports lover like me this book would be perfect for you because it doesn't include only basketball but real life teenage situations that happen to almost everyone.
I like everything about this book and the dialogue that went in it. I picked this book because I am a basketball fanatic and I made a great choice on choosing this book in particular. My favorite part of the book was when he hit the game winning shot but still got yelled at by his couch in front of everyone because he ran the wrong play. This kinda related to me because I like to do things my way because I believe I know what to do and the right thing to do in a situation especially a basketball situation. I cannot find a thing i dislike about this book. It has a great body chapters and the story keeps you wanting to be engaged.
So overall i would rate this book a 10/10. The dialogue and story that goes with this book makes me want to read it again and I wouldn't mind reading it again. If you are looking for an addicting book that makes you keep reading then this is the one. Also, if you are a sports lover like me this book would be perfect for you because it doesn't include only basketball but real life teenage situations that happen to almost everyone.
December 11, 2017
Book Review
By: Cross Hackathorne
During the reading time I read a novel called Summer Ball By Mike Lupica. It is about a boy named Danny Walker and how he goes to a very good basketball camp over the summer and is trying to see if his small size will affect the way he plays against bigger and stronger opponents.
Danny is a very good basketball player that is on a travel team and their team won a national championship. One of the only problems with Danny is he is very short for how old he is. So in the summer of his 8th grade year he goes to a really good basketball camp in Maine. When they got there Danny meets the coach Ed Powers and Ed immediately does not like Danny. During the camp there are teams picked and on Danny’s team there is a kid named Rasheed Hill. Rasheed Hill is a kid that was on the team Danny's team beat for the national championship, so there was some dislike between them two. Also during camp Danny does not get to play a lot but when he gets in he finds a way to mess it up and finally coach Powers told danny he should think about switching sports to soccer.
I would rate this book a 3 because it was a easy read but it was interesting, also if you like basketball and drama you will like this book.The thing that this book lacks is that it is too long and it extents things. All in all the novel Summer Ball by Mike Lupica would be a great read if you like sports.
By: Cross Hackathorne
During the reading time I read a novel called Summer Ball By Mike Lupica. It is about a boy named Danny Walker and how he goes to a very good basketball camp over the summer and is trying to see if his small size will affect the way he plays against bigger and stronger opponents.
Danny is a very good basketball player that is on a travel team and their team won a national championship. One of the only problems with Danny is he is very short for how old he is. So in the summer of his 8th grade year he goes to a really good basketball camp in Maine. When they got there Danny meets the coach Ed Powers and Ed immediately does not like Danny. During the camp there are teams picked and on Danny’s team there is a kid named Rasheed Hill. Rasheed Hill is a kid that was on the team Danny's team beat for the national championship, so there was some dislike between them two. Also during camp Danny does not get to play a lot but when he gets in he finds a way to mess it up and finally coach Powers told danny he should think about switching sports to soccer.
I would rate this book a 3 because it was a easy read but it was interesting, also if you like basketball and drama you will like this book.The thing that this book lacks is that it is too long and it extents things. All in all the novel Summer Ball by Mike Lupica would be a great read if you like sports.
November 4, 2018
Tyler Torkelson
Mr. Bryan
Junior English
2 November 2018
Summer Ball Review
“Summer Ball” by Mike Lupica is about a boy named Danny who is the son of a former NBA player. Danny goes to a basketball camp in the summer and has a coach that is one of Danny's dads old basketball coaches but this coach did not exactly like Danny's dad so much so this made the camp not very enjoyable for Danny and made it very hard on him whenever they would work on basketball. Not only was the coach hard on him but what made it even harder was that a kid that Danny played in the national championship was at the camp and he hated Danny and this just made it that much harder to push to be better and have all of these people that are making the camp harder. Danny is my favorite character because I can somewhat relate to him in the way that I have gone to basketball camps and have had to work really hard. This story was good at keeping me guessing if the camp was going to get better or worse and if he was going to play good or not. Also this was overall a good book there was only one thing I did not like and that was how the camp was so hard on the kid because the coach did not like his dad but it made the story have a little more of a tense feeling. If you like sports like basketball this is a good book for you to read, I would rate this book a eight out of ten because it was really good and easy to relate to if you like basketball or any sport like it.
Mr. Bryan
Junior English
2 November 2018
Summer Ball Review
“Summer Ball” by Mike Lupica is about a boy named Danny who is the son of a former NBA player. Danny goes to a basketball camp in the summer and has a coach that is one of Danny's dads old basketball coaches but this coach did not exactly like Danny's dad so much so this made the camp not very enjoyable for Danny and made it very hard on him whenever they would work on basketball. Not only was the coach hard on him but what made it even harder was that a kid that Danny played in the national championship was at the camp and he hated Danny and this just made it that much harder to push to be better and have all of these people that are making the camp harder. Danny is my favorite character because I can somewhat relate to him in the way that I have gone to basketball camps and have had to work really hard. This story was good at keeping me guessing if the camp was going to get better or worse and if he was going to play good or not. Also this was overall a good book there was only one thing I did not like and that was how the camp was so hard on the kid because the coach did not like his dad but it made the story have a little more of a tense feeling. If you like sports like basketball this is a good book for you to read, I would rate this book a eight out of ten because it was really good and easy to relate to if you like basketball or any sport like it.
May 25, 2009
Danny Walker is a basketball superstar for his age but he has one big problem. He’s not tall and in fact, short compared to his tough competition. After he lead his team to the championship the previous year as the guard, he is off to an elite basketball camp in Maine this summer. He is worried that the competition will be tough at camp where everyone is bigger and stronger than him. The main conflict in this story is Danny’s self confidence and whether he believes he can rise above the rest. He needs to put his love for the game of basketball first and rise the challenge. Mike Lupica does a nice job of narrating the action on the court and makes the reader hungry for more. Lupica also does a great job of making this story easy to relate to. The characters; Danny, Will, Ty, and others, add spark to the plot. This is also a very relatable book for anybody who plays basketball and is not as tall as everyone else…cough, cough, me. This is the best Mike Lupica book I have ever read because of how I could relate to the characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves basketball and knows what it feels like going up against tough competition because that is exactly what Danny goes through. This was my favorite book out of all of the Lupica books.
Connor Watts
Connor Watts
Read
June 3, 2017The book "Summer Ball" by Mike Lupica is about a boy Danny who is the star of his basketball team. Danny goes to a summer basketball camp but finds out he is the smallest one there. Danny needs to find a solution to his problem. He keeps getting beat by taller players on the court, and he has a coach at camp who hates him and vice versa. The main idea of this book is if you put your heart into something, you can do anything.
Danny also has problems with other players at camp. A boy named Lamar has it out for Danny, but Lamar is way taller than Danny. At one point Danny fakes an injury because of Lamar to try and get out of camp. Instead of giving up, he finds encouragement from a friend. Danny practices harder everyday. He focuses a lot on his moves so he can get around those larger players. Danny ends up working as hard as he can, and he brought his camp team to the championships.
In conclusion, everyone should work has hard as they can to get what they want, even if there are obstacles that stand in the way. If you are a basketball fan you will understand and like this book better than others. If you want a book that will inspire you to try your hardest this is a great book. This book is all about going through hardships and finding your way no matter what. You should definitely read this book.
Danny also has problems with other players at camp. A boy named Lamar has it out for Danny, but Lamar is way taller than Danny. At one point Danny fakes an injury because of Lamar to try and get out of camp. Instead of giving up, he finds encouragement from a friend. Danny practices harder everyday. He focuses a lot on his moves so he can get around those larger players. Danny ends up working as hard as he can, and he brought his camp team to the championships.
In conclusion, everyone should work has hard as they can to get what they want, even if there are obstacles that stand in the way. If you are a basketball fan you will understand and like this book better than others. If you want a book that will inspire you to try your hardest this is a great book. This book is all about going through hardships and finding your way no matter what. You should definitely read this book.
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