Kickoff!

by Tiki Barber, Paul Mantell, Ronde Barber

"Hut! Hut! Go long, Tiki!"

Tiki and Ronde's twelfth summer is winding down -- the nights are getting shorter and the evenings cooler. That means two things: The first day of junior high is just a few days away, and it's almost the start of football season at last. With two championships and an 8-2 season last year, Tiki and Ronde are ready to graduate from the Peewee League and hit the field as starting players for the Hidden Valley Eagles.

But junior high is a lot bigger than elementary school. The competition for starting spots is stiff, and seniority rules. If Tiki and Ronde make it past tryouts and cuts, will they get the chance to play, or will they have to spend the season watching from the bench with the other seventh graders?

Inspired by the childhood of NFL superstars Tiki and Ronde Barber, Kickoff! is a story of teamwork, perseverance, and what it takes to be a champion.

Genres: Sports, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Football, Childrens, Middle Grade, Young Adult

160 pages, Hardcover

First published October 23, 2007

About the author

Tiki Barber is a record-holding retired running back for the New York Giants. Mr. Barber is currently a correspondent for NBC's Today show and an analyst for NBC's Football Night in America.

Reviews

[Zach Strawser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kickoff by Tiki barber is about Tiki and his brother Rondes first few months of middle school. They both are extremely talented football players, they both are planning on becoming starters there first year in middle school. They are really stressed because there mom is not letting them have any classes together, they are twins and have always done everything together so this makes them worried because when they are together they perform better both in football and in the classroom. They both have problems their first couple of days because they are worried about there football tryouts,they both do really well at tryouts and are anxious to find out if they are starters. When they get to school the next day they go to the athletic office to find out who is a starter, when they find there names it says 3rd team by it. They are both devastated because they thought they had done really well, one if there friends also makes 3rd team and freaks out and quits the team to join the track team. They both eventually get there chance to play in the biggest game of the season because they guys above them got hurt. Tiki has multiple clutch runs at big times and Ronde returns a 100 yd punt for a touchdown. On the bus ride back to school after the game there coach congratulates them for there good games but he also tells them that they wont be starters next year because he has to go to his upperclassman who have been loyal to him for three years. They are upset but understand that the coach is right. tis is a very good book I would recommend this to anyone who likes sports.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can I admit that I am strangely moved?

There are many series I have foisted upon my three sons in order to give them reading comprehension skills, if not a love of reading. Third time's a charm, my 8 year old is the best reader in the house (for under 18 - that is). I must say though, my 13 year old is currently appreciating the Hunger Games, and my almost 16 year old has some measured appreciation for The Hate U Give.

I have striven to find the right varying series to engage them - and let me tell you, the series written by Tiki and Ronde Barber never disappoints. My kids have all loved them. They are well written and compelling and speaks their language. And in terms of the values inherent in the book it speaks to mine. Right now, I am tearful thinking of the wonderful mother they had, not to mention coaches and teachers who not just got them as a pair to the NFL, but are continuing to inspire young readers. This year Hockey and Football have both made me cry - twice each! And for 2019 you can count on the full on tear jerker, the third incantation of Dan Gutman's The Million Dollar Shot - featuring what? Basketball and Values and Grit. And a little poetry too.

[Tommy W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a really good book. It taught a really good lesson on how to speak up and don't be afraid. For example Mrs. Barber spoke up at this meeting and she got a bunch of people to vote and she ended up winning. Tiki and Ronde did not have any classes together this year and they had to get through the year without each other. They had to learn how to raise their hands and to not be scared of being wrong or people laughing at them. Also their were football tryouts and they both made the team but they were 3rd stringers because their were a bunch of older people before them but they thought they should be starting. Finally they both got their chance because people got hurt. They did really good so they thought they would be starting everyday but then coach told them that once the players got back they would be back to 3rd string. They finally learned that they need to give the older guys their chance first.

I would rate this book a 5. I rated it a 5 because when I was reading this I never wanted to stop. It was really exciting and entertaining. Also you learn that just because your not the best at a position your will always get your chance but you have to be ready for it. Also I really like sports so I really enjoyed this book but maybe some other people might not. But if you like sports I think you will like this book.

[82giegerich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book today it is called kickoff. It is about two kids Tiki and Ronde Barber.They are going to junior high this year and they are scared for many reasons.These two twins have always been great football players and also good students.On the first week of school they make the football team,but they were not standouts.They also did horrible in school.They finally figure out that to achieve anything anything in life you have to work as a team even in school.As brothers in the same grade they had to help each other with homework and to study to be successful.
As I found out by reading this book that Tiki Barber wrote this book for a reason.He wrote this book toconnect with children and also young football players in this book he explains that if you don't do good in school you won't suceed at anything even athletics.

[Jude F.]

Tiki Barber is a 13 year-old boy with dreams of becoming a professional football player. His dreams are at sake when he try's out for the Eagles and gets placed at third-string running back . He's extremely sad and angry at his coach, and even considers quitting the team, but his twin brother, who has the same dream, helps him through it. Things are bad for him in the classroom too. He's so worried about football that he can't pay attention to class. He's also shy, he never raises his hand because he's scared of being wrong in front of everyone. To make things even worse he's just started middle school, a school more than twice as big as his old one. The school has meaner kids, stricter teachers, and complicated curriculum. But at the end, his brother comes through for him and helps him both academically and emotionally.

[Jeremy G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was given to me by my teacher in the fourth grade and it was the only book that I actually read in that year. Reading about their life somehow inspired me to be successful and to keep working hard to achieve my goal. Reading about their struggles being African-American
made me think that kids today got it easier. Overall this book is pretty easy to read because of the font size and the words they have used. I would actually recommend this book to someone no older than thirteen especially if that kid is into football, or if they are interested in the Barber brothers because they managed to reach the NFL.

[Sedric · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very amazing to me. I recommend this book to people how like sports and non-fiction. Kickoff is a book about two identical twin brothers, Tiki and Ronde Barber, in the seventh grade and trying out for the Hidden Valley Eagles football team. They both make the team as 3rd string players. When they finally got to play in a game, they showed off all the things they learned in practices. One day, the boys went to a meeting with there mom to stop a factory from being built in their neighborhood that can pollute the air and stop their game of football. This book takes the game of football to a whole new level.

[Josh Akins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. Great entertainment about the boys youth football. It is way cool how both brothers played in the NFL. Tiki feels pressure a lot but comes threw. The brothers work together as a team to be the best they can. Some of the games are intense and fun.

[Jordan K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a good book. It has taught me some thing in my life and I like it. I recommend you read this because if you don't you are missing out on a great book.

[Jalil Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tiki and Ronde's its almost football season and they moved on from peewee football to starting for the Hidden Valley Eagles.But junior high is a lot bigger than elementary school. The competition for starting spots is stiff, and seniority rules. If Tiki and Ronde make tryouts but junior high is a lot bigger than elementary school. The competition for starting spots is stiff, and seniority rules.If Tiki and Ronde make it past tryouts and cuts, will they get the chance to play, or will they have to spend the season watching from the bench with the other seventh graders? I would recommend this book to people that like football and a brother love and people that love for each other a good life story to always to have your brother back no matter if he makes you mad our he does something better than you because you can do stuff your brother cant do. I wouldn't recommend this book to anybody that doesn't like football because the whole book is about football and how brothers should have each other back and how family is first and if you don't like something cheese's because its all about up and downs because sometimes they get mad at each other and they always help each other. I like this book because its about football and that's what I want to do when I get out of collage and be in the nfl and be a superstar in the nfl and I like it because it can teach you to always have your brother or sister back no matter what or who tries to come between you, because the friend that's trying to come between you wont always be there but your brothers or sisters will always be there with you and by your side to help you through everything you go through and all of your friends won't.I don't like this book because its like the brothers never argue and all siblings argue all the time because someone thinks there better than the other and one thinks he's the fastest. All brothers fight but in this book they don't they always agree and that's fake.

[Jakob Beckish · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I was pulled into this book or found it was I read a previous book about them as a child and football. This book is about two NFL brothers Tiki and Ronde Barber and their experience in junior high as well as football in junior high and how hard they had to work physically, and academically to reach their goal of being in the NFL. The main idea of the book is how they stayed mentally strong through junior high and they were having a hard time joining there varsity football team for their school. The main theme of this book is you should always work hard for all your things and if you’re not working hard for them you do not deserve them. My main expectations for this book was that it was going to be a very boring just because it would just talk about how hard they worked but they actually talked about main experiences for example they would practice their hands every day in their front yard, and on the weekends when they didn’t have a game they would go to the park and play pick up football games for the whole day. This book was very motivating because of how these NFL players were speaking how they got to where they wanted to get. It fitted the authors’ career perfectly because Tiki and Ronde Barber are the authors of this book. I recommend this book to my dad because he watched these guys when he was in college and is very in to sports.

[Blake · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this book a 3 out of 5 stars. I would give it this score because it was a good story line but it was to short and didn't talk much about football it talked about there own life problems. I would recommend this book to anyone who like a lot of conflict during a book and if they like football books.



Two bothers named Tiki & Ronde are just about to join the seventh grade. Which means they are allowed to start playing Junior High Football. Last year Tiki & Ronde did everything together in classes during school. There mom wanted them to make new friends and see how the world actually works. They always play football with there friends out side and one of there friends tell Tiki & Ronde that on the second day of school it's called beat the seventh graders up day. So they were really scared to go to school. Then the starting quarter back Matt Clayton told them that it was not real so they weren't scared any more. After that Matt Clayton was really nice to Tiki and Ronde and they became friends with him. The Season started Tiki and Ronde weren't happy because they weren't starting so they knew they weren't gonna get much playing time. So they kept on practicing hard and the coach told them they next year the sky is the limit but he said he couldn't right now because he has to be loyal to his veterans.

[Brandon Denison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've played tackle but never on a areal team befor on a real football team before but Tiki and Ronde Barber and Paul Mantell made me feel as if i was right there playing with them for the Hidden Valley Eagles. At the beginning of the book they are going to a new school for junior high, they didn't know much people. I can relate to that because I had to go to a new school to start middle school and i didn't know much people either when i started middle school.
I really liked this book because of a character named Matt Clayton. HE told Tiki and Ronde to stick with it even if they don't get put in the game right away. Matt kind of has to do that too because over the summer he broke his leg on his bike. I can also relate to this because my first year of select baseball I was benched a lot but in the off season i worked really hard and now I almost never benched.
Football is a great sport and it has been played for many years. If you like football i would encourage you to read this book too.

[Kelsey Rada · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kickoff! is a book written by twins, Tiki and Ronde Barber. Tiki is a former New York Giants Running-back and now works for NBC's Today Show. Ronde is the cornerback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The fact that this book was written by two NFL players will alone catch the attention of young boys. The twins wrote this book about their experience during the transition from Elementary school to Junior High. The book itself is an easy read, packed with action and full of sports lingo (also includes a glossary in the back of the book). The twins' mother tries to get the boys to branch out as they enter a new school. She wants them to learn to stand up for themselves and make new friends. The boys try out for the football team and only make third string. They learn a lot of very valuable lessons about life and school along the way. The book shows the importance of ethics, teamwork and good sportsmanship in order to succeed and be happy. I was not too interested in this book, just because I do not like football. But, I think any young boy could be easily hooked.

[Anthony M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the book kickoff and it was about 2 brothers that loved to play football and thy would play it with there friends and they would have fun all day until Tiki and Ronde Barber mom called them in for dinner.Ronde favorite quarterback was Joe Theismann he loved him.Tiki was number 2 and Ronde was number 5 and they liked there number a lot.Tiki used to play on the New York Giants but they and got to old and stopped playing football.His Brother Ronde is number 20 and is on the buckers and is still playing.


I liked this book because they were twins and they would always do things together like play football, hangout and play with there friends just like I do but I don’t have a twin brother and I don’t do things with my brother.I like that the both went to the NFL and went to other teams.I really liked this book because it was about football and I like football and in really life when the were young there number was tiki was 21 and ronde was 22.This was a good book.

[Braeden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick book summary: What happened in the beginning is that Tiki and Ronde were on summer vacation. Their next grade would be 7th grade. So when they were playing football in the street they had no doubt that they would make the Jr. high football team. In the middle they went to tryouts and they made the team but some of there friends didn’t. At the end they made third cut which meant that they hardly would get to play. Then they asked their coach if they could get more playing time, they did, and after that they made the NFL when they were older.


I gave this book 5 stars because it was the greatest book ever. I would recommend this book to sports fans. I liked the characters Tiki and Ronnde because they are sports people and football is one of my favorite sports. Also Tiki and Ronde had a great personality. This book was very funny and sporty. I would also recommend this book to classmates because it teaches you to never give up on your sport or dreams.

[Hunter Ratcliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

KIck is by former nfl player tiki and still in the nfl Ronde barber. Tiki is the quite one and ronde is more talkitive, the are identical twins and they live for football tiki likes walter payton and ronde likes joe montana and jerry rice. THey are going into jr.high and they are going to try out for the football team, they arent so scared about that but when they find out they dont have any classes together they both start to worry. The first day of school was rough they couldent get their mind off football. That afternoon when it was try outs they did grat except they were probably the smallest kids on the team. The coach will post the list if they made it or not the next day. Turns out the made it except the are third stringers and all of their other freinds are 1st....if ypu want to find out what happens next read kickoff.

[Preston]

I read the book "Kickoff" by Tiki and Ronde Barber. Tiki and Ronde are identical twins who are really good at football. The summer is almost over and that means that junior high football is starting soon. At try-outs Tiki and Ronde make the team but are on the third string. When the boys finally got in the game due to injuries they showed exactly what they have. Tiki had a bunch of great runs and Ronde returned a 100 yard punt for a touchdown. The boys are told that they had a good game but still won't start next year because of the upperclassmen. I like this book because the boys challenged each other to exceed in life and sports. It makes me wish I had a twin that I could challenge like that. They would always have competitions to see which brother was better. I recommend this book to anyone who loves sports and is looking for a good quick read.

[DrewBrees · Rating 4 out of 5]

If your into sports and looking for a good book to read, this would be a good choice. In the beginning of the story, it talked about identical twins Tiki and Ronde Barber playing for a pewee team looking forward to joining the middle school team they were going to. But because they were so small and only played for pewee, the bigger kids teased them and made them feel like they were going to be benchwarmers through the whole game. Later on, when they decide to stand up for themselves, they learn that their perseverance goes a long way. Sometimes even into the NFL which both twins got a chance to play in. Ronde Barber currently plays for the Tampa Bay Bucaneers and Tiki Barber played for the New York Giants and is now a free agent.

[Zach Howe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kickoff by Tiki Barber, Non-Fiction, # of pages 153

Characters- Tiki Barber, is small, has an identical twin (Ronde), black hair, good at football.Ronde Barber- is small, has an identical twin (Tiki), black hair, and good at football. Setting- school- many classes, very boring. Home- two story house, white. Theme-All ways be the best you can be. Plot- 1. Tiki and Ronde go to school. 2. They both go out for football. 3. They are on third string. 4. Tiki goes in for running back, but fumbles on the third play. 5. Ronde and Tiki get to play first strings until the other people who got hurt can come back.

Review- This book was ok. It was cool to read that they got to be starters. I would recommend this book to people who like football.

[Ryan R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recently over the summer I read by. The book is based on the childhood of the identical twins, Tiki and Ronde Barber. The main characters of course are Tiki and Ronde Barber.The main storyline was about Tiki and Ronde trying to make their middle school football team, little did they know, it wasn’t like how it was in pee wee football for them because they were the best players. The writing is pretty easy, because it is an easier type of book. I thought it told a good story while having some parts I thought were rather boring. I don’t think i would recommend this book to a classmate because it is just a little too boring and easy for people. There is another book to the series, but i don’t think will read it because I don’t think it is that great.

[Amy Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, first of all I love Tiki and Ronde Barber. They are great sportsmen and seem to be good guys. Tiki used to play for the Giants and now works for the Today Show. Ronde plays for Tampa Bay. They have three picture book biographies that kids love. This book is billed as nonfiction but I would consider it more a fictionalized biography mostly because they have a lot of dialogue which I'm assuming is made up or is an approximation of what really happened. The story is a little preachy about ethics and good sportsmanship but kids will like this and it will be easy to sell because it's written by football players.

[Anthony Sanabria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the life begining story of Tiki and Ronde Barber seeing as this is the begining of the trilogy this main book talks about how there lives began as football players. In this book Tiki and Ronde are starting middle school which is way different from elementary as they find out and that they can no longer play it safe and they have to step out of there shoes and speak up. As you read the book you will find that there personailities change on and off the field and only 1 question still remains will they go all the way to the championship and bring it home for there middleshcool team?.

[TJ C · Rating 5 out of 5]

KICKOFF is about two boys named tiki and ronde who are twins are going to play at jr high. Before that they've always been starters in pop warner untill they went to jr high. Now they are benched. They were in separated classes so they both were not comfterable raising their hands because they might get bullied. Their first practice was tough with mean comments by older kids. Will they get the starting position and play in a game? I liked this book because I play football and im about to play in jr high so no pressure. But it was a great written book. I think all the sports people would like this book. They have more books that ill be reading like, GO LONG next quarter.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Barber twins Tiki and Ronde have impressed me with their book. I enjoyed how they incorporated their mother's wisdom "I think it's better if you start spending time on your own with other kids. Stand up for yourselves, and make new friends to go witht the old." In the book, they didn't get much playing time and after speaking to the coach about it, they listened and respected his decision. In the end, they did get some playing time and learned valuable lessons. I feel very comfortable recommending this book to young readers and consider Tiki and Ronde good role models for kids.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

i'm not a big fan of books with such a disney channel feel to 'em. so, two stars. BUT. i know more than a small handful of kids who love this kinda book AND it's also written at that mysterious, but valuable "fourth grade" reading level, but it's all about these football loving twins who are starting seventh grade. a very precious find for a teacher of sixth graders, many of whom need this exact combination of content and readability. so, it's on definitely on my wish-list, a.k.a. my "to-buy"list.

[Matthew Ojeda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Kickoff by Paul Mantell is about Tiki and Ronde Barber as teenagers who dream to be able to play in the NFL one day. They play football at their new school “Hidden Valley” Middle school and made friend and enemies going through their seventh grade year. But football is a team sport so both twin brothers and their team mates have to work together as a team to have successful season. I liked this book because is a true story about two of the best NFL players who came from humble beginnings. I also liked it because it had a lot of real world scenarios like making big decisions.

[Braden Oswald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book because I could connect to it a little bit. When I was younger, about 9 or 10, I played football. Just like Tiki and Ronde, I didn't play much my first year. I think I only got two passes the entire season. I wanted to quit, just like Tiki and Ronde. BUt I stayed with the sport, and the next year, scored my first touchdown. So this book relates to me a ton. I just wish I had read it earlier so that I might not have quit after that season. This is a great book for all ages.

[Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about how Tiki and Ronde Barber go to Junior High. They are always there for each other in middle school but know they won't have any classes together.But one thing they aren't worried about is trying out for football they are actually excited for it. They made the team but did not play much until the end of the year. Some of their friends didn't make it and they were upset about that. Football is everything to them.Both of their dreams were to play in the NFL. And later in their life they made it to the NFL.

[Dylan Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've played football for many years but this made me feel like I was starting high school varsity as a freshman. Tiki and Ronde have always been great at football, but starting varsity as a freshman was a reach even for them. this book was a great book all the way through. T/S playing football for years I knew what the refs we're talking about in this book. I also feel like this is a little unfinished, Did they go undefeated? did they win the championship? I may never know now.