Pop

September 21, 2009
Shortly after moving to a new town, Marcus encounters Charlie, a strange, middle-aged man who turns out to be an incredible football player. Marcus, hoping to be a varsity quarterback at his new school, begins meeting Charlie regularly. Charlie is a challenging and rewarding opponent, but there are mysteries about him that plague Marcus (“It was annoying, but waiting to see if Charlie was going to show up soon became Marcus's personal reality TV show”). Most puzzling: “For some reason, he thought he was a teenager, too.” At school, Marcus loses the quarterback position to school hero Troy—Charlie's son. Troy is oddly guarded about his father, but Marcus eventually figures out Charlie's secret: the repeated blows the former NFL player received resulted in early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Korman (The Juvie Three
) skillfully weaves football terminology into the narrative without making it sound like a playbook, and Marcus's heartfelt loyalty to Charlie is believable, if the plotting is occasionally less so. Despite the athletic focus, this thought-provoking story is, at its core, about friendship and should have broad appeal. Ages 12–up.

January 1, 2011
YA Sixteen-year-old Marcus is determined to make the football team. He meets Charlie, an older man with an 'enthusiasm for smashmouth football, ' and soon discovers that his fun-loving but erratic practice partner is an NFL veteran with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Through their unique friendship, Korman realistically presents both the thrill of playing football and the sport's possible long-term health risks.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

September 1, 2009
Grades 6-9 Football player Marcus isnt happy about moving to a new town, but at least the high school has an undefeated team. Too bad the team is a closed club, led by quarterback Troy Popovich, who takes a special dislike to Marcus when his old girlfriend shows Marcus some love. The best part of Marcus football life comes in the park, where he is befriended by Charlie, a quirky older guy who teaches Marcus how to take a hit and love the pop that comes with intense contact. Yet its clear somethings not quite right about Charlie, who, as it turns out, is Troys father. Korman juggles several stories here as Marcus finally figures out that Charlie suffers from early onset Alzheimers, brought on by the physical traumas of a pro career. Theres some solid action on the field, but mostly there are Marcus schemes to help Charlie, which sometimes go to ridiculous lengths. However, this story has heart. And as it shows the confusion and frustrations for both patient and family that come with Alzheimers, it breaks some hearts, too.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)

November 1, 2009
Gr 9 Up-"Pop" is the imagined, internal sound of the perfect football tackle, as new-kid-in-town Marcus finds out the hard way from a hit by an ex-NFL linebacker. Middle-aged but possessing what at first seems to be a harmless, young-at-heart attitude, Charlie Popovich becomes Marcus's friend, mentor, and partner in crime for an elaborate (and hilarious) prank. Unfortunately, their relationship only increases the contentious atmosphere between Marcus and Charlie's son. Already vying for the school's starting quarterback position and the affection of the head cheerleader, Marcus finds that matters become even more complicated when he learns that Charlie's erratic behavior is caused by early-onset Alzheimer's. Korman offers a touching and realistic portrayal of an Alzheimer patient's episodes, the emotional roller coaster of the disease's effect on loved ones, and the naive yet endearing arrogance of a teen who wants to do what is best for his friend. Marcus must make some hard decisions, whether during the frenzied action of a football play or surrounded by family members whose hearts are about to break. Readers will stick by him in this absorbing story of both action and emotion."Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2010
Sixteen-year-old Marcus is determined to make the football team. He meets Charlie, an older man with an "enthusiasm for smashmouth football," and soon discovers that his fun-loving but erratic practice partner is an NFL veteran with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Through their unique friendship, Korman realistically presents both the thrill of playing football and the sport's possible long-term health risks.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)