Book Reviews

33) Bull Rider by Marilyn Halverson

Bull Rider tells the story of Layne, a young man determined to become a champion bull rider. Layne's mother forbid bull riding after her husband, Layne's father, died during the national finals several years earlier. However, Layne is determined, so he secretly practices at his friend Jana's ranch. After a close encounter with a bull, Jana's grandfather agrees to secretly coach Layne. The book succeeds on a number of levels, not the least of which is writing about a rough-and-tumble teen who takes his lumps but still loves his mom-- despite doing exactly what she doesn't want him to do. It's also about the rarely-featured sport of bull riding, which might appeal to struggling readers looking for something with action. Recommended for struggling high school readers, especially boys.

34) Darwin Expedition by Diane Tullson

Tej and Liam take an ill-advised shortcut up a muddy logging road on their way to a ski resort. Tej's truck slides off the steep, slick road and rolls over several times, leaving the pair of young men stranded deep in the mountain forest. Rather than hike out on the logging road to find help, the duo decide (at Tej's insistence) to take another shortcut hiking through the woods to the main highway. You know where this is going -- Tej and Liam get lost, and before they're fully ready to admit their mistakes to each other or themselves, they realize they're being followed by a very large grizzly bear. To make matters worse, no one knows to come looking for them because they hadn't given anyone a specific schedule of where they'd be. Tullson appeals to struggling readers in this brief novel by keeping the action crisp, and also provides a few basic tips for going out into the wild (primarily, don't go). Recommended for struggling high school readers, especially boys.