Game Changer by Tommy Greenwald

Abstract

Reviewed by: Game Changer by Tommy Greenwald Elizabeth Bush Greenwald, Tommy Game Changer. Amulet, 2018 [304p] ISBN 978-1-4197-3143-3 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 6-9 A football injury at preseason football camp at Walthorne High leaves thirteen-yearold Teddy Youngblood in critical condition with possible intracranial bleeding. As his divorced parents talk to their unresponsive son, students' phones are blowing up with texts and posts, first offering prayers and support for the family, and then turning to rumors about what might have been happening on the field before Teddy collapsed. Newspaper documents, school therapist transcripts, bedside conversations, and Teddy's vague thoughts contribute evidence; witnesses, from the varsity team captain to freshmen vying for JV slots, negotiate how or whether to keep secret the annual hazing ritual of the Rookie Rumble and its vicious component, the Hit Parade. Ethan, the boy who made the critical hit on Teddy, finally comes forward with his role in the injury. There's a truckload of blame to share around, however, from Teddy's father, who encouraged his son in football; his mother, who cropped her vigilance while off remaking her life; the head coach, who studiously looked the other way; the upperclassmen, who conducted the hazing; the culture of manhood by trial, in which brutality is regarded as a character marker. Greenwald works his multiple voices adroitly, and pages fly past as truth bubbles to the surface. Situating the drama among incoming freshmen makes this an ideal discussion starter for middle-school readers ready to debate whether football's—or any sport's—violence is reason to pull the plug. Copyright © 2018 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois