Rivals by Tommy Greenwald

Abstract

Reviewed by: Rivals by Tommy Greenwald Elizabeth Bush Greenwald, Tommy Rivals. Amulet/Abrams, 2021 [320p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781419748271 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781647000387 $15.54 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 5-8 Greenwald returns to the fictional Walthorne public school system, lately roiled by high school sports controversy in Game Changer (BCCB 9/18). This time middle school tension erupts as the Panthers of Walthorne South (the racially diverse, economically struggling school) face off in a basketball rivalry against the Cougars of Walthorne North (the advantaged, mostly white school). Garden-variety taunting begins when an online Panthers pep rally is visited (well, video bombed) by Cougars players and fans and even a stray provocateur from the private Walthorne Academy. The face-off escalates when a student sports blogger and reporter for South speculates without evidence about an injury suffered by a North player. Soon two rival team stars, both of whom privately long for the good old days a few years back when they played pick-up games at the park, recognize the possibility of forming a friendship but become embroiled instead in a melee when verbal nastiness turns violent at girls' basketball game. Greenwald ramps up the drama by opening with a narrative voice tracking a free fall that ends in a crash and a blackout, and then letting readers speculate on which possible character and scenario is destined to end up with that dive. That pretty much assures no reader will leave before the final buzzer. Copyright © 2021 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois