Shrimpboat & Gym Bags - Hardcover

Sinykin

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0689315678 ISBN 13: 9780689315671

Publisher: Atheneum, 1990

Synopsis

Bo copes with the pressures of moving from California to Wisconsin, keeping his grades up so that he can remain on the gymnastics team, and competing against a talented but temperamental teammate. Includes a glossary of gymnastics terms and information on competitive boys' gymnastics.Bo copes with the pressures of moving to Wisconsin from California, keeping his grades up so that he can stay on the gymnastics team, and competing against a temperamental teammate

About this title

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7-- When 11-year-old Bo moves to a new town, his unhappiness at the upheaval in family routines is tempered by his pleasure in leaving bully Mickey Schrader behind. But Bo's new gymnastics teammate , Jim , is just as mean, and a tough competitor as well. Nearly equal in talent, the boys have one major difference: while Bo's parents feel schoolwork and having fun are just as important as medals, Jim is under enormous pressure to win from his often-absent father and fashion - model mother . When Jim tries to sabotage Bo's participation in a meet to better his own chances and Bo retaliates, a confrontation in the gym is inevitable. Sinykin integrates the gymnastic events smoothly into a story filled with mishaps at school, family friction, and competition. A brief glossary and appendix explaining gymnastic rules help the story itself from getting bogged down. While the message "different is not better" when it comes to parents is somewhat overdramatized, and Jim's ultimate change of personality is a bit too quick and complete, the story moves quickly because of the lively scenes filled with humor, action, and frustration. Sinykin has created a likable character in Bo, a boy who wants to make friends and do well at his sport, but who runs into pitfalls (many of his own making) along the way. --Susan Schuller, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly

In this first novel, 11-year-old Bo Ragatz is a talented gymnast who has just moved, with his parents and four-year-old brother Christopher, from California to Wisconsin. The adjustment isn't easy: Bo encounters problems with his teacher while trying to connect with a new friend, and he acquires an instant enemy in Jim Harmon, a gifted but fierce competitor at the gymnastics academy. Bo also has to contend with Christopher's pesky antics and, worse, his father's unyielding demand that Bo maintain his grades if he's to continue gymnastics. Although the story moves slowly in places, Sinykin has generally provided sufficient tension to sustain interest. The dialogue, however, can sound forced, and Bo's likability is sometimes questionable, as the character himself suspects. Yet young gymnasts will undoubtedly find the book appealing, and others may enjoy its Rocky -esque flavor. A glossary helps explain the frequently used "inside" terms. Ages 8-11.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Atheneum
• Publication date: 1990
• ISBN 10: 0689315678
• ISBN 13: 9780689315671
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 152