A Season For Dreams

Book by Reed, Kevin

Grade 5-7-- Published as a special project for the New York Special Olympics, this book tells the story of athlete Timmy Kelp, who, despite the disabilities of mental retardation, deafness, and other health problems, competed in various sports sponsored by the Special Olympics. It also tells the story of his grandfather, who inspired Timmy to compete even as he struggled with his own problems caused by liver cancer. Based on a true story, this fictionalized account unfortunately suffers from a writing style that is strong on sentiment and drama but weak on dialogue, scene transitions, and plot development. Reed, in an attempt to educate readers about the activities and goals of the Special Olympics, lapses into lecturing and defining terms much too often for this fictional format. Some scenes important to the story are quickly developed and then easily dismissed; an episode dealing with adolescent drinking dissolves into a dire object lesson that has little to do with the story. While few will argue with the admirable goals and achievements of this organization, this book does little to educate young people about the abilities of the mentally retarded and the programs of the Special Olympics. --Susan Schuller, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.