Review of 4th & Long:
-
Angelique Pinnock
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 20 Mar 2023, 09:32
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 5
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-angelique-pinnock.html
- Latest Review: Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill
Review of 4th & Long:
[Following is a volunteer review of "4th & Long:" by Garrett M Stapleton.]
The book entitled 4th & Long by Garrett M Stapleton is an exceptional read. It is focused on the life of a teenage boy named Matthew Gordon who was born with Down syndrome. The story displays how he was treated differently and seen as an outsider in the beginning of his high school journey. During his sophomore year, the history teacher/football coach, Joe Donovan, took special interest in him and recommended that he become the team’s water boy. From that moment on, Matthew’s life changed for the better as he gained recognition and brought unity to the previously divisive football team. All in all, his real high school journey began.
There were many positive aspects of this book within the story itself and the overall writing style. Stapleton chose more conversational writing style which I believe brought more interest and made reading it a lot easier as it felt like a movie narration. He was also able to tap into the mind of typical teenagers very well by having them focus on topics and issues that many would see as superficial, such as status and relationships, but for them was the entire world. There was also great development of true friendships throughout the story where readers could feel the true care and admiration between characters. Parents were heavily involved in the lives of their children and made time to have real conversations and discussions about things that would affect their children’s lives whether that was inside or outside the home. The author also ensured that the perspectives of various characters was highlighted so that a holistic view of the situations in the story was presented to the reader. Lastly, the main character was refreshingly mature especially when it came on to his emotions and the emotions of others which is not normally the case in many young adult novels but is found more times than not among teenagers in the real world.
The negative aspects of the book did not necessarily affect the story or overall message of the book but are merely suggestions if the author considers improvement necessary. Some conversations could have been better formatted as dialogue instead of recall. I believe dialogue gives the reader a chance to feel more involved in the lives of characters and is also a way of learning their personality through their choice of words and mannerisms. Some aspects of the personal lives of the main characters felt like they were moving too quickly. This included relationships and living situations which I feel like normally take persons several months to figure out and agree on therefore it felt like too much too soon. In line with the previous comment, I also felt like the author did not develop on the mother’s personality and life. Other than her being a typical mother who worries about her child, I do not feel like there was anything special or unique about her. Finally, I believe that there could have been a greater explanation of what Down syndrome is, and how it would/has affected Matthew’s development.
Overall, I rate this book a 3 out of 5 . As mentioned above, I believe that there is room for improvement however the story line was amazing and the characters were enjoyable. I would love to see a sequel showcasing their lives after high school and how everyone turns out. I believe a rating of 2 would not do the aspects that I thoroughly enjoyed justice while a rating of 4 would also not be suitable as there are still some points that could be worked on to make this book an amazing read.
This book is appropriately categorized as a young adult novel. It is short and sweet to keep the mind of a teenager focused while also teaching a valuable lesson about how kindness and humility can foster unity even in unlikely areas. It could also be given to a child that is between the ages of 8 and 10 who has developed emotional intelligence and maturity as I believe they would not be caught up in wanting to give nicknames and kissing as was seen in the book but will focus on the lesson being taught.
******
4th & Long:
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The book entitled 4th & Long by Garrett M Stapleton is an exceptional read. It is focused on the life of a teenage boy named Matthew Gordon who was born with Down syndrome. The story displays how he was treated differently and seen as an outsider in the beginning of his high school journey. During his sophomore year, the history teacher/football coach, Joe Donovan, took special interest in him and recommended that he become the team’s water boy. From that moment on, Matthew’s life changed for the better as he gained recognition and brought unity to the previously divisive football team. All in all, his real high school journey began.
There were many positive aspects of this book within the story itself and the overall writing style. Stapleton chose more conversational writing style which I believe brought more interest and made reading it a lot easier as it felt like a movie narration. He was also able to tap into the mind of typical teenagers very well by having them focus on topics and issues that many would see as superficial, such as status and relationships, but for them was the entire world. There was also great development of true friendships throughout the story where readers could feel the true care and admiration between characters. Parents were heavily involved in the lives of their children and made time to have real conversations and discussions about things that would affect their children’s lives whether that was inside or outside the home. The author also ensured that the perspectives of various characters was highlighted so that a holistic view of the situations in the story was presented to the reader. Lastly, the main character was refreshingly mature especially when it came on to his emotions and the emotions of others which is not normally the case in many young adult novels but is found more times than not among teenagers in the real world.
The negative aspects of the book did not necessarily affect the story or overall message of the book but are merely suggestions if the author considers improvement necessary. Some conversations could have been better formatted as dialogue instead of recall. I believe dialogue gives the reader a chance to feel more involved in the lives of characters and is also a way of learning their personality through their choice of words and mannerisms. Some aspects of the personal lives of the main characters felt like they were moving too quickly. This included relationships and living situations which I feel like normally take persons several months to figure out and agree on therefore it felt like too much too soon. In line with the previous comment, I also felt like the author did not develop on the mother’s personality and life. Other than her being a typical mother who worries about her child, I do not feel like there was anything special or unique about her. Finally, I believe that there could have been a greater explanation of what Down syndrome is, and how it would/has affected Matthew’s development.
Overall, I rate this book a 3 out of 5 . As mentioned above, I believe that there is room for improvement however the story line was amazing and the characters were enjoyable. I would love to see a sequel showcasing their lives after high school and how everyone turns out. I believe a rating of 2 would not do the aspects that I thoroughly enjoyed justice while a rating of 4 would also not be suitable as there are still some points that could be worked on to make this book an amazing read.
This book is appropriately categorized as a young adult novel. It is short and sweet to keep the mind of a teenager focused while also teaching a valuable lesson about how kindness and humility can foster unity even in unlikely areas. It could also be given to a child that is between the ages of 8 and 10 who has developed emotional intelligence and maturity as I believe they would not be caught up in wanting to give nicknames and kissing as was seen in the book but will focus on the lesson being taught.
******
4th & Long:
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill
