Catch That Pass!

by Matt Christopher

Book Overview

For use in schools and libraries only. Everyone knows Jim will be the star linebacker on the team if he can only conquer his fear of being tackled. It takes a boy in a wheelchair to teach him that... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316139246
• ISBN13: 9780316139243
• Release Date: September 1989
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Length: 130 Pages
• Weight: 0.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 7.4"
• Age Range: 3 to 18 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

A valuable lesson about life and how you must face the possibility of getting hit

This book has a simple lesson, overcoming a realistic, yet irrational fear. Jim Nardi is a linebacker for the Vulcans, a team in a youth football league. Jim is generally a tough kid; he loves to hit people hard when he makes the tackle. However, he has an irrational fear of being tackled, when he has the opportunity to intercept a pass, he will drop the ball rather than take the risk of being hit. This fear is creating problems for him; some of the other players on the team are beginning to make fun of him. Fortunately, his coach and older brother Doug is willing to let him try to play through it. Chuckie, a boy that contracted polio and is in a wheelchair trying to fight back to the point where he can walk again, further aids Jim. Chuckie's encouragement and sense of purpose gives Jim a perspective on his problems. The final game arrives and when the game is on the line, Jim makes a difficult interception and gives a hard shot back when he is tackled, learning that he can take the punishment to make the play. Football is a tough game and injuries will always happen, which is how life is. The best way to do both is to accept that fact and play hard anyway, knowing that getting hit and maybe getting hurt are the consequences of being in the game. This is a valuable lesson that this book makes very well.

A Good Book!!

Catch That Pass is a good book because the kid Jim can't catch the football.Then he finally catches the football and runs as fast as he can run. His brother is the coach and he had the same problem as Jim. Something happens in the middle but I can't tell you because you need to read it to find out.

Catch That Pass!

Imagine yourself in the shoes of a football player who's afraid to be tackled. Think of the embarrassment. Jim Nardi plays for the Vulcan's football team and his big brother is the head coach. He is about 12-13 years old, and is the main character. The problem with Jim Nardi is that whenever he gets an interception he drops the ball because he doesn't want to get tackled. But his close friend Bucky, also on Jim's football team, tries to help Jim overcome his fear. Then at a game a pass is coming right to Jim, he intercepts the pass! But will he drop the ball? Read to find out. This book is action-packed. In almost every scene Jim is on the football field in a game. This book is great if you love football, play football, and also if you cant overcome one of your fears in football. The author, Matt Christopher, always describes Jim Nardi's actions on the field with excellent detail, and expression for every play of the game. I'd recommend this book to kids 9 through 14,also to people who like to read books with great details of expression and football action.

Good football book

This was very good book, and as a football player I realy enjoyed reading this because in some of the game scenes in the book it made me feel like i was realy playing in the game. Some faults in the book i thought came when the writer took like two chapters to describe a game. If he would of shortened it up a little it would have been a little more enjoy able and i would have rated it a perfect 5 stars. Sincerly, Kyle

very entertaning

The kid kept trying until it happened I liked i