Bøger af Grant Overstake

Coming of Age in a Time of Change - The Real Education of TJ Crowley"When you know better, do better." - Maya Angelou "A deftly crafted, thought-provoking, and solid work of YA historical fiction." - Midwest Book ReviewIn the explosive summer of 1968, a white teen from a bigoted family is forced to take sides when a Black family and their teenage daughter move into the house next door, setting the stage for a heart-pounding story of racial awakening in a time too similar to our own. The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sparks violent protests across the nation and Wichita, Kansas, is no exception. The new Fair Housing Act should open doors of opportunity for Blacks, but instead they face hostility and violence moving into all-white neighborhoods.. Nevertheless, Dr. Robert Washington and his family will not be deterred from crossing the red line to their dream house. But their neighbors, the Crowleys, have ties to the Ku Klux Klan and are hell-bent on keeping the Washingtons from making themselves at home.The summer before junior high has been a real bummerl for TJ. His dad unexpectedly takes off and his brother joins the army to fight in Vietnam, leaving TJ alone in the house on the hill with his racist, unhinged mother Kate. As riots erupt under the nightly curfew, they lock their doors tight. Kate drowns her fears with alcohol, while TJ keeps watch at the living room window as firebombs light the sky.Next morning, early, the doorbell rings, and Kate loses her mind about the strange man standing on her porch. She calls her old flame,"Uncle Ray" a convict and Klansman, " who quickly arrives to harass and intimidate the Washingtons. To calm Kate's nerves, smooth talking Ray talks TJ into helping to build a privacy fence on the property line. Despite the barrier, TJ can still hear his future classmate, Ivy, practicing her cheerleading routines, and the doctor singing spirituals in his converted garage. As summer fades into fall, it's time for TJ and his dorky best friend, Eric, to move up to junior high school. As rebels with long hippie hair, tie-dye clothes, and a brief dabble with drugs; TJ's wrong-headed beliefs are being challenged in social studies class and rap sessions with new classmates: Ivy, the self-assured soul sister from next door; and Andy, the brainy new Black kid from Birmingham, Alabama.Ignoring his mother's orders, TJ bravely visits the doctor's home. His education continues as he enters their house and gains a newfound perspective. As the school year continues, TJ is banned from the basketball team due to his poor grades and behavior. But the doctor gives him secret backyard shot put lessons, and TJ joins the track team. With the doctor's coaching , his progress is amazing,, and he and his team makes a great showing at the city championship track meet turns out great for TJ and his team!Just as TJ's life is finally starting to turn around, Ray, knowing all about TJ's secret visits with the Washingtons, returns to Wichita with a vengeance In and TJ's world is thrown into chaos. In a dramatic and gripping conclusion, TJ is faced with a life-altering decision and must choose between ignorance and knowledge and decide which side of the fence will make him feel truly at home.

"The World Needs More Maggies!""A fine YA novel about perseverance in sports and in life." -- KIRKUS REVIEWS Recognized as one of the greatest track and field novels of all time by Citius Mag, the story of a gritty Kansas farm girl's quest to master the daring sport of pole-vaulting has stirred the hopes and dreams of readers around the world. This second edition of the story by Grant Overstake includes a foreword by reigning Olympic Pole Vault Champion Katerina Stefanidi and chapter discussion questions created especially for young readers by Dr. Melissa I. White, a Language Arts (ELA) Teacher and Mental Performance Consultant with a Doctorate in Sport Psychology. "Girls who play sports and the coaches and families who support them will thoroughly enjoy this warm, uplifting story." -- Christine Brennan, USA TODAY When tragedy strikes the Steele Family Farm at harvest time, tearful Maggie finds herself grinding the gears of the giant grain truck, trying her best to replace her big brother, Alex, who died in a fiery car crash. If Maggie is going to escape her worst nightmare (being stuck on the farm forever), she'll need to ignore small-town haters, brave painful setbacks, and defy the heavy pull of gravity itself. As the pole-vault crossbar is raised dangerously higher, her future is quite literally up in the air. Taking cues from the voice within, Maggie bravely launches herself skyward. When the bar is raised to a record-setting height at the state championship meet, can she find the courage it takes to soar into a brighter future of her own making? "Heartwarming and realistic, this book is a winner!" -- Nancy Julien Kopp, CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL Former Miami Herald writer and newspaper editor Grant Overstake has written two award-winning novels, Maggie Vaults Over the Moon, and The Real Education of TJ Crowley. Learn more at www.grantoverstake.com