Junior Library Guild

• A short, engaging novel that combines snowboarding action, the strong bond between two stepbrothers, and coming to terms with a life-changing injury.
• Kaleb and Luke have a touching rapport. They have always spent a lot of time on the slopes together, and thirteen-year-old Kaleb sees his stepbrother, Luke, six years older, as his hero: “their age difference had never changed their relationship. They were brothers and best friends.”
• Deals with issues of disability and the accompanying complicated feelings of sadness and frustration. After Luke returns home from Afghanistan with his left leg partially amputated, both he and Kaleb struggle to accept the fact that life can be unfair, and Luke is angry and withdrawn. Kaleb signs up for an amateur slopestyle competition, with the idea that if he can face his fears, perhaps he can help Luke do the same. Although he is nervous about the course, before his run he tells the crowd: “I never would have had the courage to compete today if it wasn’t for [my brother]. Partly because he’s the one who taught me how to snowboard. But mostly because he’s always shown me the true meaning of bravery and strength. He is—and always will be—my hero.”
• It’s heartwarming that Kaleb’s actions do give Luke hope and a fresh perspective; a spectator for Kaleb’s run, he decides he wants to compete the following year. In the closing chapter, set seven months later, readers will be delighted to see just how far Luke has progressed.
• Sports fans will enjoy the snowboarding action that balances the emotional aspects of the story.
• The brief chapters, straightforward narrative, and quick-moving plot make the book ideal for reluctant readers and those just moving on to chapter books, as well as for winter-sports enthusiasts.