Book: Gym Candy | Author: Carl Deuker | Genre: Sports Drama | Age: 12+
Sports is an area of space where people can find their all, and even give their all for a victory. One of those sports is football (American football). A fun but harsh tackling and contact sport, football is something that many Americans play and love. People love the NFL and its team and hype, and also love any other football team, whether it be recreation, middle school, high school, or college ball because of how fun and exciting the game is. But from a player’s perspective, it’s not always sunshine and rainbows. Football has competition, and to meet that competition, you need to have a lot. In the book, Gym Candy, Carl Deuker presents us with Running Back Mick Johnson and his complex high school football life.
If I were asked to recommend this book for an age group, I would agree with the publishers and recommend it for ages 12+. This is because of all the feelings and content of steroids and high school life in the book, which only a mature child will understand. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, meaning that this book is good, and is extremely exciting and interesting, making you want to read on an on about what happens next.
In this book, there is one main character, who is our amazing high school football star Running Back Mick Johnson, who has been playing football since the age of a toddler, when his dad Mike Johnson gives him his first mini-football, and the two play in the back yard. Mick is all grown up now and goes to Pop Warner football to train and play. Mick is known to be his pop-warner team’s star, even though he is a year older than all players (Mick started a year late). Facing challenges on and off the field, either with his performance or a new coach, Mick’s talent makes him onto a tryout for his next year’s high school football team. Making the varsity team along with his friends Drew Carney and DeShawn Free, Mick is all excited for what a star he could become, inspired by his dad, Mike Johnson, who played great high school and college football and even made Round 3 NFL pick for the San Diego Chargers. However, Mick is faced with loads of competition on the team from his seniors, especially Matt Drager, junior year, starting running-back. Mick is told he will never be starting but is made special teams captain, and even has a chance to bring the team to glory and into the championships in a game against Foothill High after Drager is suspended from the team. After a harsh first half, in the last seconds of the fourth quarter, Mick has to face a linebacker one-on-one for the winning touchdown in the endzone but is shoved out, making Shilshole lose to Foothill. Mick is told not to give up by his dad and coach, and to just get stronger for next time. After trying useless supplements and protein shakes, Mick joins Popeyes and is offered some steroids and injections. Will he take them? What will happen to Mick’s career? What if somebody found out? Read the book to find out!
The thing I like about this book is the imagery, realisticness, information, emotions of the characters, and how the dramatic events are portrayed along with their effects on Mick. But what I love the most about “Gym Candy”, is the morals it teaches. Here are some I have been able to find :
- Don’t deny your dreams, live up to them
- Recover from the past
- Don’t run away from things that you fear, face them
- Always hope for the best
- Think twice before acting
- Use your mind in difficult situations, and you could be saved
- Whatever happens is for the future’s greater good
- Sometimes, you just have to control your emotions
- Think about others by stepping into their shoes, not judging them by what you think should be right
- There is no crying or giving up in football
- WORK HARD, PLAY HARD, HAVE FUN!!!
Also, here is a bonus slideshow that I made to reflect on the book as well as to show its key characteristics!
Gym Candy : Book Overview Slideshow
Important Links!
If you are interested in reading this detailed, action-filled, sports/drama book buy it at: Amazon.com – Gym Candy
Extra Info!
That was it for my book review of “Gym Candy”, written by Carl Deuker. Comment below on what you think of this book, and your learnings from this book, and please do write some feedback. For more, subscribe to my blog! Thanks!
-Kartik Lakhwani
The Kartik-Sphere 