Crane's Rebound by Alison Jackson (1991, Hardcover +
$ 0.8
Description
Crane's Rebound by Alison Jackson (1991, Hardcover +. And in a strange subplot, Leslie's six-year-old brother, Cam, just oozes maternal instinct and wants to have a baby. Hearn's illustrations are stiff and awkward, and do not advance the tale. This is a sequel to My Brother the Star. Grade 5-8-- Leslie Crane is one of two fifth graders selected for summer basketball camp. The other is Bobby Lorimer, the only girl chosen. Problems arise as Leslie both worries about being shown up by a female and develops a crush on her. More trouble occurs as Jake, the loudmouthed bully, keeps getting Leslie into trouble. But the biggest difficulty of all comes from the author herself, who, in an attempt to dispel gender stereotypes, only reinforces them. A big deal is made over the fact that Leslie has a girl's name, and Bobby has a boy's name. And in a strange subplot, Leslie's six-year-old brother, Cam, just oozes maternal instinct and wants to have a baby. There are some genuine flashes of feminism, such as Bobby's becoming angry at being judged on her appearance by a group of boys holding scorecards, even though she received high marks. But the girls-are-impossible-to-understand ending betrays the story's earlier sentiments. Jackson also makes some serious technical errors in writing about basketball. She uses "cover," a defensive term, in relating a situation on offense, and describes the ball going through the net as "soundless," when it actually makes a very distinct noise. Hearn's illustrations are stiff and awkward, and do not advance the tale. This is a sequel to My Brother the Star
