Rebound 14 by Yuriko Nishiyama

Rebound 14 by Yuriko Nishiyama
Young Adult Manga Drama
185 pp.
Suitable 13+

Readers Annotation: In a twisted tournament of cage basketball, Scratch's friend Nate must beat an entire group on his own for Scratch to move on.

Plot Summary: Scratch is an underdog team on the basketball courts that plays rough. Players get bruised and battered. In this twisted tournament that plays inside a cage, Nate, on his own, must win in order for Scratch to advance. Through practice, Nate has become a very good street basketball player. He has special moves that grabs the attention of his peers. He makes friends that and love interests that complicate his life, causing love triangles that can only hurt his game. His biggest nemesis is Sawamura, who have muscled their way unto the court, moving up in the rankings. And because of some unfair rules, Nate must play the team on his own. The winner keeps ownership of the court, the loser goes home. The stakes are high in this abusive version of basketball.

Critical Evaluation: This book is authentic manga styled, which reads from right to left, therefore starting off from the opposite side that we're used to. Nate has an alpha male personality that could get on the reader's nerve, but then again, in order to win, you've got to think you're the best so it works in an annoying kind of way. There is much too violence when they do play basketball but this is much more than basketball. There's drama of all sorts that it seems like a soap opera; a common theme in manga series. The other characters come and go and this is fine; they are filler. Since there's minimal description and dialogue due to the style, each word and phrase pushes the story forward. This is probably aimed towards teens who are interested in basketball and the one thing that doesn't disappoint are the basketball quizzes that appear as a chapter spacer. It does send a mixed message that anything is possible if you put your mind to it...and play dirty!

Booktalking Ideas:
1) Basketball
2) Violence
3) Unfair rules
4) Teamwork

Challenge Issues: There are some intense moments of violence, which may be the lone challenge issue present in this book.

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Why Included: I picked this book up randomly from the stacks at my library. It was kind of a chore to read. At least now I know.