independent reading padlet by Angus Bernstein

Heat by Mike Lupica

abernstein29_1 — 2022-10-25 13:54:24 UTC

The main character, Michael Arroyo, was an immigrant from Cuba. He was the best pitcher in his little league by far. His special talent was not the only thing in his life. He was an illegal immigrant so he did not have his birth certificate. The bronx government was after him. He was such a great pitcher he needed to get a photo taken by the mayor of the bronx. The yankees pitcher, known as “El grande,” Also from Cuba, gave him his birth certificate for Michael to continue his dreams of being the yankees starting pitcher.

Travel Team by Mike Lupica (September-October)

abernstein29_1 — 2024-10-28 17:59:04 UTC

I liked how Mike Lupica added multiple conflicts to Danny.(the main character) I dont think this book was good was very interesting at first but after reading for a while, I got to see more and more about Danny and all the challenges he had to overcome and how his friends impacted him. Overall, I think Mike Lupica did a nice job developing Danny and how he changed over time.

No Slam Dunk by Mike Lupica (October)

abernstein29_1 — 2025-01-27 18:29:22 UTC

I liked how Mike Lupica added lots of dramatic irony, which gave thrill to this book. At times where there was no dramatic irony, it felt a bit slow. But the times where crazy things were happening, it felt like absolute cinema. It was not my favorite book from mike Lupica, but it was a good read.

The extra yard by Mike Lupica (November)

abernstein29_1 — 2025-01-28 18:53:23 UTC

I really liked this book because the character changed dramatically. The whole book was based upon Teddy's change and how he just wants to get better. This had to be up there with one of the best books from Mike Lupica in my opinion. I liked how Mike Lupica added in other characters, affecting Teddy in many important ways including confidence and motivation.

House arrest by K.A. Holt (December-Januray 2024-2025)

abernstein29_1 — 2025-01-28 19:04:01 UTC

I was not the biggest fan of this book only because it was long, and slow to the point. The whole goal of the book was not completely resolved and in my opinion, I thought the structure of the book could have been better. Although it was not my favorite, I liked how there was two conflicts hanging around in the book.

Giannis Antetokounmpo by Clayton Geoffreys (February 2025)

abernstein29_1 — 2025-03-11 18:07:48 UTC

I was very appealed to this book because I had some background knowledge but I was excited to learn more. He had always been one of my favorite players to watch, and the fact how he has such an amazing childhood is really interesting to me. I also thought this book was interesting because I had no idea he had won a championship or a Finals MVP.

Beyond the arc by vernon brundage jr. March 2025

abernstein29_1 — 2025-03-28 18:03:35 UTC

I enjoyed this book a lot because it had a theme of striving and hitting new goals. He was on a grind to not only get better at basketball, but to get stronger in the weight room. I can relate to this book, making it a more engaging book. This was an enjoyable read, and I was interested in the book a lot.