Great Play, Morgan

Deborah Dowson is a Canadian children’s librarian living in Powell,
Ohio.

The only sport that Morgan excels at is video game skateboarding; but
when Charlie persuades Morgan to give soccer a try, he agrees. After
all, there are cool uniforms and snacks after the game. When Aldeen
Hummel (the Queen of Mean) discovers Morgan practising on his own, he
tells her how wonderful his new soccer team will be. At the first team
practice, Morgan and his teammates are dismayed to discover that Aldeen
has signed up too. Aldeen has a habit of drawing penalties for her rough
style of play, and when the team loses a crucial game because of a
penalty shot that Morgan was unable to save, Morgan and Aldeen both
decide to quit. Instead, Morgan has a little talk with Aldeen and they
both come through in their own way for the team.

The First Novels series bridges the gap between beginning readers and
more challenging chapter books. The large print and frequently placed
illustrations help create an enticing and accessible format for early
independent readers. Morgan’s knack for expressive verbalizations and
his amusing mishaps make his adventures fun to read. However, this
latest adventure is less interesting than earlier Morgan books. The
character of Aldeen is a cross between a slapstick cartoon figure and a
disadvantaged little girl, and the fact that in this story she gets away
with hurting other kids in front of parents and coaches is not funny in
the least. Not a first-choice purchase.