Rebound

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

C.J. has ambitions to play on the National High School basketball team,
and she is proud to be chosen as captain in her first year on the team.
However, her goal to acquire a high number of personal points becomes
more important to her than making the best plays with the team. When
C.J. discovers that she has idiopathic juvenile arthritis, she refuses
to let the disease interfere with her dreams. She valiantly attempts to
play as she always did, but the old problems of jealous teammates and
lost opportunities, and, worse, her arthritis, continue to plague her.
In the end, C.J. comes to terms with the limitations of playing for
herself instead of for the team, and becomes a better player and
captain, in spite of her physical limitations.

Rebound is insightful and informative on the subject of idiopathic
juvenile arthritis, and offers a positive example of an athlete who
responds to a painful disease with courage and persistence. It is a
sombre subject, however, and combined with the tension of the team
dynamics there is no relief from the pressures that C.J. experiences.
Even C.J.’s success is hindered by the knowledge that she will always
be plagued by pain. This is a tough, realistic sports story for teens
who are serious about their sport, although it may be a little too
severe for the average reader. Recommended.