This book trailer for Stargirl was originally the Mystery Book Theater video for our Romance theme. For more on Stargirl, check out our “Love Is All You Need” podcast.

Imagine you’re just a regular high school guy, going about your normal life. And then one day, a new girl shows up at school. She dresses strange, she plays the ukulele, she serenades people in the cafeteria — and she’s crushing on you. Welcome to Leo’s experience in Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli.

Over the weekend, Nancy and I saw the movie Whip It, and we both loved it. Awesome cast? Check. Killer soundtrack? Check. Touching/hilarious/empowering story of a rocking girl who struggles but eventually finds her strength, both inner and physical? Check! AND the film is based on a book: Derby Girl by Shauna Cross.

Sounds like a perfect match for Kidsmomo, right? Well, I have to warn you: the movie is rated PG-13 and the book is YA. So keeping in mind that you, our loyal Kidsmomo audience, might not be allowed to see the film or read the book, I started wondering if there’s an alternative reading choice with all the same elements. And since I’m totally awesome, I did indeed come up with one… There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock by Jerry Spinelli.

There's a Girl in My Hammerlock by Jerry Spinelli

The book is about 13-year-old Maisie, who decides to try out for her school’s all-boy wrestling team in order to get the attention of a guy she likes. But once on the team, she discovers that she’s actually good at wrestling, and that she loves the sport! Unfortunately, she also discovers how cruel her classmates can be, and that she can’t count on all her supposed friends for support.

In the end — well, I don’t want to give it away. But you guys are smart; I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that this book isn’t exactly a downer. BUT don’t think you’ve got it all figured out, because this book doesn’t have the traditional underdog sports book happy ending. It does, however, live up to the tagline for the movie Whip It, which is: “Be Your Own Hero.”

Makes me wonder why there’s no movie version of There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock. Hollywood, if you’re reading Kidsmomo.com, please make a film based on this book!

Want to know more? Check out an amazingly long excerpt from the book, or listen to a clip from the audio book (including an intro from the author about where he got the idea for the story).

And if you’ve already read There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock, leave a comment letting me know your thoughts!

— Karen

Wow, that's quite a subtitle.

As expressed so well by Jamie Kelly, nicknames can make or break your school years. Example: for reasons unknown to this day, my sisters gave me the nickname “Nut.” Why, sisters, why? But it also got me thinking about a great book chock full of interesting nicknames — Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli.

The residents of the fictional town of Two Mills, Pennsylvania, give Jeffrey Lionel Magee the nickname “Maniac” Magee — at first because he runs really, really fast. But then he also becomes the center of some pretty amazing changes in the divided town of Two Mills, so the nickname carries much more meaning than just a quick pair of feet.

As for other nicknames around town, Maniac gets to know local football star James “Hands” Down and bully “Mars Bar” Thompson. He also becomes friends with Amanda Beale, who carries a personal library of books in a suitcase at all times. (Amanda doesn’t have a nickname, but I always thought she should. How easy would it have been for Jerry Spinelli to just call her Amanda “Books” Beale? Oh, well.)

Pick up this book, and you’ll discover why Maniac runs everywhere, that he’s really good at untying knots, that he plays football as well as a high schooler, and lots more. He even somehow wins a lifetime supply of pizza (but he doesn’t like pizza. I know. Karen is shouting, “WHAT?!” right now).

Do you have a nickname, and do you love it or hate it? Can you think of other book characters with interesting nicknames?

— Nancy