Game Changer
4/5
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About this ebook
Thirteen-year-old Teddy Youngblood is in a coma, fighting for his life after an unspecified football injury at training camp. His family and friends flock to his bedside to support his recovery—and to discuss the events leading up to the tragic accident. Was this the inevitable result of playing a violent sport, or did something more sinister happen on the field that day?
Told in an innovative multimedia format combining dialogue, texts, newspaper articles, interview transcripts, an online forum, and Teddy’s inner thoughts, Game Changer explores the joyous thrills and terrifying risks of America’s most popular sport.
Tommy Greenwald
Tommy Greenwald--according to his wife, Cathy--has the maturity level of a thirteen-year-old, which makes him uniquely qualified to write this book. He has had the best time ever writing the Charlie Joe Jackson series, and is looking forward to his next challenge, which may involve dogs, or chocolate, or both. He is also the author of Jack Strong Takes a Stand and Katie Friedman Gives Up Texting! (And Lives to Tell About It). To read annoyingly outdated information about Tommy, please visit tommygreenwald.com. @tommygreenwald
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Reviews for Game Changer
23 ratings5 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I love that it talks about hope and it really inspires me in a way to wanna help people I love it!!!!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Teddy is in a coma from what appears to have been an accident during a preseason high school football practice. As an incoming freshman, Teddy along with his fellow freshman teammates participate in a game called the Rookie Rumble that is coached by the seniors on the football team. At the end of the game, Teddy passes out and is taken to the hospital. Teddy's entire family converges on the hospital, including his estranged mother, to speak to him and give him positive words of encouragement. In the meantime, online conversations and a therapist transcript with a player named Ethan hint at something more that may have happened during the Rookie Rumble.Game Changer is told through online conversations, transcripts, and Teddy's thoughts. This format actually enhances the story because it precipitates opportunities for the reader to make inferences about what may have happened to Teddy. The characters are developed as their thoughts are outlined during these conversations. Real issues of violence in football as well as hazing are addressed in this book. My only complaint is that the ending seems a little to pat to be believable, but overall, Game Changer is a very well written book that deals with timely topics surrounding youth football.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5When the story begins, thirteen year old Teddy Youngblood is in a coma from a football injury or at least that's what you think initially. Then rumours start and you start to believe that maybe it was something besides a normal football practice that ended up getting him hurt. There are various characters who all weigh in with comments and thoughts and conversations; his parents, the coach, the coaches daughter, Teddy's best friend Ethan, the varsity captain Will, another varsity player, Alec, Nurse Ricky, Teddy's sister and the doctor.It was interesting to have the story pieced together bit by bit from the messages and the articles etc. I wanted there to be more to the story though. I enjoyed it but I was left wanting a little bit more. I did like the ending very much because I like that we don't know WHAT he is going to say. He wakes up and says, "I remember" and the story stops right there. We don't know if he's going to keep quiet about the whole thing or tell all. Since the title of the book is Game Changer... I'm thinking that he's going to tell what happened to him.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This realistic fiction novel is going to be checked out constantly! Get it when you see it on the shelf!The structure of the novel is different. There are no paragraphs, little character development. It’s all what one kid is hearing while in coma or text messages or comments on something like a Facebook page. The novel begins and ends with a newspaper article. It may take some time to keep the characters straight because you have to look at who is posting the text or message.The novel begins with an article about the Walthorne Football team and the expectations the town has for them to possibly go to state. The novel then has a hospital admittance report for Edward Youngblood (goes by Teddy) who is 13 years old and has been admitted with a head trauma and is comatose in critical condition. Teddy is a freshman and is on his way to be an amazing football player. In a scrimmage, something happens and he collapses. The novel proceeds with giving different information as people reveal it in their texts or conversations with Teddy at the hospital. My favorite characters are his sister, Janey and Nurse Ricky.You won’t be able to put the novel down. You won’t be too surprised to learn what happened as the novel unfolds. I really think that this novel will be well liked by the majority of our students. Read it!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Enjoyed this quick, easy to read, multi-media influenced YA sports. Sports are very hard to write about, or at least I've read very few fiction books that it address it well, but Greenwald does a nice job in this book. Usually the narrative of sports falls apart when the writer tries to detail play-to-play action. Greenwald, through the mediums he chose, is largely able to avoid that, and I think it pays off. What the book lacks in football-specific action, it makes up for with more than enough debate from both sides of the is-it-safe-to-play-football debate. It is hard to walk away from the book thinking that the book slants somewhat to the anti side, and the only argument presented on the other side are along the standard refrains of "it's a great game", "it helps bond communities together and helps turn boys into men". Not very convincing. In the end, a good book I would recommend to 9th grade students (maybe 10th graders with a high sense of innocence) .
Book preview
Game Changer - Tommy Greenwald
information.
PART ONE
FRIDAY, AUGUST 26
5:43 PM
HOSPITAL ADMITTANCE REPORT
EDWARD YOUNGBLOOD
13-YEAR-OLD MALE, HEAD TRAUMA.
POSSIBLE INTRACRANIAL BLEED.
NO EXTERNAL INJURIES.
COMATOSE, NEEDS TOTAL RESPIRATORY CARE.
CONDITION: CRITICAL
INSIDE
Light in the darkness
Circles without shape
Colors I can’t see
Memories I can’t feel
Voices but no words
Thoughts but no meaning
Come on, Eden, let’s do this
Don’t be soft
Can you hit somebody?
Show me you can hit somebody
Eden
Eden, come on
Come on
Eden
I’m
I didn’t
Don’t be a girl
This wasn’t
I’m falling
I’m falling
I’m
I’m
Is it raining?
6:51 PM
Group Text from Will
16 People
guys
just checking in to make sure
everyone has the latest info
incoming freshman ted youngblood is in the hospital from that hit he took at camp today
it’s pretty bad, not sure how bad yet but i heard he’s still unconscious
it sucks
even though these things happen in football sometimes it totally sucks
i want to make sure everyone is doing okay
everyone on the team needs to keep their heads in the game
be strong and stick together
we’re a team and we’ll always be a team
never forget that guys!
if i hear anything else i’ll update on this thread
otherwise see everyone at practice monday 8am sharp
DR. SPARKS
Mr. and Mrs. Youngblood
I want you to know your son is in the best hands
He’s getting the finest care
The very best care
The most important thing for him is rest
So his brain can heal
And he needs to know you’re there
It’s important to talk to him
He can hear you, I promise
He is listening
Not in the traditional sense, of course
And we can’t expect any sort of response just yet
But he can hear every word you say
It’s very important to keep talking to him
One person at a time is best
Multiple voices can be too much
We don’t want to overwhelm him
But he needs to be stimulated
Stay positive and strong
Try not to sound upset or scared
Talk about anything you want, but stay upbeat
He will get through this as long as you’re right there with him
Remember
Every word counts.
MOM
Honey
Teddy
Can you feel my hand?
Squeeze my hand if you can feel it
Squeeze it, honey
Okay, maybe later
I
Am I too close?
I’m going to sit
I’ll sit here, okay?
I stopped by the house and picked up a bunch of your things
Some posters and your favorite pj’s and other stuff
But I forgot your pillow
I’m so mad I forgot your pillow
I texted Dad
He just left to pick up Janey, so I asked him to get it
I’m going to wash the pillowcase
Get it nice and soft just the way you like it
I know how much you love that pillow
I would get it myself, but I don’t want to leave you right now
I want to stay right here
I’m going to stay right here
I love you so much
I’m here
I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart
I’m never going anywhere again
I’m back
I’m here
I’m back for good.
DAD
Hey
Hey, bud
How’s my guy?
How’s my man?
You look great, Teddy
You look really good
You really do
I’m not just saying that
You look strong
Okay, so
Uh
I know you saw Mom
She hasn’t been
You know
It’s been a while, kiddo
But she loves you very much
More than anything in this world
She only wants to see you get better
We all need to be a family right now
Hey, look what I found
I guess I had it in the office
One of your first game balls
Oh man, remember?
The sixth-grade championship a few years back?
That was some game
You made that goal line tackle and the whole team jumped on you
Crowd going nuts
That’s what it’s all about
Remember they used to call you the game changer
?
Because you were always the one who made the difference
Man was I proud
Oh yeah
I brought your speakers
You can blast your music as loud as you want
So
Oh man
You’ll be just fine, Teddy
I know you will
You’re such a tough kid
So strong and tough
You look really great, though, you really do
Oh shoot
I got Mom’s text about the pillow, but I forgot to bring it
I better go get it
Okay, kiddo
Somebody wants to say hi
Go ahead, honey
Don’t be afraid
Go ahead.
JANEY
Hey, Teddy
Um
Hi
Are you
Are you doing okay?
Ugh
That was stupid
So
Yeah, no
They said
They said just talk to you like I guess I would talk to you any other day, right?
Okay, so
I can’t believe Dad forgot your pillow. Of course that turned into a whole thing, what else is new? But anyway, Dad is going back to the house to get it. It’s weird to see Mom and Dad together. Like, it’s the same, but different. Your hair is super dirty by the way. You’re lucky you can’t see it. I mean, obviously you’re not, but you are. What a mess, somebody should totally wash it for you, it’s like really greasy, and like, you would be so mad if you saw your hair right now, you would be like, so mad if you could see yourself. You know how you stare at yourself in the mirror all the time and I yell at you because I need the bathroom
Maybe Dad can get the nurse to wash it
I didn’t know they had men nurses
Or I guess I knew they did, but I don’t think I’ve ever met one before
Do you want me to check your texts? Or Dad can I guess
Alec texted me, he said he’s coming
He got a text from Camille, she is going to come see you too, with her dad
I guess a lot of people already heard about what happened, like the whole town has heard already, and everybody feels horrible, all the kids in your grade and stuff, they’re all kind of freaking out, especially the boys on the football team, I’m sure you know that already
Alec sounded so scared
Oh wait, I forgot Mom said I shouldn’t talk about that stuff
Uh
Yeah, so, I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?
Night, Teddy
Please come home
Wash that hair though, okay?
9:09 PM
Text from Alec
ethan
ethan are you there
dude what’s going on
pls text me back
people want to know how u r doing
just mking sure you’re okay
let me know if you want to talk about it
seriously ethan text me back okay??
Friday at 9:22 pm
Camille I don’t know if everyone heard but Teddy Youngblood was hurt today at football preseason camp. He is in the hospital and I’m not sure how serious it is but I think it’s pretty serious because my dad has been on the phone with different people for hours and it seems like it’s bad. I have been crying all night I feel like I have no more tears left. As soon as I have more information from my dad I will let everyone know and if anybody knows anything else they should share it too. I’m so scared.
37
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NURSE RICKY
Hello there, Mr. Edward Youngblood
I like that name by the way
I really do
Anyway
I’m Nurse Ricky
But you can call me just Ricky
I’ll be looking after you during your stay here with us
My job is to make your visit as comfortable as possible
So if there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to holler
Sound good?
Your family is here and they love you very much
That’s a good-looking family you got there by the way
Not too shabby
But it’s almost bedtime
Time to dream
Forget your troubles, come on get happy
We’re gonna wipe all your cares away
You know that song?
Of course not
It’s way before your time
It’s way before my time
You just get your rest, okay?
So your kid sister was giving me a hard time about not washing your hair
Feisty little thing, isn’t she?
Gotta keep on her good side, yes I do
So let’s do this
Here, let me lift you up just a little
Fix this mop up once and for all
There we go
There we are
That feels better, right?
That’s the way uh-huh uh-huh
I like it uh-huh uh-huh
That’s the way I like it
You know that song?
You don’t know that one either?
We need to educate you in the ways of music
Yup, there we go
This oughta make