Lizzy Legend

The mother in me loves this book because Lizzie is such a wonderful role model for young girls. She is passionate, hard-working, goal-oriented, fierce, and loyal. She is also aware of the truth that her value does not lie in how she looks or what clothes she wears. (Though, she does sport some sweet sneaks). Lizzie knows that her goals rely upon her willingness to work hard. I wish I had a nickel for every time I had to remind my own children to practice, practice, practice, and it's nice to have that lesson reinforced in a book that also made me laugh a lot and cry a little too. Like all of us at some time or another, Lizzie is determined to make the tough hand she's been dealt a winning one. As an English teacher, I must also say I appreciate the literary merit of this book. If there are any teachers out there looking for engaging books that you can also justify using in the classroom, look no further. The shifting viewpoint is creative and demonstrative of today's technologically-connected world, while the versatility of character types is engaging and realistic. The methods employed by the author to develop the relationship between Lizzie and her father are subtle yet poignant. Smith subtly develops an unspoken bond between a father and daughter who are stubbornly alike in the interests, in their unwillingness to communicate, and in their devotion to one another. I love the way their thoughts and feelings are not overtly stated but lie just beneath the surface. Not to mention, this book is exciting! Sports are a major part of daily life in our house, and the play-by-play description makes me feel like I'm watching the game. I'll say it again, Lizzie Legend is a slam dunk!

This looks like a nice little kids/tweens type book with an uplifting coming-of-age story and a spunky female protagonist who overcomes great odds to achieve success. A nice little gift for your 6th grade niece or your pre-teen daughter. But it is much more than that. It is a remarkably textured story with a plethora of intriguing side characters. It is a true-to-life Philly/Delco sports story with so many references and name-drops that only a life-long Philly sports fan could pick up on all of them. It experiments with narrative form, shifting into a Grantland-style oral history of important games. It is a true basketball story written with an obvious love for and sophisticated understanding of the game.All in all, an amazing debut novel, and well-worth a read no matter your age.

We read a few chapters of this aloud to the entire 5th grade to gauge interest as we are looking for new book club books to offer the grade. After hearing the opening chapters, kids were arguing over who would get to borrow the book and after a few minutes there was a sign out sheet with nearly every name in the grade - girls and boys. Needless to say, we ordered more and are excited to offer it as a book club option.An engaging, funny, and vivid telling of a childhood dream to which an athlete of any age can relate.

This book is an absolute slam dunk for the targeted age group! (pun intended). My 8 year old is the type of reader who will skim through the first few pages of a book and then want to move on to something else. It has always been a struggle to get him to finish a book from beginning to end. Lizzy Legend solved that problem. I have never seen him so engaged in a story. This is due to the way in which the author presents the story. He does so in an innovative way that is relatable to the middle grade reader and keeps their attention throughout the book. I was blown away to see how enthralled he was in this book and whole heartedly recommend it to anyone who has a son or daughter at the middle grade level!

Book shipped in bag and book binding was pinched at one end, book doesn't lay flat....this was to be a gift...