Rush for the Gold: Mystery at the Olympics by John Feinstein

Reviewed by Danilo C.
Grade 8

As the sixth book of a book series that has been one of my favorites ever since I started reading it, I knew Rush for the Gold was bound to be a good book, and I was right. This thrilling mystery takes place at this year’s London Olympics’ swim races. Just like in the books before it, this book incorporates interesting sports understanding as well as investigative reporting which make it a tremendously exciting novel.

Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson, two teenage reporters who have been covering sporting events together for two years, are back again, this time under completely different circumstances. Normally, Stevie and Susan Carol cover big-time sporting events together as newspaper reporters. In this book, Susan Carol is there as an Olympic athlete. Susan Carol swims the 100 and 200 fly, and after nearly breaking records at the trials, she made it on the Olympic swim team for both races. At first it seemed like a dream come true, but it soon became a nightmare. Soon enough there were agents at her doorstep wooing her father with unfathomable amounts of money, and before she knew it Susan Carol was being used more as a marketing tool than as a swimmer. Things only got worse from there; her longtime swim coach was almost fired, her best friends were being shut out of her life, and her father wasn’t listening to her or anyone but the agents. To make matters worse, she and Stevie found themselves entrenched in a mystery scandal involving a sportswear company and a Russian swimmer.

John Feinstein has always been one of my favorite authors for multiple reasons. One, I am an avid sports fan, so his extensive knowledge of sports always interests me whenever I read his books. Two, I also enjoy mysteries, and John Feinstein is able to combine both of these topics and make them into an outstanding novel. I also like the way he combines real people into the story to make it more realistic.

This entire series is a must read for any mystery reader, sports fan, or both. The way the author incorporates big time sporting events and turns them into thrilling mystery novels is unheard of, which is what makes this book a must read. Reading this book and the ones before it will have any reader anticipating the next masterpiece Feinstein comes up with.

Swim the Fly by Don Calame

Reviewed by Zoey H.
Grade 9

Ever had a summer goal? Maybe it was to find your summer fling or read the whole Harry Potter series. Well for Matt, Sean and Cooper their annual goal is to see a real, live naked girl in person. Not an easy task for guys who have never asked a girl out and are the laughing stock of the Rockwell swim team.

It’s the beginning of the summer, and three best friends Matt, Sean and Cooper are deciding on their annual summer goal. This year’s goal is to see a real live naked girl in person. Matt, Sean and Cooper head off to swim practice and meet the newest member of the team, Kelly West. She quickly leaves a lasting impression on Matt. To get her to notice him, Matt decides to volunteer to swim the 100-yard butterfly stroke--the hardest stroke known to man. After disastrous attempts to see a naked girl involving laxatives, makeup and non-alcoholic beer, things aren’t looking so bright for the guys. Will this be the first year the boys don’t accomplish their summer goal?

The characters in Swim the Fly are hilarious and easy to relate to. The character I found the most interesting was Cooper. He’s the type of person that won’t stop at anything to get something done and always has a plan. Cooper is clever when it comes to getting around rules. This quality came into light when he faked throwing up in the pool to get Matt out of the swim meet.

Swim the Fly is a great read for summer! I would recommend it for anyone who wants an easy read and a good laugh. Under all the laughs and joking there is a good message in this book. With a little determination and will power you can accomplish anything.