The Ninja Reviews. . .Bull Rider by Suzanne Morgan Williams

What do skateboarding and bull riding have in common?

Cam O’Mara.

The O’Mara family lives in Nevada and has a long family tradition of ranching and bull riding. Fourteen-year-old Cam prefers to spend his time perfecting his grinds, flips and ollies and leaves the rodeo circuit to his older brother, Ben. However, when Ben is seriously wounded while deployed in Iraq, the O’Mara family is forever altered and Cam must make a choice between his preferred sport and his family legacy. This realistic yet heart-warming story of patriotic courage and family duty will leave you cheering and wanting more.

Bull Rider is Suzanne Morgan Williams’ first novel. It has been named a 2009 Junior Library Guild Selection and is on the 2010 Lonestar and TAYSHAS Reading Lists.

review by Angela

The Ninja Reviews...Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

I know this is an older book, but I really like this former Lone Star.

DJ has a lot on her mind. Like how her father is no longer able to run the farm he inherited from his parents. In addition to normal high school stuff, she has to do all the farm chores her father normally wants to do. And…well…she really wants to play football. Not just at home, but for her school. And DJ knows she’s good. She’s been playing with her brothers since who knows when. One of DJ’s brothers even went off to college on a football scholarship. So, if she can keep up with them, she would be an asset to any team.

When the star quarterback for her school’s rival team ends up being forced to volunteer to work on her family’s farm, the rival coach encourages him to learn from DJ. Will DJ be able to coach a member from a rival team? Or will her feelings get in the way?

Catherine Murdock really brings small town football school rivalry to life through an unlikely character. I am not a big fan of organized sports, but I still enjoyed the book. It really worked, meshing school, football, and just a hint of high school romance.

If you enjoy this former Lone Star, try a current one on sports like: