Don’t Throw It to Mo!
by David A. Adler
illustrated by Sam Ricks
Penguin Young Readers, 2015. 32 pages.
2016 Geisel Award Winner
The publisher labels this book “Level 2” for the “Progressing Reader.” It uses simple sentences and lots of pictures – but tells a story with a plot and a twist.
Mo loves football, but he’s the smallest and youngest player on his team. He doesn’t play often. Then Coach Steve carries out a plan to get the other team undervaluing Mo. He puts Mo in and tells him to go deep – but tells the team, “Don’t throw it to Mo!”
After a few plays like this, the other team’s not worried about Mo – setting him up to catch a long pass and win the game.
That summary, of course, doesn’t do the book justice. The author uses the simple sentences of an early reader as an asset, building the suspense and making the result believable. I told you what happened. Readers will see and understand what’s happening. And when they read the words themselves, they’ll get a big pay-off when Mo wins the game.
Mo’s not the only winner from this book.
Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Picture_Books/dont_throw_it_to_mo.html
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Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.
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