Author: Amy Makechnie
Genre: realistic fiction
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The Distance to Home by Jenn Bishop
Rating:
Summary (provided by publisher):Twelve-year-old Golden Maroni is determined to channel his hero, soccer superstar Lionel Messi, and become captain of his soccer team and master of his eighth grade universe…especially since his home universe is spiraling out of orbit. Off the field, Golden’s dad, once a pro soccer player himself, is now battling ALS, a disease that attacks his muscles, leaving him less and less physically able to control his body every day. And while Mom says there’s no cure, Golden is convinced that his dad can beat this, just like any opponent, they just have to try.
Golden knows that if you want to perfect a skill you have to put ten thousand tries in, so he’s convinced if he can put that much effort in, on and off the field, he can stop everything from changing. But when his dad continues to decline and his constant pushing starts to alienate his friends and team, Golden is forced to confront the idea that being master of your universe might not mean being in control of everything. What if it means letting go of the things you can’t control so you can do the most good for the things you can?
My opinion: It becomes pretty clear, early on, where this plot is headed. ALS is a terminal disease, so all it takes is a little knowledge to understand the degree of willful ignorance that Golden is engaging in. His determination to believe that he can fix his dad is a bit uncomfortable to read at times and if that were the primary focus I'm not sure I could have made it through this one. At the same time he's plotting cures, though, he's also learning what it means to be a leader and gradually accepting the changes in his family's life that come with his father's decline. There is a solid balance between the sports elements and the family trauma. A tough read but has some heart.
More information: Ten Thousand Tries releases August 1
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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