Million-Dollar Throw

From Barnes & Noble

To win a million dollars all 13-year-old Nate Brodie has to do is to throw a football through a target at a Patriots half-time event. But with dad now unemployed and the family losing its house, tons of pressure rest squarely on the young man's shoulders. Now in paperback; a perfect touchdown as we head into Super Bowl season.

Publishers Weekly

In 2005, an army veteran won $1 million by throwing a football through a target during a halftime show at a college football game. Lupica (The Big Field) inserts a 13-year-old in the contestant role and moves the action to Massachusetts, where QB Nate Brodie stars for his eighth-grade team and idolizes the New England Patriots' Tom Brady. The pressure to win is intense—Nate's father has lost his job, the house is close to foreclosure, and his best friend, Abby, needs money to go to a special school since she is rapidly going blind. Though the entire cast is a bit too perfect, many kids will relate to Nate's fears about his family's finances: “You were going along, having what felt like a pretty cool life, and then all of a sudden came the economy trying to wreck everything.” The ups and downs of Nate's peewee football team provide sports play-by-play, but the thread that will pull readers through is whether Nate can save his and Abby's families with one well-aimed spiral on Thanksgiving night. Ages 10–up. (Nov.)

Booklist

Lupica injects plenty of suspenseful sports action into the plot and creates a cast of uniformly likable characters whose faith in teamwork and in each other ultimately earns handsome rewards for all.

VOYA - Dave Goodale

Eighth-grader Nate "Brady" Brodie is one of professional quarterback Tom Brady's biggest fans. Nate also plays quarterback, and when he wins the chance to throw one pass for a million dollars during halftime at a New England Patriots game, his entire life changes. Suddenly Nate feels a tremendous amount of pressure, and his own play on the football field is adversely affected. In addition, Nate's family is in financial trouble and his parents must take on second jobs. He also faces the prospect of his best friend Abby going blind. Nate must learn to deal with the circumstances that surround him without being weighed down by the pressure to succeed. Instead of burdening himself with the throw and asking, "Why me?," Nate decides to change the question to "Why not?" Bestselling author Lupica stays within his sports fiction niche and provides another solid addition to the genre. The game descriptions are typical Lupica, but the plots that develop away from the field are what make this book special. The possibility of the Brodie family losing their home provides a very current backdrop to the story. Lupica keeps the tension high as the million-dollar throw approaches and surprises the reader with a heartwarming decision at the end of the story. Through Nate, Lupica explores the themes of believing in yourself and handling pressure, issues faced by many teens. Teens who love sports fiction or Lupica's other books will find this book a rapid, enjoyable read. Reviewer: Dave Goodale

Children's Literature - Jody J. Little

Thirteen-year old Nate Brodie loves the game of football. On his eighth grade team, he is the quarterback—just like his idol, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. When Nate wins the opportunity to make a million dollars by throwing a football through a twenty-inch hole at halftime of the Patriot's Thanksgiving Day game, he becomes an instant celebrity. But as the time approaches for his million-dollar throw, Nate's world begins to crumble. His father loses his real estate job, forcing him to work at a sports store and put their home up for sale. His best friend Abby is quickly losing her eyesight to a disease Nate does not understand, and suddenly Nate cannot seem to make a pass on the football field. He loses his starting quarterback position. Even as things get worse and worse for Nate and Abby alike, his friend supports him and gives him strength to believe in himself. By the day of Nate's million-dollar throw, his confidence has been restored. He meets Tom Brady and, in front of a packed stadium, his parents and Abby, Nate spirals the ball through the hole. Author Lupica's sports writing skills are evident in his football game scenes; however, the young characters feel older than thirteen, and the optimism of the adult characters is often unbelievable. Nevertheless, sports fans will enjoy this well-plotted, fast-paced, touching story. Reviewer: Jody J. Little

School Library Journal

Gr 6–8—Lupica delivers another smooth, well-paced, character-driven novel. Thirteen-year-old Nate Brodie's life would seem to be the stuff of adolescent boys' dreams: he is the star quarterback of his school football team and has a great relationship with his best friend and soulmate, Abby McCall. However, all is not smooth sailing. The Brodies are in danger of losing their home in the economic downturn, and Abby's eyesight is failing due to a rare congenital disease. Nate thinks he may have the opportunity to solve all of his problems when he wins the chance to make a million dollars by throwing a football through a small target during halftime at a pro football game. Unfortunately, his quarterbacking skills suddenly and mysteriously desert him just as he is preparing for his big moment. With the support of his family and friends, he fights his way back and regains the confidence he needs to face the challenges in his life. While the serious issues raised about the effects of economic uncertainty on families are resolved a tad too easily, youngsters are likely to accept this as just a good, entertaining read.—Richard Luzer, Fair Haven Union High School, VT

Kirkus Reviews

No matter how complicated things get, Nate Brodie, 13, can always count on the power and accuracy of his football arm. Until, suddenly, he can't, just when he's won the opportunity to score $1,000,000 if he can throw a football through a 20-inch hole during the televised halftime break at a Patriots game. Normally, this feat, though difficult, would be within his remarkable abilities, and he would find fun in the challenge. But tension has been building for a while, sapping his confidence, and his arm is really showing it. The recession has taken a toll on the Brodies, and Nate's family, now in financial distress, could really use the money. Nate is also upset because his adored best friend Abby is rapidly going blind. Sadly, Abby is both a perfect and perfectly unbelievable character, and the scenes with her are mawkish and icky. Still, Lupica's football action engages, and his delineation of the athlete's thought process and emotional highs and lows of competition feels visceral and real. (Fiction. 10 & up)