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Title details for Brave Like That by Lindsey Stoddard - Available

Brave Like That

by Lindsey Stoddard
ebook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available

Find yourself. Find your place. Find your brave.


This uplifting tale, which award-winning author Leslie
Connor dubbed "a perfectly paced journey of the heart" is perfect for fans of
Lisa Graff and Lynda Mullaly Hunt.
Cyrus Olson's dad is a hero—Northfield's former
football star and now one of their finest firefighters. Everyone expects Cyrus to follow in his dad's
record-breaking footsteps, and he wishes they were right—except he's never been
brave like that. But this year, with the help of a stray dog, a few new friends,
a little bit of rhythm, and a lot of nerve, he may just discover that
actually...he is.
Lauded as "remarkable" by the New York Times Book Review, Lindsey Stoddard's heartfelt stories continue
to garner critical acclaim, and her latest novel will have fans new and old rooting
for Cyrus and Parker's special bond and the courage it helps them both to find.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    June 2, 2020

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780062878144

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780062878144
      • File size: 614 KB

  • Accessibility

    The publisher provides the following statement about the accessibility of the EPUB file supplied to OverDrive. Experiences may vary across reading systems. After borrowing the book, you may download the EPUB files to read in another reading system.

    Ways Of Reading

    • No information about appearance modifiability is available.

    • Not all of the content will be readable as read aloud speech or dynamic braille.

    Conformance

    • No information is available.

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • ATOS Level: 5.3
    • Interest Level: 4-8(MG)
    • Text Difficulty: 4

  • Reviews

    • Kirkus

      March 15, 2020
      A sixth grader who's struggling to find a path forward that doesn't disappoint his adoptive father befriends a bullied boy who's delightfully comfortable in his own skin. His father was a talented football player, so Cyrus believes that if he doesn't succeed on the gridiron, he won't live up to his expectations. But last year was the first year of full tackle, and Cyrus hates it. He finds far greater satisfaction helping out alongside some friendly girls at the local animal shelter, where a stray dog that he befriended has been taken. To volunteer there he must lie his way out of practices and deceive his father, too. Meanwhile, he conceals another serious problem: Even though he reads fluently, he comprehends almost nothing. When his two football-star friends begin to unmercifully pick on puny, smart, and unconventional Eduardo, Cyrus is faced with a daunting challenge. He's convinced he's not brave, but can he find the courage to stand up to his friends and protect the boy he finds understands him much better than they do? Cyrus is movingly supported by his grandmother, who can no longer speak after a stroke but whose love shines through. Cyrus' plight believably expands to seem almost insurmountable, but help comes from surprising directions in this moving, character-driven tale. Cyrus and his family seem to be white; Eduardo is Latinx. With a strong, never-preachy anti-bullying message, this one scores a touchdown. (Fiction. 9-13)

      COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • School Library Journal

      Starred review from June 1, 2020

      Gr 3-7-When a dog is left at the firehouse where his dad works, Cyrus immediately feels a connection. As a baby, he'd been abandoned there, too. The only person who could soothe him was Brooks Olson, the firefighter who ultimately adopted him. His dad has a strict no pets policy and warns Cyrus not to get attached to the dog he named Parker. The undernourished dog has health issues, and after dropping him off at the vet, Dad instructs Cyrus to forget about Parker and focus on middle school football tryouts. The problem is, Cyrus no longer wants to play football. He hasn't found a way to share the news with his dad, who is also a local football legend. He also hasn't figured out how to explain his struggles with reading. This issue becomes even more troubling when Cyrus is instructed to write a book report for language arts class. Balancing these secrets becomes harder, especially when Cyrus begins skipping football practice to volunteer at the shelter where Parker is housed. When Cyrus is caught in a lie, it is time to come clean with his father about who he wants to be. Stoddard has created complex, heartfelt characters. Cyrus's grandmother, who has lost the ability to speak after a stroke, helps Cyrus navigate his struggles with reading and foster a love for music. The passages featuring their unique way of communicating are extraordinary. His burgeoning friendship with nonconformist new student Eduardo, who is bullied by Cyrus's former football friends, is authentically written, and it's a joy to see Cyrus finding his own voice as he defends him. VERDICT This heartfelt and triumphant novel touches on bullying, stereotypes, and learning differences in a straightforward fashion. Cyrus's journey toward self-acceptance will inspire readers of all ages.-Juliet Morefield, Multnomah County Lib., Portland, OR

      Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • BookPage
      The kids are a lot bigger in middle school. That’s the first thing Cyrus Olson notices when he steps onto the field for football tryouts. Everyone expects him to become the next star receiver for Joseph Lee Heywood Middle School, just like his dad was. In fact, they expect him to be a lot of things like his big, strong firefighter dad, but that’s just not Cyrus.  In Brave Like That, author Lindsey Stoddard (Just Like Jackie, Right as Rain) creates a grounded and authentic story that illustrates how being brave doesn’t always mean running into burning buildings or being the leader of the A-team. Cyrus feels like the frightening things in his life just keep growing. He knows tackle football is going to hurt; the hallways and classrooms of middle school are full of unfamiliar classmates and teachers and harder schoolwork than ever before; and his beloved grandma is still recovering from a recent stroke. It’s all too much, and Cyrus is afraid that he’s just not brave enough to handle any of it.  Then Cyrus’ dad finds a stray dog, alone at the front door of the firehouse, just like he found Cyrus exactly 11 years before. Unlike Cyrus, however, his dad has no plans to keep the dog, whom Cyrus names Parker. But if Cyrus is going to get through this year, he knows he’s going to need help from the most unlikely places, whether from a few unexpected friends, his grandma’s old vinyl records or the weight of a lonely dog resting a tired head on his shoulder. Brave Like That is a nuanced and realistic story of a boy realizing that what he wants for himself is different than what other people may want for him. Cyrus’ sensitive first-person narration is effortlessly constructed and will draw readers in to his thoughts and feelings from the very first page. Stoddard treads familiar middle grade territory, addressing evergreen themes of friendship and loyalty, but Cyrus’ warm and supportive relationships at the firehouse and his family’s unwavering love make the story shine. Put Brave Like That into the hands of any reader struggling to figure out who they really want to be, and it’ll show them that being yourself is the bravest, if sometimes the hardest, thing you can do.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:5.3
  • Interest Level:4-8(MG)
  • Text Difficulty:4

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