Tournament of Champions by Phil Bildner

Tournament of Champions by Phil Bildner

The third book in a fun, illustrated middle-grade series about friendship, school, and basketball.

It's spring of their fifth-grade year and Rip and Red have a thrilling opportunity to participate in a weekend basketball tournament with a few other members of Clifton United. While the tournament is only a short bus ride away, both boys will travel outside their comfort zones.

Ultra-competitive Rip must play on a team with kids he doesn't like. But he faces an even bigger hurdle when someone from his past returns, someone he hasn't seen in years, someone who just may derail the entire weekend. As for Red, because of his autism spectrum disorder, he's never traveled anywhere without his mother. Will he muster the courage to take the trip?

Fortunately for both boys, also on the team is an unlikely addition, a source of inspiration who helps everyone discover the true meaning of the word champion.

Tournament of Champions by Phil Bildner, with illustrations by Tim Probert, is a fun, fast-paced, and diverse middle grade novel perfect for reluctant readers and sports fans.

Read all of the Rip and Red series:
A Whole New Ballgame
Rookie of the Year
Tournament of Champions
Most Valuable Players

Praise for Rookie of the Year:

This fast, fun read featuring characters who love books as much as basketball will appeal to sports fans and nonathletes alike. --School Library Journal

A diverse cast of characters highlights this good-natured, high-spirited slice of life. --Kirkus Reviews

Praise for A Whole New Ballgame:

The book depicts the evolution of a group of fifth graders who learn a lot, grow a lot, and help one another . . . The charming and diverse characters are] pure fun with a lot of heart. --School Library Journal

If the students are inspiring, so is their teacher] Mr. Acevedo, who risks his job to do such radical things as reading aloud and encouraging free reading. (He's supposed to be preparing the kids to take tests ) Probert's cartoonish illustrations lend energy and personality to the likable cast of characters. --Kirkus Reviews

This warm slice-of-life novel from Bildner engages and entertains . . . Probert's energetic illustrations match the positive exuberance of the story. --Publishers Weekly

With its energetic and authentic story and artwork, this is a fresh, fun book about school, sports, and friendship. --Children's Book Council

Phil Bildner is a former New York City public school teacher who lives in Newburgh, New York. The author of many books, including Marvelous Cornelius: Hurricane Katrina and the Spirit of New Orleans and The Soccer Fence: A Story of Friendship, Hope, and Apartheid in South Africa, Phil is a frequent speaker at conferences and travels to over sixty schools a year.

Tim Probert has illustrated children's books, including Pickle by Kim Baker, as well as magazines and advertisements. He is also a director at the animation studio Aardman Nathan Love. He lives in New York City.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780374305079
ISBN 10	0374305072
Title	Tournament of Champions
Author	Phil Bildner
Series	Rip And Red
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Farrar, Straus And Giroux (Byr)
Year published	2017-06-06
Number of pages	256
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.