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miszjeanie's review against another edition
5.0
Takedown follows two middle-schoolers, Mikayla (Mickey) and Lev, both of whom are wrestlers. I don’t know much about the sport itself and couldn’t picture a lot of the moves the kids performed in the book, but the stand out themes for me were friendship and identity. Both kids grew so much by the end of the book, it made my heart very happy. Plus, I love reading about sensitive male characters and Lev is just the sweetest boy!
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
So it took me a while to pick this one up. I'm not a wrestling fan, but my two kiddos read it first and persuaded me to give it a chance. I'm glad I did.
Mickey is a 12-year-old girl growing up with brothers and a father devoted to the local wrestling team. It's only natural she follows in their footsteps -- right onto the mat.
Not everyone knows what to make of her, but rather than go to an "all-girl" team, she holds her own and wrestles her way onto a club team. It's not the one her brothers wrestled for, but it's a good team and she finds a true friend and partner in Lev, who admires her grit and determination to make it to the state championships.
I liked the ending -- she doesn't win it all, and almost loses her best friend, but does realistically well.
Visit my blog for more middle grade book reviews, free teaching resources and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com
Mickey is a 12-year-old girl growing up with brothers and a father devoted to the local wrestling team. It's only natural she follows in their footsteps -- right onto the mat.
Not everyone knows what to make of her, but rather than go to an "all-girl" team, she holds her own and wrestles her way onto a club team. It's not the one her brothers wrestled for, but it's a good team and she finds a true friend and partner in Lev, who admires her grit and determination to make it to the state championships.
I liked the ending -- she doesn't win it all, and almost loses her best friend, but does realistically well.
Visit my blog for more middle grade book reviews, free teaching resources and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com
b10tch's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
blissfuloctopus's review against another edition
4.0
A fun-to-read, feel-good book. Definitely something that I'd read again in the future!
wordnerd153's review against another edition
4.0
It took me a few chapters before I got sucked into Lev and Mickey’s story. Still not a fan of wrestling, but I certainly understand it more after reading this.
kateteaching7and8's review against another edition
4.0
Mikayla has grown up in a household of wrestlers. As she enters her sixth grade year, she is moving from the rec team to the local traveling team. She always thought she'd be an Eagle like her older brothers, but the coach won't allow her to join because she's a girl. This forces her to join the opposing team, the Gladiators. It also makes her more determined than ever to prove she has what it takes to be an amazing wrestler. Lev, also a sixth grader and determined wrestler, who has his eyes set on the state chamionship. He trains with his two best buddies, the fearsome threesome, on the Gladiators team. When Mickey (Mikayla) joins the team and coach pairs them together, he's positive his chances at state are gone. However, he soon realizes that maybe he's wrong and Mickey is just the partner he needs to push himself farther. The two work hard and push each other, but there can only be one state champion.
I don't read a lot of sports books, but with wrestling season coming up, I thought I'd check this one out. I like that it includes a strong female protagonist and I think it accurately portrays what many female wrestlers go through. I also enjoyed that this story was told from two perspectives: Mikayla (Mickey) and Lev. Not only do we get to see Mikayla's struggle, but we also get to see Lev's perspective and thoughts as he goes from questioning Mickey's abilities to respecting her as an opponent and friend. This was a heartwarming and fun read. I also found it to be a fairly quick book to read.
I don't read a lot of sports books, but with wrestling season coming up, I thought I'd check this one out. I like that it includes a strong female protagonist and I think it accurately portrays what many female wrestlers go through. I also enjoyed that this story was told from two perspectives: Mikayla (Mickey) and Lev. Not only do we get to see Mikayla's struggle, but we also get to see Lev's perspective and thoughts as he goes from questioning Mickey's abilities to respecting her as an opponent and friend. This was a heartwarming and fun read. I also found it to be a fairly quick book to read.
barberchicago_books's review against another edition
5.0
What an original, inspiring story of two wrestlers, Mikayla & Lev. Told in alternating points of view, Takedown is less a sports story and more about friendship and finding who you are. I loved Mikayla’s spunk as much as I was drawn to Lev’s thoughtfulness, and the supporting characters were beautifully developed.
It’s not often we get an original middle grade sports story, but this is one, and I’m proud to share it with my students.
It’s not often we get an original middle grade sports story, but this is one, and I’m proud to share it with my students.
pussreboots's review against another edition
2.0
So it's about sexism in sports and toxic masculinity. Mikayla has to go above and beyond to prove herself, more so than any of her male teammates. Lev meanwhile has to suffer through constant teasing for being teamed with a girl.
Beyond that, this book is best suited for readers who are in into wresting or similar school sports.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2019/comments_02/takedown.html
Beyond that, this book is best suited for readers who are in into wresting or similar school sports.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2019/comments_02/takedown.html
cweichel's review against another edition
4.0
I was slow getting into this book as I wondered how it would compare to [b: There's a Girl in my Hammerlock|368440|There's a Girl in My Hammerlock|Jerry Spinelli|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1174174381l/368440._SX50_.jpg|351811] by Jerry Spinelli, a novel about a girl wrestler that I read ages and ages ago. It didn't take long and I was entirely engrossed by Mikayla and Lev stories. The book is told from both of their perspectives in alternating chapters.
Spinelli's book, about the only girl on a wrestling team was written in 1991. I wish this book showed that things have changed. Alas, they have not.
I came to care a lot about both of these protagonists and was invested in how their relationship with each other and their families and friends evolved. I how the book takes a close look at competition and what gets left behind in the lives of elite athletes and lost in the joy of a sport as competitors move up into higher levels of play. I appreciate that our protagonists learned more about themselves in this book, but I'm equally happy that the secondary characters underwent transformations as well.
This book reminded me of my five year old boys playing soccer just for the crazy joy of being on a team and not really even understanding winning and losing. I think of them and other kids who ended up sitting on the bench because a coach doesn't think they are good enough to produce a win. I think with great fondness of the one coach who scrupulously played every kid on my son's hockey team, no matter that they lost every game. It was one of my son's best years of sports.
Spinelli's book, about the only girl on a wrestling team was written in 1991. I wish this book showed that things have changed. Alas, they have not.
I came to care a lot about both of these protagonists and was invested in how their relationship with each other and their families and friends evolved. I how the book takes a close look at competition and what gets left behind in the lives of elite athletes and lost in the joy of a sport as competitors move up into higher levels of play. I appreciate that our protagonists learned more about themselves in this book, but I'm equally happy that the secondary characters underwent transformations as well.
This book reminded me of my five year old boys playing soccer just for the crazy joy of being on a team and not really even understanding winning and losing. I think of them and other kids who ended up sitting on the bench because a coach doesn't think they are good enough to produce a win. I think with great fondness of the one coach who scrupulously played every kid on my son's hockey team, no matter that they lost every game. It was one of my son's best years of sports.
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