GUEST WRITER MELISSA FULTON RECOMMENDS SLUGFEST BY GORDON KORMA
Slugfest is a funny and heartwarming middle grade novel that blends sports, school drama, and the ups and downs of friendship.
The novel focuses on Yash, a middle school sports legend. He’s such a standout athlete that he’s been excused from 8th grade PE to play on the high school JV teams—and next year’s quarterback spot is basically his. Everything is going perfectly… until a new district rule is announced: no PE credit, no middle school graduation!
Now Yash is sentenced to Slugfest, a.k.a. PE summer school, alongside the “slugs” – the kids who trip over their own shoelaces. Mortified to be one of them, Yash is counting down the days until Slugfest is over. But things go from bad to worse when the class learns their teacher might not even be qualified to teach PE, jeopardizing their graduation. But, as the summer unfolds, Yash starts to realize that maybe the slugs aren’t so hopeless after all, and that being a real team means more than just winning.
Slugfest delivers plenty of relatable moments, whether you’re a sports superstar or can’t catch a ball to save your life. Korman blends humour with genuine heart as we watch unlikely friendships form. This book invites the reader to look beyond the flaws of others and recognize the strengths that make them shine.
“… I see that sports aren’t just for naturals like Yash and Nate. You may not always win, but when you fight hard, and want it with all your heart, regular nobodies—even slugs—can really surprise themselves.”
Melissa Fulton is a teacher candidate at the University of New Brunswick and avid reader of books for all ages. Besides reading, Melissa enjoys swing dancing, spending time in nature, and cheering on her own young sports star from the sidelines.