Illustration By Rick Lieder
Pub Date: Spring 2009
Price: $15.95
Jacketed Hard Cover
ISBN: 978-934813-03-6
Page Count: 188
Ages 12+
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STEPPING UP
by Mark Fink
Ernie Dolan, 14, is plagued by the curse of the average. Nothing about him stands out—except his stutter. Only best friend Mike Rivers sees him at his best. Then, at a competitive basketball camp, Mike excels while Ernie is—average. When Ernie blunders in a pickup game, Rick Craig, obnoxious camp hotshot, nicknames him "Choke." This sets the tone for Ernie's first week. But he soon finds three new allies: bunkmate Albert Mann, a goofy genius and practical joker; Coach Petrovich, a 6'8" Russian who mangles the English language; and camp director Tim Sanders, the mentor every kid needs. Soon, Ernie and Mike are on the outs, as Mike hangs with Craig and the jocks. But things change dramatically as Ernie morphs from outcast to hero, risking his life to save three campmates from near tragedy. Ernie's funny, heartwarming story unfolds against the backdrop of exciting, authentic basketball action, while touching on typical teen issues of friendship and the near-deadly consequences of peer pressure.
Read What Writers Are Saying About Stepping Up:
"Short, shy, stuttering and worst of all 'average,' Ernie Dolan learns at basketball camp the real moves that make a man. Inspiring."
—Robert Lipsyte, author of The Contender and Yellow Flag
"Mark Fink's Stepping Up is an insightful, moving and funny novel about basketball—and much more. Fink knows the game, nails the voice and populates his work with realistic characters. You can't help but cheer for Ernie Dolan as he takes his best shot."
—John Foley, author of Hoops of Steel
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