Game Changer by Tommy Greenwald

 Teddy Youngblood is 13 years old and in a coma.  He was injured during a summer football camp run by the high school for incoming freshmen.  At first everyone believes it was just an accident, the unfortunate result of regular football play.  As classmates and teammates get together to hold a vigil in support of Teddy's family rumors begin to circulate that something else, something more insidious, was going on.

This is an interesting book in many ways.  The story is told in texts, blog posts, transcripts of counseling sessions, and the dialog between visitors in Teddy's hospital room while he is in a coma. It reminded me of Nothing But the Truth by Avi, but reflecting modern communication methods.  The book is clearly a way of approaching the question of the morality of football as a sport in light of recent findings about traumatic brain injuries.  Greenwall argues both sides of the controversy through different characters.  Teddy's mother is anti-football while his father and the coach are pro. When questions about hazing come up, there is a similar split.  Some characters call it "team building" while others see is as repulsive. Greenwall does an admirable job of staying neutral and leaving judgement to the reader. This would be a great book for a junior high class or a family with kids involved with football to read and discuss.  I am not sure how many kids would pick it up on their own. (2021, 204 p)