“Don’t Throw It To Mo!” by David A. Adler, illustrated by Sam Ricks.
Penguin Young Readers, New York, 2015, 32 pages, Grades 2-3.
When children begin to decode the alphabet, they will instinctively want to read what are called “chapter books.” The difficulty they have is that their oral vocabulary is far more advanced than their reading vocabulary.
Though they still enjoy picture books, primary school students want books that look like regular texts. Because of this, some publishers and authors write young reader novels. In these books, students will encounter the mature feeling associated with novels and works of nonfiction.
More importantly, the books are written with a controlled vocabulary, allowing young students to experience reading success. This accounts for the popularity and reader satisfaction of these books. David Adler has written such a title in the delightful book, “Don’t Throw It To Mo!”
Mo Jackson lives for football. In fact, each morning when he wakes up, his mother throws a pass to get him out of bed. Mo jumps from his bed and stretches mightily to catch the ball. Mom then tells him to get ready for school. He tries out for a local football team named the Robins. But Mo is very small and his teammates tower over the youngster. Because of his size, Mo mostly sits on the bench with Coach Steve.
At practice, Mo cheers on his teammates. But Coach Steve keeps trying to figure out how to use Mo during a game. He comes up with a unique idea. Since Mo is small and quick, maybe he can be used to play end. Then his speed and good hands could be very useful to the team. But how can Coach Steve come up with a plan to use the child? An idea forms in his mind.
He tells Mo that he is going to have to learn how to catch a ball when it is slippery. So he spreads butter on Mo’s hands and begins throwing balls to him. Mo then drops a number of passes and becomes known as “butter fingers.” But the Coach has a game plan. At a critical point in a game, he tells Mo to wash the butter off of his hands. He then puts him in the game as wide receiver. The other team laughs at the small boy with “butter fingers.” On the crucial play of the game, Mo sprints down the field. A pass soars high in the air. What happens?
Does Mo catch the pass? Do the Robins win the game? Why does the old expression “it is not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog” so accurately sum up Mo? Have you ever overcome difficult problems? What does Mo accomplish and what lessons does he teach all of us? To find out the answers to these and other questions, go to the library and check out this delightful early reader, “Don’t Throw It To Mo!” by David Adler.
“Don’t Throw It To Mo!” is a fun book for anyone to read. The text is inviting and the pictures draw readers into the story. The illustrations also help young children understand the text which is quite necessary for their reading ability. You can’t help but root for Mo in this uplifting story. I hope you get a chance to read this book with any first- or second-graders in your family. It is lots of fun. Enjoy!
