From the 2009 Lone Star List, Gym Candy by Carl Deuker is an athlete-oriented book that explores the use of steroids in high school. This is a great read, especially for the male football enthusiast. The storyline follows Mick from middle school to high school as he pursues his, and his father's, dream of becoming a football star. If you're an avid football fan, the descriptions of the games and plays will keep you riveted. But the opposite is also true; if you're unfamiliar with the game, you will be lost at times. The combination of action and the exploration of Mick's emotions associated with football keep the plot moving and the reader engaged.
On an unrelated note, the setting is a town in Washington state. At one point, Mick's team takes a trip to watch the state finals. The powerhouse team in that game is from Pasco, Washington...which is where I grew up! I couldn't believe my hometown was in a book because there's not a lot in Pasco. Most people think of Washington as lush and green, but the southeastern part of the state, where Pasco is located, is nothing but desert - sand, sagebrush, and tumbleweed. The only green comes from farmland irrigated by the Columbia River.
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