It's almost flag-football season and McCallister, Beaterson and Deshutsis are in need of a fourth man. Their current fourth is Cade Savage, unreliable and unstable since the death of their teammate Glen. The boys are torn between their loyalty and sympathy for their friend and the opportunity to shine as a team. They tryout three candidates including Rachel, by far the best athlete. But change is difficult for the guys and there is reluctance to do anything too drastic. In the end, only the uncertainty of change can help them move forward. Couldn't ID with characters in first 2/3 of book...they seemed flat and uninteresting...but then that reflects their lives?

Slightly fluffy book about friendship and flag football. I liked that the main character eventually stood up to his flaky friend. ( )

Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com

Flint McCallister is the captain of a four-man flag football team. The weekend before the beginning of the season he finds himself one man short, sort of. Flint, Rick Beaterson, Dwight Deshutsis, and Cade Savage have been friends since first grade. Lately though, they can't seem to count on Cade. He doesn't show up for practice, doesn't call, and spends a lot of time getting drunk and high, things the other boys don't agree with. So now they're in a difficult position. Do they keep hoping their old friend will come around, or do they replace him? If they replace him, who do they get instead?

The Clams try out a few people half-heartedly and with mixed and rather amusing results. Their best prospect is a girl. But are they ready to deal with a girl on their team? Are they ready to deal with the changes that will make between them? Above and beyond all, what do they do about Cade?

A great look at the nature of friendship, this book is more about the interaction between people than about football. It will appeal to girls and boys alike, and for similar reasons, but with different affects. It's interesting for me, as a girl, to get an idea of how teenage boys think. Friendships aren't so different, whether it be groups of boys or groups of girls, and the subtle shift that occurs when the opposite sex appears. The book itself is almost profound in its subtlety. Reading this reminded me of all of the times I've been the only girl in a room full of boys. Eventually they forget you're there, and you get to hear some pretty surprising stuff. And the most surprising part is how similar it is when girls talk with their good friends. ( )

During their humorous search to find a fourth player for their flag football team, three HS juniors must examine their long friendship, their flaws, and their unwillingness to try new things (like put a girl on the team.)

Books by this author: Tribute to Another Dead Rockstar, The Whistling Toilets, Is Kissing a Girl who Smokes like licking an Ashtray? ( )