Savvy’s family has moved. Fitting into a new school and a basketball team with older, stronger players is made more difficult when steroids come into her life.

Gr 6-9-Savvy Christopher and her older sister, Callie, each have their own "one thing," and when they move from Arizona to Rhode Island, that's what they rely on to help them adjust. Savvy quickly shows her stuff when, not yet in high school, she is accepted on the elite 18-and-under basketball team. Callie's passion is cheerleading, but stress has caused her to gain weight, and she is devastated to find that she no longer qualifies to be one of the fliers on the squad at her new school. She goes on a strict exercise and diet regime, and Savvy, realizing how quickly her sister is losing weight, brings it to the attention of their parents. They put a stop to Callie's use of over-the-counter diet aids, which does nothing to improve the already strained relationship between the sisters. In October, one of Savvy's basketball games is interrupted by a detective who has been alerted to a bag of steroids in her locker. She insists that they are not her pills, but the fact that she has been on prednisone for a bad case of poison ivy does not help her case. Savvy and her coach are temporarily suspended, and Savvy finds that even close friends regard her innocence with some doubt. As with Mad Cat (HarperCollins, 2005), Mackel has turned a tough subject in the world of teen competitive sports into a highly readable blend of intense action, interfamily relationships, and intrigue. Readers will come away with a better understanding of the controversy surrounding steroid use, and with an appreciation for a talented voice in young adult literature.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.
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I would suggest it to a person that plays a sport because this book shows a family like an everyday family, and it shows how one’s action can ruin another’s. It also shows whey using enhancers is a bad idea. I selected this book because I saw the cover and it had a basketball player on it. I lover basketball so I picked it up.

Book review by Kellee W., posted by CA Library:

"Boost by Kathy Mackel is about a 8th grade girl named Savvy Christopher. The narrative mode is 1st person, it is Fiction.

The story starts by telling the reader about Savvy, she just moved from Mexico to a town in New England. She lives on a farm with her aunt, her sister and her parents. Savvy is 6’1 and growing to be 6’3 she is trying out for the 16 and under basketball team. While at tryouts she meets a girl named Gonzo. Savvy and Gonzo are advanced for their age, and decide to try out for the 18 and under team. With a limited amount of space on the team and Savvy and Gonzo being the young ones their chance of making the team is slim and none. Surprisingly they both get a call from the coach saying that they made the team. Savvy’s sister is so happy she makes a cake in the shape of a basketball for her.

But just then when everything is happy something bad occurs. In the middle of the night they hear a sound out on the farm, a coyote. Her aunt goes out to try to get it out and she falls and breaks her ankle. This makes Savvy have to start helping out on the farm. She has to clean the pens, bale the hay and feel the animals.

It is towards the end of the basketball season and they have done amazing. Savvy, Gonzo and the team have an opportunity to go to a tournament, they make it. They play the tournament and because of her hard working on the farm, she had built strong muscles. People start believing that steroids as a possible use.

This book was overall good, I enjoyed it very much. I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars." ( )

I loved it and i felt bad for the little sister who did every thing for her famialy and her sister repays her by taking her crush and hides drugs in her gym bag i also feel bad that she had to take care of her sister, aunt, sheep, and her new puppy. I hate that she got in trouble for somthing she didn't do and i also liked how was a good player in a 18 year old basketball team when she is 16 ( )