03/05/2022
Evergreen Book Award High School Nominee
Cracking the Bell by Geoff Herbach
What if the thing you love most is the thing that could kill you? Isaiah loves football and uses it to keep his life structured and give him purpose. After his sister died it was the only thing that brought him back from making dangerous choices and serious juvenile delinquency. But after a crushing blow on the field that makes him question his future, he is faced with a terrible decision. Knowing his team will not win without him, and college scholarships are riding on his performance, he is faced with limited options. Does he continue to play ball and threaten his life? What could life possibly look like without the game? Read this book for more than football, Isaiah’s family and friends are impacted by his decisions and he knows he will need them now more than ever. Fans of the sport will want to read this as we reflect on the very real concussion crisis in American football. ~TuesD Chambers, Ballard High School