Gym Candy
By: Carl Deuker
Novel Information
- Title- Gym Candy
- Author- Carl Deuker
Summary
Mick Johnson is under the pressure of his father, a NFL failure, to become a great. But, in his first year of high school football at Shilshole High. He isn't the starting running-back until the starter gets suspended.Mick then gets the chance to win the championship game but comes up a foot short. He then realizes that he can't be the starting running-back without cheating, so he starts taking steroids. Mick shatters multiple records in his first game his sophomore year, but that was when he still had steroids in his system. He decides to get off the steroids, but doesn't play as good and loses the starting job. He then gets back on steroids and wins the championship game. But, when his best-friend finds out what Mick has been doing he confronts him and Mick has a choice.
Setting
- Seattle, Washington- general setting
- Shilshole High School- school Mick and his friends attend and where they play football
- Popeye's Gym- gym where Mick works-out and where he gets the steroids from
Author
- a teacher in Seattle, Washington
- college- University of California
- grew up in San Francisco, California
- favorite book- Moby Dick
- wife-Anne Mitchell
- kids- one daughter, Marian
- wrote this book to entertain the readers
characters
- protagonist- Mick Johnson- son of Mike Johnson, winning is everything to him and he will do anything to win, starting running-back on the Shilshole HIgh football team
- antagonist- Peter - trainer at Popeye's gym, Mick's trainer, gives Mick the steroids
- antagonist- Mike Johnson- Mick's father, wants Mick to be successful, pressures Mick because Mick doesn't want to disappoint him
- Drew- Mick's best-friend, starting quarter-back on the Shilshole High football team
Related Information
- Author book recommendations- Heart of a champion, Payback Time, and Runner
- Additional Book Recommendations-Knights of the Hill Country, Stupid Fast, Night Hoops
- 1. http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/gym-candy#cart/cleanup
- 2. http://members.authorsguild.net/carldeuker/gym_candy_89945.htm
- 3. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1669331.Gym_Candy
Reflection Questions
1. My favorite part of the book was when Mick decided to get off the steroids. I liked this part because he realized that he didn't want to cheat because cheating isn't right.
2.I would give the main character advice to get off the steroids even if he isn't the starter.
3.I would change the ending. I would make it end with Mick getting off steroids and still being a great football player because I like to see people who don't believe they can succeed still succeed without cheating.
Personal Recommendation
I liked this book. I would recommend this book. Someone should read this book if you like football. Someone should also read this book if they like to be surprised. I would rate this book 5 stars.