Presented to: Dean Hughes
For: The Trophy
Books for young readers fall mostly into one of two categories: those which adults love and think children should love; and those which children actually love. That leaves a special category of books that charm both children and adults. The Trophy belongs in this group. Ten-year-old Danny Williams is in his first year on the basketball team. As he works hard to improve his game, he hopes that his father will notice and approve. Long ago, Danny's father won a gold trophy for playing basketball, but that was before he started drinking. Now he is an alcoholic mechanic who spends more time nurturing his roses than his sons.
From the beginning, when Danny plays his first minutes for the Bulldogs, children will feel the tension in Hughes's vivid, fast-aced basketball scenes. Children will also believe through his characterization--the realistic dialogue and honest childlike perceptions--that Danny could be their neighbor or friend. At the conclusion of the story, as Danny and his father begin a tentative new relationship, children will be touched by Hughes's hopeful ending. Adults will appreciate these same qualities in this book--but for different reasons. They'll enjoy his taut storytelling style apparent in the carefully-constructed action scenes. They'll value his multi-faceted characters. Finally, adults will applaud his poignant conclusion--a hopeful yet realistic ending with no promise of permanent change. In The Trophy, Dean Hughes creates a fine story for young readers, one that adults will choose for children, one that children will choose for themselves.