Sports Camp

Riley feels like the smallest kid at sports camp. In fact, he is. He just turned eleven in April, but most kids here are twelve, and a few are even thirteenand gigantic. It's hard enough for a shrimp like Riley to fit in. He just doesn't want to be the weak link as his bunk competes for the Camp Olympia Trophy. Riley knows he's no good at strength and accuracy games like basketball and softball. But when it comes to speed and endurance events, like running and swimming, he's better than he looks. He's pretty sure he can place in the top tenand bring in major trophy pointsin the final mile-long swim race across Lake Surprise. But he doesn't count on being followed by the shadow of Big Joe, the giant vicious snapping turtle of camp lore. Wasn't that supposed to be a legend? From the Hardcover edition.

Rich Wallace is the author of Perpetual Check; One Good Punch, an ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults; and Wrestling Sturbridge, an ALA-YALSA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults. He lives with his family in Pennsylvania.