Humor is embedded in the story as Wyatt must win a football
championship to save Earth. His entire team lacks any football knowledge or
skills and several strange aliens complete the roster. Strange is a subjective
term when considering all the other players in the league come from different
planets. Wyatt’s team is comprised of drafted players but it looks like they were
chosen without any expectation of winning. Wyatt’s parents are champion
athletes but Wyatt is happier reading a good book. That’s why his performance
is abysmal and he continually tries to quit the team. His teammates remain
supportive of him even though their football talents aren’t much better than
his. Quake is especially encouraging as he always offers Wyatt comforting hugs
and words of appreciation.
The gist of the plot is humans learn to quickly travel in
space and return with objects from other planets. Aliens levy fines against
Earth for stealing their stuff which leads to the football contest to keep Schnozly
Grofsplot from taking over the planet. He’s a greedy, diabolical alien who’s
willing to do anything to win control of Earth. His influence is felt during
Wyatt’s football games so it seems like the championship is rigged for Earth to
lose. Each competing alien team presents unique challenges and the football
field is modified to make things more difficult. Flames shooting up from the
ground can result in lethal consequences.
Wyatt suffers from self-doubt when compared to his MVP,
superstar father. He focuses on things he can’t do and anticipates how he’ll
fail and let everyone else down. His infatuation with his teammate Nova
motivates him to stick it out plus she tries to help him discover his value to
the team. Quake is a giant alien teammate who has an intimidating presence.
However, he’s a gentle giant who always has the team’s best interests at heart.
What didn’t work as well:
Some readers may find the book overly silly. Wyatt is almost
obsessed with a new drink he’s invented and he’s prone to throwing up when he
gets nervous. The players make unusual moves during the games that aren’t
always easy to follow. However, the silliness also results in non-stop humorous
situations.
The final verdict:
The highlight of the book is how Wyatt’s team learns to work
together and take advantage of their abilities. Abundant black-and-white
illustrations help readers visualize the story and add entertainment value. It’s
clearly an underdog story and I recommend you give it a shot.