The breakthrough modern sports novel The Contender shows readers the true meaning of being a hero.This acclaimed novel by celebrated sportswriter Robert Lipsyte, the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in YA fiction, is the story of a young boxer in Harlem who overcomes hardships and finds hope in the ring on his path to becoming a contender.Alfred Brooks is scared.
240 Pages
Young Adult Fiction, People & Places

Description

About the Book

A 17-year-old Harlem boy struggles to become a champion boxer in this "excellent novel (recommended) for use in the early phases of secondary school literature study" ("Language Arts").

Book Synopsis

The breakthrough modern sports novel The Contender shows readers the true meaning of being a hero.

This acclaimed novel by celebrated sportswriter Robert Lipsyte, the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in YA fiction, is the story of a young boxer in Harlem who overcomes hardships and finds hope in the ring on his path to becoming a contender.

Alfred Brooks is scared. He's a high-school dropout, and his grocery store job is leading nowhere. His best friend is sinking further and further into drug addiction. Some street kids are after him for something he didn't even do.

So Alfred begins going to Donatelli's Gym, a boxing club in Harlem that has trained champions. There he learns it's the effort, not the win, that makes the boxer--that before you can be a champion, you have to be a contender.

ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults * ALA Notable Children's Book * New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age

From the Back Cover

Before you can be a champion,
you have to be a contender.

Alfred Brooks is scared. He's a highschool dropout and his grocery store job is leading nowhere. His best friend is sinking further and further into drug addiction. Some street kids are after him for something he didn't even do. So Alfred begins going to Donatelli's Gym, a boxing club in Harlem that has trained champions. There he learns it's the effort, not the win, that makes the man -- that last desperate struggle to get back on your feet when you thought you were down for the count.

Review Quotes

"A novel filled with hardships and hope." - ALA Booklist

Specifications

Dimensions (Overall): 6.7 Inches (H) x 4.1 Inches (W) x .8 Inches (D)

Weight: .25 Pounds

Suggested Age: 13 Years

Number of Pages: 240

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Sub-Genre: People & Places

Publisher: HarperCollins

Theme: African American, United States

Format: Paperback

Author: Robert Lipsyte

Language: English

Street Date: April 1, 1987

TCIN: 88890326

UPC: 9780064470391

Item Number (DPCI): 247-53-4813

Origin: Made in the USA or Imported

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Shipping & Returns

Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 0.8 inches length x 4.1 inches width x 6.7 inches height

Estimated ship weight: 0.25 pounds

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Q&A (5)

Q: What type of fiction is The Contender classified as?

AI Shopping Assistant - 6 days ago

A: The Contender is classified as Young Adult Fiction, specifically within the People & Places sub-genre.
submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 6 days ago
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Q: What important lesson does Alfred learn in the gym?

AI Shopping Assistant - 6 days ago

A: Alfred learns that it's the effort put into becoming a contender that truly matters, not just winning.
submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 6 days ago
Ai generated

Q: What themes are present in the novel?

AI Shopping Assistant - 6 days ago

A: Themes include overcoming hardships, the pursuit of hope, and the journey to self-discovery.
submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 6 days ago
Ai generated