Carl Deuker writes sports novels for young readers. He is emphatic about that. "As a child I frequently read sports novels," Deuker told Authors and Artists for Young Adults (AAYA) in an interview, "or at least I started novels that seemed to be about sports. Pretty soon into the book, I'd find that sports was really way on the back-burner. Often I'd put the book down and turn to something else, usually historical fiction with a lot of war in it. Those books delivered what they promised. As a writer of sports fiction, I decided early on to make sure I delivered on the promise--that sports be front and center. But I also wanted to make sure that each book gave a little bit more."

It is that "little bit more" that has won critical praise, awards, and a loyal readership for Deuker. With three novels to his...