I liked the part where Mrs. Perkins called all the teammates for a meeting with their coach when everybody thought they were going to meet with the new coach and then coach from teh past year came in and the teammates were surprised and the coach told them the new coach and his accomplice Tony were arrested for using and distributing steroids "The Juice" to pro college and high school students. And then Michael and ten other guys said they were pressured into taking them and coach said he was not disappointed at them because they told the truth. AHS/TG

I am going to review Juiced. Juiced was written by Eric Walters. I chose to read this book because the cover and title made it seem interesting. I thought that it was a good book. It had a really good story. It was about this football star named Michael Monroe. His team wins the state championship. Then their coach retires so they get another one. He has changed everything it is nicer and better than before. But then the new head coach and the strength coach want him to take steroids and he does. Then he starts having anger problems and punches holes in his wall so he quits taking them. Then the coach and strength coach get arrested for trafficking steroids. They get their old coach back. Michael and his team volenteer to tell the cops about everything. The book did meet my expections but i wish it would have gone threw the rest of the season. But it was a good book. ( )

When a division one coach comes to their smaller school to bring the football program up to contender status, Moose and the rest of the players on the team are pumped. Coach Barnes has new ideas and a vision for the future--nothing is too good for his players. With a new training regimen, everything seems to be on a winning track. But when Moose and others are offered steroids, tempers start to fray and the teammates have to decide whose side they are on. "Juice is a compelling story about the pressures and temptations that are faced by many in the competitive world of high school athletics ( )

Booklist: September 1, 2005, Volume 102, Issue 1, p.115 (1)

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Gr. 6-9. Walters' small paperback in the Orca Soundings series for reluctant readers offers a simplistic glimpse into the world of high-school sports and steroids. Moose is a star defensive player in a town where football is everything. He is sorry that Coach Reeves is retiring, but thrilled that Coach Barnes appears to be backed by enough money to overhaul the training program. Tony, the coach's assistant, supervises team workouts and makes power drinks full of anabolic steroids. Unlike others on the team, Moose has been told what's up, and has agreed to take pills after promises about his future career. When his personality becomes more volatile, he wonders if he should stop, but before he decides, Coach Barnes is unmasked and good old Coach Reeves returns to encourage the team to cooperate with the investigation. This is written at such a surface level, that it's hard to take seriously, though the book's simplicity will probably grab plenty of kids. The thoroughly foreshadowed ending hits readers over the head, but perhaps that's what's needed to attract attention to the problem and make it personal. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

School Library Journal: August 1, 2005, Volume 51, Issue.8, p.138(1)

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Grade 6-9–Written at a 2.9 reading level (as indicated on the back cover), this story will appeal to students who lack strong reading skills. Moose is an excellent football player, a good kid, and a good leader. A mixture of corrupt and well-meaning adults provide balance as he deals with a new coach who is determined to win at all costs. Steroid use is explored, as are the consequences of getting caught. The attraction of sports, flashy equipment, a desire to succeed, and a moral dilemma about how success should be achieved will keep readers engaged throughout. The moral of the story is crystal clear at the end and seems a bit overstated. Unfortunately, books for struggling older readers do not have much room for intricate plots or solid character development. While this one fits that category, it will find an audience.–Julie Webb, Shelby County High School, Shelbyville, KY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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High school student Michael is torn when he is told to use steroids during his football season. He thinks it is cheating but is told he should use the steroids in order to compete against other teams whose players use the "juice" too