John Corr

In EIGHT TIMES UP, Riley starts aikido to deal with anxiety after his mother leaves the family. Aikido is intimidating, and so are the other kids in the dojo. Initially Riley's many mistakes fuel his anxiety, but little by little he gets better at both aikido and friendship.

This middle-grade novel has a very gentle plot. Riley is an anxious, somewhat unobservant boy who makes relatable mistakes with his peers and in the dojo. The great value in the novel is Riley's narration of his anxiety show more — the Surge, as he calls it — which so many kids experience. At the beginning of the novel, the Surge overwhelms Riley, but as he grows, achieves goals, and makes friends, Riley gains control over the Surge. The plot doesn't resolve all the issues in Riley's life, but readers are reassured that people do grow and can manage their emotions successfully.

EIGHT TIMES UP is a solid choice for readers who enjoy sports narratives and may help readers struggling with anxiety themselves. It is empathically written without moralizing, and would make a fine addition to the classroom library of any emotionally intelligent teacher. show less

Centered on Riley, a young man who is struggling with the loss of his Mom and the stabling presence she brought to his life, this story follows him as he finds his footing after such a devastating loss.
Corr’s handling of the subject of the loss of a parent, anxiety in the young, discrimination, and challenge is excellent. None of these issues are “in your face” which prevents the book from becoming preachy. But they are present and part of the story. The language is simple, but not show more dumbed down, and would be suitable for kids from ages 8+.
I particularly liked the story of those around Riley. The other kids aren’t just cardboard cutouts in his journey, but actual people that he learns from. Each has their own story, their own struggles, and the collisions and joining of those struggling are important to Riley’s journey. Corr also manages to create a diverse cast without it being the focus of the story. The kids being from different races, cultures, and families is simple part of who they are and adds depth to the story, without it ever feeling contrived.
As a practitioner (albeit eons ago) of Aikido, I was pleased with the accuracy of how Corr described the art and practice of the sport. This is naturally expected, given his own experience with the sport. It was also pleasant the sport was part of the story, but not the focus. Corr’s seamlessly woven together a lot of different aspects of the human experience, perfectly balancing each to create a story worth reading. Even though the main character is a child, as an adult, I found this an inspiration read.
Over all, this is an excellent first book. I would recommend it to any parent of middle grade kids, and I will certainly keep an eye out for Corr’s future work. show less

I received a free advanced copy of this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful story for middle grade readers. It follows Riley who is coping with anxiety after his mom left him and his dad. Riley’s dad signs him up for Aikido classes because he read somewhere that Aikido will help “easy a troubled young mind.” Riley is hesitant at first but starts to enjoy taking the classes. What seems like a simple story actually show more deals with some pretty complex life issues. First, Riley is dealing with his mom leaving. He’s also coping with anxiety. At Aikido he has to learn to work with new friends and there’s also an important thread in the story about one of the girls in his Aikido group named Wafaa who wears a hijab. We later learn she’s been bullied in the past for wearing the hijab during sports and there’s an important lesson in the end about diversity, tolerance and sticking up for your friends.

As a librarian I’m a fan of Orca books for their hi/low appeal and they are great for reluctant readers. This book is no different. It’s a great story for any middle grade reader and will appeal to many kids giving them a launching point to talk about some important life issues. show less

Riley's Mom has left, and his Dad has signed him up for aikido in hopes that it will help Riley deal with his anxiety feel better about his life.

Through the relationships Riley forms in aikido, he learns that he is not alone, and that he does have a place in the universe.

Eight Times Up is a middle-grade book, and I believe that it will appeal to a lot of readers in that age group. But I also believe that it is one of those middle grade books that adults should read too --- for as it helps show more middle graders maneuver the complexity of that age, it will help adults remember what the pre-teen years could be like and better relate to those in that age group that are struggling. show less