LEVERAGE

A gripping novel of bullying among high school students and how taken to the extreme it can wreak havoc on the lives of teenagers.

Part Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger, part Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, Joshua Cohen's debut YA novel tells the story of Kurt, a talented but emotionally damaged football player, who forms an unlikely friendship with the captain of the gymnastics team, Danny. When one of the gymnastics team is assaulted by the quarterback and his cronies, Kurt rises to his defense and, together with Danny, challenges the entrenched stereotypes of high school sports. Reminiscent of the early work of Marcus Zusak, this is that rare book that authentically captures the voices, fierce loyalties and harsh justice of teenage boys. It has the potential to be the kind of classic that ends up in classrooms. LEVERAGE features American high school football players but the themes it tackles bullying, sports and violence, high school cliques are universal. And it truly is an un-put-downable read. Joshua Cohen is a former collegiate gymnast and dancer who has since worked as an editor in the financial industry in New York.