Something for Joey

by Richard E. Peck

Book Overview

Together, they won college football's highest award. This is a true, memorable, compassionate story of courage and love between two brothers. In 1973, while John Cappelletti was winning the Heisman Trophy as the outstanding college football player in America, his younger brother Joey was suffering from leukemia. But John, now a running back for the Los Angeles Rams, had a very special medicine for Joey. It was called touchdowns. And John scored them...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553271997
• ISBN13: 9780553271997
• Release Date: April 1983
• Publisher: Laurel Leaf Library
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 4.2" x 6.9"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

One of my favorites

I love this book! I have read it so many times, my book has fallen apart, and I have had to purchase a new one. This book is such a touching story about courage and the love between siblings. I am a football fan which does help, but even those who don't understand the game of football, can understand this story of compassion and selfless giving. I don't care how many times I read this book, I cry at the end, even though I know what is coming. READ THIS BOOK!!!

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome

I first read this book my junior year of high school and the story has stayed with me for 12 yrs now. This is such an inspirational story about a young boy suffering from leukemia and his older brother who plays college football. The older brother finds a way to make his brother's life a little brighter, by making touchdowns. I laughed, I cried throughout this book. It's wonderfully written and emphasizes the bond between the brothers and the entire family. I think this should be required reading for all high school students.

My #1 Book of All Time!

This book put me into reading. I can't understand how Peck could write such a good story without me knowing. I didn't eve know he had written this book and i think this book should recieve great awards for the effort put into the book and the final result. It was obvious that Richard Peck put something specail into this book that no other book has. I have seen, through this book the ingredients of a spectacular book. The vivid language has made the feelings of John and his brother Joey, a subject of Leukemia, combine together to make what i think is the world's greatest book. John, a very good but not publisised football player for the Nittany Lions, has what seems to be the closest relationship with his brother, Joey. Joey has an extreme case of Leukemia where his white blood cells and his bone marrow are not strong enough and are too scarce to fight off many mild diseases such as the Chicken Pox. But despite the differences between them in age, about 10 years, John accomplishes everything for his younger brother. An example of this extreme brotherly connection is when John scores 4 touchdowns, something he had never accomplished before, just because it was Joey's birthday. Joey's life is very difficult, being in unbearable pain at times and having to see his doctors very often, but what seems to be the only thing that keeps Joey alive is the great ecstasy that goes through his mind when John scores touchdowns. When John wins the Heisman Trophy, the most priced possesion of great football players, he dedicates it to Joey, which is by far the best part of the book.

Sideline Effects

The statement, "fighting for your life" has new meaning when used to describe nine-year-old Joey. This suspense filled drama, Something For Joey, tackled us. When you read about Joey (a boy suffering from leukemia) and the side effects he has from the common childhood disease, chickenpox, your emotions will fumble. The combination of compassion and action kept us interested in the book until the very last page. "John was at his side, at Joey's side, the whole time he was sick." This book was at our side until it was finished.

something for joey is an emotional heart warming story

something for joey is an emotional story of two brothers who together show an overwelming sense of courage, compassion and love. Joey is a young boy living with leukemea and his older brother John, heisman trophy winner, playes every game just for Joey. this book is at least a nine it shows the bond and love that anyone with time can share with someone they love.