Undercover BMX

by Jake Maddox

  required by law or by a command

  retort (ri-TAWRT) —

  to reply with an argument against

  vert (vurt) —

  an abbreviation for vertical and a term used in BMX to describe a competition held on a vert ramp, which allows riders to fly into the air and land back on the ramp

  Discussion Questions

  Devon is convinced his parents, especially his dad, won’t understand his interest in BMX. Do you think he was right or wrong to assume that? Talk about some other ways he could have handled the situation.

  Have you ever felt pressured into continuing an activity you no longer found fun? What was it? Talk about how you resolved the situation.

  Imagine how Devon’s basketball teammates, especially Curtis and Julio, might have felt when they learned about Devon’s interest in BMX. Talk about their possible feelings. How would you have reacted if you were in their position?

  Writing Prompts

  1. Jamal mentions that his uncle first got him into BMX when he lived in Yemen. Pretend you are Jamal and write a letter to your uncle, telling him how the bike he gave you shaped your life. Include details about life in the Bronx and how BMX has helped you.

  2. Why do you think Devon’s father was so determined to have his son play basketball? Write a list of possible reasons, using specific examples from the story to support your argument.

  3. Why do you think basketball is so big in Devon’s neighborhood, the Bronx? Make a list of reasons, using facts from the story and outside research to help you.

  More About BMX

  BMX captures Devon’s attention from the moment he sees Jamal on his bike. Are you as intrigued as he was? To learn more, check out these quick facts about BMX.

  BMX, which stands for “bicycle motocross,” is an extreme sport and form of cycling.

  The sport of BMX was first created in Southern California in the 1970s by young riders who were inspired by motocross, an off-road form of motorcycling. It gained popularity in the United States and throughout the world from there.

  A BMX bike has several unique features. It is much smaller than a typical road bike and has a strong frame with twenty-inch wheels and high handlebars.

  BMX first made its debut as an Olympic sport in 2008 at the Beijing Olympic Games.

  BMX can be divided into BMX racing or freestyle BMX. BMX racing involves off-road racing events, in which riders compete to finish a course in the fastest time. In freestyle BMX, riders perform complicated tricks as they move through an urban space, a BMX park, a vert ramp trails or flatland

  BMX flatland and street tricks tend to require on-the-ground balance. Freestyle dirt BMX and vert-ramp riding have a lot more aerial tricks than the other disciplines.

  Some famous BMX riders, considered legends in the sport, include Mat Hoffman, Dave Mirra, Ryan Nyquist, and Tinker Juarez.

  Women’s BMX is also gaining traction thanks to talented female riders, including Nina Buitrago and Hannah Roberts.

  Jake Maddox Sports Stories is published by

  Stone Arch Books

  A Capstone Imprint

  1710 Roe Crest Drive

  North Mankato, Minnesota 56003

  www.capstonepub.com

  Text and illustrations © 2020 Stone Arch Books

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Maddox, Jake, author. | Ghebreghiorgis, Andom, author. | Tiffany, Sean, illustrator. | Maddox, Jake. Impact books. Jake Maddox sports story.

  Title: Undercover BMX / by Jake Maddox; written by Andom Ghebreghiorgis; illustrated by Sean Tiffany.

  Description: North Mankato, Minnesota : Stone Arch Books, a Capstone imprint, [2019] | Series: Jake Maddox sports stories | Summary: Basketball has always come easily to twelve-year-old Devon Rosario of the Bronx, but it’s been a long time since he actually enjoyed playing. Devon’s father sees Devon as the family’s second chance at basketball glory, and the pressure of that expectation is ruining the game. When Devon sees Jamal, a Yemeni refugee, doing BMX tricks on his bike, he sees a way to put fun back into sports—provided he can keep his new passion secret from his father.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2019006173| ISBN 9781496583307 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781496584533 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781496583321 (ebook pdf) | ISBN 9781496587732 (ebook)

  Subjects: LCSH: BMX freestyle (Stunt cycling)—Juvenile fiction. | Basketball stories. | Puerto Ricans—New York (State)—New York—Juvenile fiction. | Fathers and sons—Juvenile fiction. | Secrecy—Juvenile fiction. | Refugees— Juvenile fiction. | Friendship—Juvenile fiction. | Bronx (New York, N.Y.)— Juvenile fiction. | CYAC: BMX freestyle (Stunt cycling)—Fiction. | Basketball—Fiction. | Puerto Ricans—New York (State)—New York— Fiction. | Fathers and sons—Fiction. | Secrets—Fiction. | Refugees— Fiction. | Friendship—Fiction. | Bronx (New York, N.Y.)—Fiction.

  Classification: LCC PZ7.M25643 Un 2019 | DDC 813.6 [Fic]—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019006173

  Designer: Tracy McCabe