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    Eight Times Up
    Eight Times Up
    Eight Times Up
    Ebook168 pages5 hours

    Eight Times Up

    By John Corr

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Through the teachings of their sensei, Riley and his classmates come to understand that aikido is not about winning or losing or about being perfect.

    In the dojo, Riley meets boys who are much rougher than he is and a girl who is tougher than all the rest of them put together. For Wafaa, aikido is not her first choice. She was disqualified from competing in judo for wearing a hijab.From the first time she steps on the mat, it's clear she is far more skilled than anyone expected.

    Sensei shows them all how to tap into their inner strength and find their place in the universe.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOrca Book Publishers
    Release dateApr 9, 2019
    ISBN9781459818637
    Eight Times Up

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    Reviews for Eight Times Up

    4/5

    40 ratings18 reviews

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    • 4/5
      It was a good book. I won it from this site. I enjoyed reading it. It is made for middle school readers. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.
    • 3/5
      A very simple narrative about a boy who takes up Akido because his father feels it will help with the anxiety attacks he has suffered since his mother left. Neither the anxiety nor the mother's absence takes up much room in the story and become unimportant, unexplored elements. The novel's focus is on Riley's interactions with the other kids, notably the Muslim girl whose hijab is a key plot element. Overall, an enjoyable read but unexciting.

      Thank you to Orca Books who were kind enough to send me this copy for review.
    • 3/5
      A healing read about a boy who has been hurt and finds strength and support through an aikido club that his father has encouraged him to join. I learnt some things about aikido that I never knew before and liked how diverse this club seemed to be.
    • 4/5
      This is a fast read about ten year old Riley whose father is looking to help him deal with his anxiety and gives Riley a choice between aikido and yoga. Riley chooses aikido and the story details his experiences going to the dojo, meeting the four other students in his class, and eventually becoming more confident in handling the "surge"; the overwhelming flood of anxiety that complicates his ability to feel normal. I have a friend whose son suffers from anxiety and I feel that Corr represents the anxiety very realistically. I enjoyed the story but would have liked the characters to be fleshed out a bit more. We learn enough about Wafaa to be satisfied since her back story gets revealed, but I'd have liked to have known more about Zack, Dion and Joe and what led them to aikido as well. I'd also like to have had some insight into whether Riley's aikido experience was making his school life any more bearable and whether he even told anyone he was going to classes. I chose to buy this book because the author lives close by, and the former school librarian in me likes supporting local children's authors in their debuts. I would definitely read something else written by Corr and will be adding this book to the latest box of book I booktalk and then donate to one of my previous schools.
    • 3/5
      Great book especially for young boys. It deals with a lot of feelings that I think pre-teen boys don't really acknowledge, let alone discuss.
    • 4/5
      Riley needs to learn how to deal with life and anxiety he has been feeling since his mother left him and his father. His dad feels that aikido could be helpful. He was not wrong. As Riley participates in aikido he learns many lessons that translate to his personal life. This simply written little book for young people has a lot to say and I would recommend it and encourage parents to read it with their kids.
    • 5/5
      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 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.
    • 4/5
      The book describes a turbulent year for Riley, a boy who is struggling to deal with his parents' separation. Riley’s dad, in an attempt to help Riley focus his anxiety, signs him up for Aikido classes. Riley must overcome his internal turmoil, passive nature, and social miscues. The book explores a variety of deep issues that are not uncommon for pre-teens. In addition to dealing with the issues caused by broken families, the book also vividly describe social anxiety and there’s also important lessons about diversity, tolerance and sticking up for your friends. The book manages to do this without preaching or being heavy-handed. The characters are well-developed and believable. This is a great book for reluctant readers in particular but would be a welcome addition to any middle school library. It will be a great jumping off point for discussion about many wide-spread life issues.
    • 4/5
      Riley’s mom left a letter for him and his dad saying that she’d be back once she felt better but she didn’t say when, or even if she’d return, and now Riley’s anxiety feels like it’s getting out of hand too. Sweaty, angry, and heart racing, he feels the same overwhelming surges of emotion that seemed to have driven his mom away. As if things aren’t bad enough, Riley’s dad tells him that he recently read that exercise might be the perfect way to help him calm down and ease his anxiety so now Riley’s got to choose between yoga or Aikido, and if he won’t choose then his dad will. Looks like Aikido it is.Sensei Rick says Aikido is all about being prepared for the unexpected and as Riley soon discovers that it doesn’t take long for him to start noticing the changes in himself. He feels stronger, less angry, and doesn’t seem to be having “the surge” as often anymore. That he’s learning more about himself and making friends too is a bonus that he had never anticipated.Author John Corr explores the issue of anxiety in children in a sensitive way and with a young, likeable character who is dealing with issues that many middle years children can relate to.I am pleased to have been selected as a December LibraryThing book winner.
    • 4/5
      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 — 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.
    • 4/5
      This is an excellent book for middle-school kids. The story is told by Riley, a fifth-grade boy whose dad signs him up for a martial arts class (aikido) because he knows that Riley needs to deal with anxiety problems and learn to be more socialized. Riley is a great kid: intelligent, aware and thoughtful. But he is also shy, nervous, somewhat awkward, and dealing with the fact that his mother has left home because of marriage problems. The story follows Riley's growth over the course of a year as he becomes friends with his akido classmates, develops some confidence and self-esteem, deals with his anxiety tendencies and starts to enjoy his life quite a bit more. The characters are well-developed, especially Riley and his classmates (three other boys and a feisty Muslim girl) and his akido teachers. I would recommend this book highly for pre-teens and teens, both boys and girls. It presents some real issues and problems without being at all preachy. It is also quite funny!
    • 4/5
      I received this book as an Early Reviewer:Eight Times Up is great pre-teen book. Riley is a likeable kid with some anxiety issues which is understandable because his Mom abandoned their family. His dad thought that signing him up for aikido would help with his anxiety and help him make friends. Riley makes new friends, learns aikido and finally learns to manage his anxiety. I liked how the author introduces the idea that there are other religions and customs that need to be respected. He doesn't preach at the reader, but sidles up to an idea and casually passes along a different perspective. I chose the book because of the title: Eight Times Up and the aikido reference in the blurb. I thought Eight Times Up was a reference to a bible verse: "A righteous man falls seven times, and rises again" or a Japanese proverb: "Nana korobi ya oki" - Seven falls, eight getting up". I was little disappointed because I didn't see how the title tied into anything other than the aikido reference and I don't recall it being mentioned (please feel to call me out on this if you saw it). But I recommend this book for pre-teen readers or kids with a tendency to be a little anxious. It will speak to them.
    • 4/5
      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 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.
    • 4/5
      A quaint tail about having and coping with anxiety. Intermingled in the story are topics of race, acceptance, tolerance, abandonment, and overcoming. The protagonist is well represented as a young boy dealing with life mishaps and could be related to. I recommend the book for a 4-6th grader as it is simple, easy to understand, and short. A glossary in the back defines the Aikido terms used in the book. The author's knowledge of the martial art mentioned shines through in the storytelling. Overall a nice and enjoyable read.
    • 4/5
      A simple read that touches on mental health and racism. A good read for a pre-teen.
    • 5/5
      It's a great book.
    • 4/5
      It excited me that an author wrote a book on mental health, acceptance, and mindfulness geared for younger readers! Where was this book when I was growing up!?! John Corr's "Eight Times Up" does a remarkable job identifying anxiety and its symptoms. It also suggests great coping skills to those who may not understand what is going on in their heads. Combine that with teaching the discipline of aikido, the mental and physical strength it gives a student, and the drive for accomplishment and you have an amazing book! In a day and age where acceptance is often preached but hard to come by, "Eight Times Up" teaches younger readers to accept people, regardless of their gender, religion, mental state, or family make-up. It is nice to see. I have a teenage son who is going through the same issue with anxiety and has a heart bigger than he comprehends - I cannot wait to share this with him!
    • 4/5
      This book is so good. I wish I had read more books like this when I was still at the middle grad reading level. It's a bit simple for me now, but still has a super important message and unique characters! I don't know anything about aikido so this was a cool way to learn about it but also a great way to teach younger people about not resorting to violence on the face of anger and anxiety. The writing style was smooth and easy to follow (somewhat surprising for a debut), perfect for the intended age range. I would highly suggest this even if you, like me, are not still in the 8-12 age range of reading levels! It's rare and refreshing to read about a hijabi character, and I look forward to seeing more from this author.

    Book preview

    Eight Times Up - John Corr

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