The Rookie Bookie - Hardcover

Jon Wertheim is an executive editor for Sports Illustrated, a regular contributor to CNN and NPR, and the author of several books, including Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won, which he co-authored with Tobias Moskowitz.
Tobias Moskowitz is a financial economist and a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He was the winner of the 2007 American Finance Association Fischer Black Prize, awarded to a leading finance scholar under the age of forty.

Gr 3–6—After being bullied at his middle school, Mitch is looking forward to a fresh start when his family moves to a different state. He and his first friend, Jamie, start a football betting ring, hoping to make new friends, and maybe a few bucks. Jamie has a hunch that gambling may be against school rules, but they forge ahead anyway. When they find out the hard way that Jamie was right, their friendship is tested, as is Mitch's newfound sense of confidence. That is, until he finds a new, productive use for his sports smarts. This is a cleverly written story, with an astute take on what makes middleschoolers tick. Strong supporting characters, and a good balance of tension and humor keep the pages turning. While there is a lot of academic content woven into the story—financial literacy, statistics, logic, even a little Shakespeare—it is not heavy-handed. It's all explained in a simple, engaging way, sure to appeal to readers not totally smitten with sports or math. Wertheim, an editor for Sports Illustrated, and Moskowitz, a professor of finance, have combined their fields of expertise, resulting in a thoughtful and highly entertaining read.—Jenna Lanterman, formerly at The Calhoun School and Mary McDowell Friends School, New York City