Set in 1965, Mr. Touchdown is a story about segregation and integration, but also about friendship and courage. Eddie Russell, a star football player (the Mr. Touchdown of the story) and his very shy sister Lakeesha have been “asked” (i.e. told by their parents and civil rights activists) that they and a couple of other black students are to help desegregate the local all-white high school.

This, of course, comes with a lot of hardships for Eddie and the others. For one, Eddie goes from being the star player on his old team to sitting on the bench (at least in the beginning), even though he’s a far better player than anyone else. And Lakeesha, always very timid, seems to withdraw even more. Some of the other girls deal with it a little better, but none of them are comfortable by any means and most of the white students don’t make it easy for them at all.

One exception is Nancy, even though most of her friends and family don’t agree with her live and let live views. There’s also a player or two on the football team that learn to respect Eddie not just for his playing, but also for his character. But tragedy is bound to happen, and when it does it strikes at the heart of all of them.

What happens next is up to the character of the main players in the story. Is it time to give up? Did they accomplish anything? Has the price they have paid been too great?

This is a raw, believable story with strongly developed characters. While a slim volume and a quick read, there’s a lot going on here. Some language appropriate to the time period is included (the n-word, for one), so keep that in mind. Honestly, if it wasn’t there, the story wouldn’t read as true.

Recommended for readers aged 12 and up (though, again, some of the younger readers or their parents might be bothered by the language – making it a good learning opportunity and something to discuss). This is a well-written book about a touchy topic and would also work well in a classroom setting.

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