Grandmaster
FlumeAward – Grandmaster Grandmaster by David Klass
David Klass makes chess interesting and exciting with this book. The main character, Daniel, is part of his school’s chess team, but he’s not very good. It turns out, unbeknownst to him, that his father is a grandmaster, a secret his father has kept because he quit playing chess forever when the stress of competition nearly killed him. The majority of this father-son book takes place over the course of a single weekend father-son tournament in New York. David’s parents are interested and involved in his life, and actually play critical parts in the story that unfolds, a welcome change from many other teen books. The compare and contrast of the different fathers and sons on the chess team makes for interesting reading, and the chess games themselves are delivered in exciting sequences. The book is accessible for those who have no chess knowledge. It doesn’t get too bogged down in the nitty-gritty of piece movements, but all of the terminology is real–including references to chess opening such as The Fried Liver Attack and Alekhine’s Defense. Instead, the matches that Klass focuses on are delivered in sketches that focus on the skill of the players and the excitement of competition.Our high school has it’s own chess club, so Grandmaster has a small, but loyal, following in my library. In other places, convincing teens to read this book could be a hurdle, especially if they’re not chess players. However, if they do, they may actually take an interest in chess.
-Danny Lykansion, Rodgers Memorial Library
It’s not too often these days that I see a YA book geared toward teen boys and their relationships with their fathers. I love that it’s centered around a chess tournament! I don’t know much about chess, but I was able to follow the story quite easily and I think any teen who reads it will be able to as well. Those who do know chess will like the references to real terminology. All in all, this is a feel good story with some exciting action sequences that I think will appeal to a group of students we might otherwise miss.
-Heidi Grant, Nashua High School North