Ten Thousand Tries by Amy Makechnie – Book Review

Title: Ten Thousand Tries Author: Amy Makechnie Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers Release Date: July 13, 2021

Golden Maroni is a soccer fanatic, and there is no one this 8^th grader worships more than Lionel Messi. With soccer season just around the corner, Golden works tirelessly to master the sport and reach the milestone of ten thousand hours of practice. He even tries to apply the concept of “ten thousand” hours to his dad, a former pro soccer player diagnosed with ALS. As this degenerative disease takes away Golden’s father’s ability to control his body, he remains naively positive that if everyone in the family works hard enough, his dad will beat it. Golden also applies this determination to practically everything. In the process, he challenges his familial relationships and friendships, ultimately forcing a reckoning with how he approaches obstacles.

Ten Thousand Tries by Amy Makechnie is a moving portrait of a family’s struggle with ALS. Though the novel primarily focuses on Golden, how he copes, and his day-to-day struggles, Makechnie capably portrays the disease’s effects on every family member. The author thoughtfully presents the realities of ALS by bringing them into focus through Golden’s conflicts, including ones around soccer and his friends. Such balance leaves space in the narrative to realistically reveal how the disease’s impact reaches far beyond any single individual. The depiction then opens spaces for elevating the myriad themes embedded into the story. From loss to friendship to perseverance and more, Ten Thousand Tries offers lessons relevant to everyone. Still, these lessons are not trite or cliché. They naturally emerge in the context of Golden’s determination to stop ALS from changing his father, and because of the powerful story and captivating characters, most except Benny who is Chinese American are cued as White, Makechnie has created.

Fans of soccer, realistic fiction, and those interested in the impact of ALS will eagerly read Ten Thousand Tries. Educators will, at the very least, want a few copies of Makechnie’s novel on hand. Those looking to use the book in the classroom could do so in conjunction with an in-depth study of ALS. Ten Thousand Tries not only possesses all the elements of a great piece of literature but also provides many opportunities for real-world connections. Whether English and Science teachers work together on a cross-curricular unit or the novel is used as a springboard for a service project, Ten Thousand Tries is a meaningful and heartwarming story that will provoke thought, joy, and reflection amongst all those that read it.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

• Cross-Curricular Unit – Teach the novel in conjunction with a nonfiction study of ALS and other degenerative diseases.
• Literature Circles – Use novel for small groups or choice reading with a variety of books that focus on one of the novel’s themes.
• Project – If learning about cells, biology, or degenerative diseases in Science or Health class, assign the novel as part of a research project.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

• ALS – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• History of ALS
• Science of ALS
• Soccer
• Ten Thousand Hours Concept

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Ten Thousand Tries. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

• When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• Shouting at the Rain by Linda Mullaly Hunt (Character Connections, Themes)

*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.