Matthew Kruse
Eisenhower Elementary School
Dear Mike Lupica,
As I read your book, Long Shot, a lot of times I felt like Pedro. Last year I was always on the bench in basketball and I hated it. I really wanted to get out there and play, but I wasn't put in the game. So I decided that I would step up my game. This is why I chose your book.
I am so glad I grabbed your book, Long Shot, because I have so many connections with the book. One connection I made was that Pedro wasn't optimistic about the election and thought it would be super, super hard. Sometimes I think that way too, but, your book changed my mind. When I started this project I thought the writing would be super, super hard. In my mind it would be a lot easier to tell you my thoughts than to write it all down.
A second connection was that I have parents who care just like Pedro's dad. They always look out for me and support me. Like Pedro's dad, my dad is working on getting his doctorate of education. Even though he is very busy, he is still helping me in basketball and school. My mom is also like Luis Morales because she tells me I am able to do anything I want if I work hard at it. In the book Pedro's dad tells him that, "If you set your heart and mind to something, no one can stop you", just like when my mom says that "you can do anything you want."
A third connection was that, just like Pedro, I have good friends that I know I can trust. I have also been told by teachers that I am a good leader of my friends. I think that I am a good leader because like Pedro said "I would never pretend to be somebody's friend and act in a way opposite of that."
Like in the beginning I said that I was never on the court, never playing so I had to step up my game and I did. I practiced all summer, played in basketball camp and became a lot better at it and got back on the court. I also worked on my writing and got better with that too. I wrote every day, mini stories and a little bit of recording what I did every day. After my mom told me to believe in myself, I decided to do just that. I did well in school and I got better in basketball and I pretty much did better in everything. I thank you again for writing this book and I hope you write more.
Sincerely,
Matthew Kruse