Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock 256 pages

This is the third book by Murdock with the engaging and athletic D. J. Swenk. In the last book, The Off Season, D. J. found herself relunctantly coaching dreamy football quarterback, Brian. As the only girl in a family with three powerful sports star brothers, she could not help but be well schooled in anything having to do with balls. In this book, she misses out on football because she is helping nurse her brother who was severely injured last year. She is back in time to suit up as captain of the basketball team. After her breakup with Brian, she is a little boy shy, but finds her friendship with class clown, Beaner developing into something perhaps more serious...except she still has twinges whenever she sees Brian, which seems to be more and more often even though he attends the rival high school. Even though she is only a junior, she finds pressure mounting to choose which college she wants to attend. Should she settle for a small school that won't challenge her much or try for a major university? It is refreshing to see a girl handle some of the questions that usually only face guys in sports fiction. D. J. is great girl who learns much about leadership, her family and herself.