2 comments about The Squad: Perfect Cover (Squad).

1. Toby hates cheerleaders. She could care less about the God Squad, the most popular girls in school.
   
   Then she finds two coded messages in her locker inviting her to try out for the squad. At first she thinks these messages are a joke, but then curiosity gets the better of her.
   
   The first meeting is just an introduction to the squad, without practicing. At 5:30 the next morning, she attends her first practice. Toby is not a morning person -- her snark and wit come out full force at the thought of actually joining the squad.
   
   There's more to this bunch of cheerleaders than meets the eye and Toby is about to find out the uniqueness of the squad.
   
   PERFECT COVER, the first in THE SQUAD series, takes everything you think you know about cheerleaders and turns it upside down. Jennifer Lynn Barnes creates a new series full of surprises, wit, and a heroine who fights her destiny.
   
   Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel



2. THE SQUAD: PERFECT COVER
   JENNIFER LYNN BARNES
   
   
   Rating: 5 Enchantments
   
   Toby Klein is your typical unpopular high school sophomore, with a talent for computer hacking. When she suddenly finds herself invited to a meeting of the varsity cheerleading squad, she's sure it's some sort of practical joke, but her younger brother Noah couldn't pull something like this off. And when she gets a note written in invisible ink, Toby can't help thinking there's something more going on - after all, she's not exactly the cheerleader type, right?
   
   THE SQUAD: PERFECT COVER pulled me into the story from the first page. From the coded first few notes to the one written in invisible ink, it's obvious there's more to the cheerleaders than meets the eye. Beneath the school is a high-tech area called The Quad which belongs solely to The Squad. There, the ten members receive their instructions via audio file - an event makes Toby want to say `good morning, Charlie' more than once.
   
   After a somewhat frightening stage-six makeover that includes a trek to Victoria's Secret as part of her first mission, Toby is almost unrecognizable to herself not to mention half the school. But when her new makeover is more of a hit than expected, she's given the task of using one of the hottest guys in school in order to plant a bug in his father's office.
   
   I loved the unique world Ms. Barnes created for THE SQUAD. From a secret lair beneath the school to bulletproof push-up bras and a holographic cheerleading squad, this group of underage government operatives has everything imaginable and then some. Toby's a very likable character, who goes from being an unpopular hacker to an undercover member of THE SQUAD. Faced with the fact she's now not only an undercover agent, but a gasp, an actual cheerleader as well, Toby has to learn to deal with her newfound popularity, the attention of hottie Jack and the fact that certain members of the team aren't exactly her number one fans.
   
   I read through this book in one night and am very excited I have book two on my desk waiting for me to read. THE SQUAD promises to be a great series! I look forward to reading more from Ms. Barnes.
   
   Lisa
   Enchanting Reviews
   April 2008

4 comments about The Squad: Killer Spirit (Squad).

1. In the second book of the THE SQUAD cheerleading spy series, Toby "Anti-Social" Klein is still learning the ropes and trying to wrap her head around the whole ridiculousness of becoming a cheerleader.
   
   The Big Guys have noticed some activity in Bayport that sparks their interest. Soon the squad is going undercover tracking these individuals to place bugs on them. However, something goes terribly wrong and one team comes close to dying. Now the squad must deal with a possible compromise.
   
   In their "normal" lives, the school's choosing the Homecoming Queen. Half the squad is nominated and Toby just happens to be in the running, much to her dismay. Her little brother, Noah, is doing all that he can to win her the votes, but what he doesn't realize is that the seniors on the squad are not amused by his antics. He's causing Toby some major embarrassment and cold shoulders from the squad.
   
   KILLER SPIRIT picks up right where the first book , PERFECT COVER, ends. If you cross Ally Carter's spy books with Meg Cabot's THE MEDIATOR series, you've got your smart-aleck anti-social heroine kicking butt and taking names...in a cheerleader outfit. If you haven't discovered this series yet, you're really missing out.
   
   Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel



2. All right, first thing I'll say is this: If you're worried the spy/cheerleader mix might potentially induce the ick-factor, you've got nothing to worry about. Jennifer Lynn Barnes is pretty good at keeping cheerleading centric to the plot--it's the Squad's entire cover, let's not forget--but not the central point of the story. Roughly translated: it's not pep-squad overload.
   
   However, I did have a couple of problems with the execution. The writing didn't, I think, match the plot. Jennifer Lynn Barnes' writing is too matter-of-fact and a touch too wordy. The middle of the novel sagged and got boring at parts. She's got a great voice, don't get me wrong, but for this particular premise, I thought a tighter, lighter style would've kept the book's flow going better.
   
   The other problem I had was some of the characterization. Sometimes I was confused as to why the character was described one way and then went completely against that description. An example that comes to mind is when Brooke, who is depicted to be super in control of her emotions at all times, begins having to restrain herself from saying something stupid while being reprimanded by the Big Guys. We hear about how tough Brooke is, but at the first confrontation, she's barely able to contain herself. That bugged me.
   
   Though I didn't fall in love with this novel, I still think it deserves three stars. The writing was lovely (even if not perfect in tone for this story) and you can tell Jennifer Lynn Barnes has talent. I've only heard good things about Golden and Tattoo, so you know. I'll be checking those out sometime!
   
   Grade: 6/10



3. THE SQUAD: KILLER SPIRIT
   JENNIFER LYNN BARNES
   
   Rating: 5 Enchantments
   
   This time around, Toby Klein and the rest of the Squad are supposed to do one simple operation - plant some bugs on some highly suspicious TCIs and get out. Should be easy, right? But when the mark comes into the room where Toby and Tara are bugging his phone and hiding, things veer off plan. When they race to beat him to the car to plant a tracking device, Toby manages to plant the tracker just in time. But as they're walking away, kaboom! Their target's killed in the explosion and Toby knocks herself out. Now with more attention than needed, the Squad is pulled off the case and squad captain Brooke is less than pleased.
   
   I enjoyed THE SQUAD: KILLER SPIRIT just as much as the first book in the series. In book two, we get to know Toby and the other girls a little better, especially Brooke. One of my favorite subplots of the book was Toby's brother Noah's antics to get her nominated homecoming queen which were truly priceless, providing several laugh-out-loud moments. The mystery surrounding Toby in this one comes off well and I had no idea who the real threat was till the scene everything came together, but looking back the clues were there.
   
   All in all, THE SQUAD: KILLER SPIRIT is a very entertaining read. I hope to see more books in Ms. Barnes THE SQUAD series in the future. You can visit her online at <[...]>
   
   Lisa
   Enchanting Reviews
   April 2008



4. this amazing spy book will take you all the way to where the characters are and when you start reading this amazingly incredible book you won't want to stop reading it!!!!!

2 comments about Brunettes Strike Back.

1. I really enjoyed the first book in this series.
   
   Unfortunately, Brunettes Strike Back was just not as charming and funny as the first one.
   
   Our main heroine is back and she is in love with Daniel - but does he belong to someone else?
   
   While the storyline was enjoyable, it felt contrived to me and I miss the spontaneity of the first book. The writing style is great as always, but for some reason, this one did not grab me.



2. I loved the first book, i was a non blonde cheer leader, so i got brunettes strike back. I thought it wasnt going to be as good but i was wrong! it was great!! i loved it!

5 comments about Coaching Cheerleading Successfully.

1. A very informative book for new coaches or as a refresher for more established coaches. Covers alot of organizational information regarding cheerleading practices, try-outs and how-to's for starting a new program. I also used this book to inform parents and school board officials on establishing a school program. No coach should be without this book!



2. I enjoyed this book! I use it with every turn in cheerleading coaching. I have been coaching for the last 11 years and this is one of the best resources that I have come across. I use this for both my All Star Team as well as my Varsity High School Team. This is perfect for the coach or advisor, however I would not suggest this book be viewed by the cheerleaders. This would confused them more than what they are already when any season starts. Coaches get your hands on this one!



3. I recommend this book to anyone interested in coaching or advising cheer. One of the best purchases I have ever made, and I bought one for my entire coaching staff. I also run a training website and discussion group and constantly urge my visitors and participants to buy this great resource for coaches of today. A true cheerleading must-have!



4. A must-have for all coaches. There are a fair variety of motions and jumps depicted, but they are drawings rather than photographs. Also, there is no visual depiction of how to prep for a jump, and this book starts you off with a thigh stand instead of stag stunts but there are stunt variations here not shown in "The Offical Cheerleaders Handbook" or "The Ultimate Guide to Cheerleading" and the photographs lead you pretty much through the whole sequence.
   
   Also in its favor it does have great tips on:
   
   *forming a team
   
   *keeping on top of your legal responsibilities
   
   *developing a practice plan
   
   *reaching out to parents and the community
   
   *building up your members' self-esteem
   
   *evaluating and tweaking your program
   
   My advice is to buy this book in conjunction with the other two mentioned above to get the most knowledge of cheerleading basics.
   
   Coach ~Jen



5. I couldn't find much help from this book. However, I'm Swedish and how to start a program here is really different from in the USA. The stunting section was very short. The illustrations to the dancemovements were adequate but sometimes not enough descriptive. There are other books out that will tell you the same things, and more. I recommend "the ultimate guide to cheerleading" by leslie something.

4 comments about Accidental Cheerleader (Candy Apple).

1. The Accidental Cheerleader
   
   By: Elizabeth
   
   The book I wrote about is The Accidental Cheerleader. Sophie and Kylie are best friends forever. Well almost forever. After Kylie signs Sophie and her self up for cheerleading tryouts, Kylie doesn't make the squad. Will Sophie and Kylie still be friends? When Sophie found out she made the squad she was a little mad at Kylie. But when Kylie finds out she is the school mascot, which happens to be a mule, she is furious.
   What will happen when Joel Sophie's "friend" asks her to dance and the cheerleaders want her to dance with them? She doesn't think she fits in with the cheerleaders when she shows up at the dance without her party clothes. The author Mimi Mc Coy uses great dialog to make the reader feel like they're in the story. Read on to see how she solves her dilemma.



2. If you are looking for an adventure book that has fun on every page, you should check out THE ACCIDENTAL CHEERLEADER. It's about two seventh-grade girls who try out for cheerleading, but what they don't know is that one of them made it onto the squad and the other is stuck being the school mascot.
   
   After tryouts everything went downhill. Sophie doesn't know if the life of a cheerleader is her thing. What if her best bud, Kyle, isn't having fun? Should she stay with the most popular girls in school (and on the squad) or should she go back with her real friends? If she goes back to hanging out with Kyle, will she forgive Sophie for using her?
   
   I think you should read this book because it has non-stop action! I give it 5 stars!
   
   Reviewed by: Liz



3. Sophie and her best friend,Kylie,are the perfect team.
   Kylie has a wild side while Sophie is thoughtful and shy.
   Together, the two of them can do anything.
   But when Kylie signs them both up for cheerleading tryouts, it's Sophie who lands in the spotlight, and Kylie ends up on the sidelines.
   Soon, Sophie feels torn between her best friend and her fellow cheerleaders.
   Can Sophie and Kylie rediscover how to root for each other...before the clock runs out on their friendship?



4. THE ACCIDENTAL CHEERLEADER is a FANTASTIC book. Sophie and Kylie are best friends, but they both try out for the cheerleading team. Sophie is a cheerleader,but Kylie is the mascot. They get into a fight. They say they don't want to be friends and everything is ruined. Will Sophie and Kylie be friends again? People who love books about feelings and teenagers should read this book. Read The Accidental Cheerleader to find out if Sophie and Kylie are friends.

5 comments about Cheer!: Inside the Secret World of College Cheerleaders.

1. This book is exciting and VERY WELL WRITTEN. It is clear that Kate Torgovnick has inherited exceptional writing ability from her mother, the marvelous Marianna Torgovnick. Kate has added her keen insight and warm sensitivity and the result is truly a 5 star reading experience!



2. I'd give this book 10 stars if I could! This is just an outstanding book! It tells the story of three cheerleading teams and what they have to go through. It made me really feel like I knew these people. It's a real page turner. I found myself cheering for them!! Superb job, Kate!!!
   
   --Gerard Zemek, husband of author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"



3. I have been in the cheerleading world for 11+ years, competing at high school, collegic and All Star level. Reading this book was a great experience for me as I no longer get to cheer in the college environment, but do miss it. Reading this book was a walk down memory lane for me.
   
   In some places throughout the book, I had trouble following the descriptions of the of the routines. I would have done better with the use of the technical terms of each move, rather than the verbose descriptions, as I didn't really have the patients to read the full descriptions. I'm not sure how they will translate to someone who is not familiar with the sport.
   
   What is really exciting about this book is the accuracy. Many modern portrayals of cheerleading treat it as a joke. This book explains the sport, why it's difficult, how dangerous the sport really is and isn't. It is really refreshing in that aspect.
   
   There is a word of caution: THIS BOOK COVERS MATURE CONTENT. There are references to the very ugly sides of college cheerleading like: drug use, and eating disorders. As a coach, I wish this book had taken a stronger stance against these practices. There are MANY college cheerleaders who do not take drugs, and who do not have eating restrictions. This is a very sensitive subject, and I would hate for young cheerleaders to aspire to this type of behavior because of heroes found in this book.
   
   All in all, this was a good book, and I would recommend it.



4. I really enjoyed this book and could hardly put it down. The reason I gave it three stars was that I found the written descriptions of the stunts, etc. REALLY hard to picture in my mind's eye, and it was frustrating. Obviously, I am NOT an ex-cheerleader!
   
   So that's what drags my score down. Now, that "faux movie trailer" here on Amazon REALLY helped me envision the moves. It was cool to see the three teams "come to life." It is AMAZING what these true athletes can do.



5. In the Authors Note to CHEER!, Kate Torgovnick writes that "I wanted to fell the story of competitive cheerleading." MS. Torgovnick thus informs the reader that hers is to be a non-fiction journalistic endeaver. Kate reinforces this understanding between writer and reader by thanking her high school teacher for making Kate the journalist that she is today.
   "Journalism" is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as "[t]he style of writing characteristic of material in newspapers and magazines, consisting of direct presentation of facts or occurrences with little attempt at analysis or interpretation." Think: Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Joe "Nothing-But-The-Facts" Friday; "fly-on-the-wall" reporting.
   When Ms. Torgovnick decides to be a journalist, her writing is nothing short of phenomenal. She has an uncanny ability to create images, most notably of people, by the use of unique vocabulary. Her blondes are not the trite and overused "platinum", her large men not "Hercules". The descriptions were all fresh. Kate also has a remarkable talent for conveying emotions simply and efficiently. For instance, when Southern University Coach James is pounding that floor a this teams' final performance, I'm right there with him, ecstatic for both him and his team. (To be honest, I found myself crying?!?) Ms. Torgovnick has a deft ear for conversations. I believe them to be accurate in their retelling. Finally, MS. Torgovnick is a very good interviewer. She asks short, simple, and intelligent questions that compel mor than a "yes" or "no", and then gets out of the way and lets the answers flow.
   And for 95% of the book, Kate decides to be a journalist. The book only veers from perfection when Kate occasionally abandons journalist and either (1) becomes an opinionist, or, even worse, (2) becomes part of the story.
   As an example of the first cited offense, I offer up the writing on page 64. On her first trip to Stephen F. Austin University, Kate met Coach Brad. On her second trip she learned that Coach Brad had quit to take another job out of state. When discussing the resignation of SFA Coach Brad, team member Kali Seitzer says that she is not good with change. Kate responded "Neither am I. What had seemed like a sure-win year just a few months ago now seems like a gamble." These sentences cause real problems for Kate. First, as a reader I've got to ask: Who cares what Kate thinks? Nobody ever cares what the fly thinks. Just report the facts, i.e. what the team members think! Second, as a reader I've got to be annoyed with Kate: It is awfully presumptuous of her to think that in a few short weeks of watching only three squads she feels capable of assessing a team's chances in nationals when she obviously has no real experience in the field and she has not seen the many other squads. Third, as a reader I've got to ask: On what basis are you making this proclamation? You are a journalist - present me the facts to support your conclusion. But of course, she didn't provide any factual support for her claim.
   A fantastic journalistic opportunity on the issue of safety training is lost when Ms Torgovnick merely notes her distaste with the training (page 66), rather than delve into the issue and develop the problem and the proposed cure.
   Kate asks what I consider to be a brilliant question regarding steroid, to wit - "I wonder if performance enhancer use could be a side effect of so many coaches right out of college rather than the absolute "adults" who coach other sports?", but then fails to put back on her journalistic cap and do some research and develop the argument. Especially in this testosterone-drenched era, when every participants in cycling to beach volleyball is suspect, Ms. Torgovnicj had, but dropped, the opportunity to blow this subject wide open in the world of cheerleading.
   My advice is to either keep your opinions to yourself or make them, but then follow them up with journalistic investigation and reporting.
   The other glaring error was in Kate's becoming a character in her story rather than an outside observer. She admits as much on page 85 when, reporting about Southern U's teak prayer for victory the following day, kate writes "...I am no longer just observing. I am a part of the circle holding hands with the team, my head bowed too....All I want in this moment is for them to win tomorrow."
   In my humble opinion, Kate, as merely a chronicler of events, should have "no dog in this race."
   There was one point in the book that absolutely enraged me; that caused me to want to hurl the book into the roaring fireplace. At pages 140-141, when writing about the feeling of a Southern U. cheerleader from New Orleans whose family was impacted by Hurricane Katrina, Kate wrote "...While the situation in New Orleans got worse, the government seemingly turning its back on rescue efforts because the grand majority of the people remaining in the city were black." This Liberal canard is demonstrably untrue, and the publication of it unfortunately establishes Ms. Torgovnick's ignorance and liberal bias.
   I have a small quibble regarding the physical stunts. Although each stunt was adequately described in words, both in the text and in a Dictionary at the back of the book, I still wanted either a picture (or series of pictures" of each stunt, or at the minimum a drawing or graphic.
   Finally, I found one spelling error and one grammatical error. This is surprising to see considering the publisher is the well respected Simon and Shuster. An editor is supposed to cover your back, not stab it.
   While I seem to have spent the vast majority of this review picking apart this book, it is not really the case. I consider this book to be a major tour de force and the author to be an up and coming star in the field of Modern American Journalism.
   So only two questions remain -
   (1) What is next for Ms. Torgovnick? I can't believe that Kate wants at the end of her career to be known as the Queen of the cheerleading literature genre. Hopefully she has aspirations that far exceed in seriousness the world of cheerleading. The world of politics beckons Kate to next turn her guns.
   (2) Can Ms. Torgovnick grow? Can she attain wisdom in correlation to her biological clock? One does not ordinarily expect such from an "Ivy League" alumna from New York City, but Kate is no ordinary liberal. Kate's May 2006 JANE article, "Welcome to Screw U." demonstrates that she DOES get it, that she is capable of mature (i.e. conservative) thought.
   I'm a big fan and I'm look forward to future books!
   ***Full disclosure: I am Ms Torgovnick's oldest first cousin. Her father and my mother are brother and sister.***
   BTW - LCLM - "Land clean, land mean"

2 comments about Harsh Pink: Color Me Burned (TrueColors Series #12).

1. It's tough going to a new school, with a new set of cliques to figure out, but Regan Mercer knows how it works. She and her best friend from her former school developed a clissification system for rating friends. A, B, or C, with C being another word for desperation, and Regan's never been all that desperate.
   
   She tries out for cheerleading and beats Kendra Farnsworth, who apparently considers herself the reigning queen of Belmont High. Now Regan has real problems. Kendra isn't the kind to lose gracefully, and she sets out to make life miserable for her new enemy. Then suddenly Kendra changes and decides to be friendly, but most things carry a price tag, and this friendship is no exception. Regan has some serious choices to make.
   This is my first book in Melody Carlson's True Color series, and it's a book teenage girls will love. She gets her faith message across without being preachy, and the readers guide in the back of the book can open the way to a great discussion. I strongly recommend this one.



2. It's hard enough being a teen girl, but even harder when you've just moved cross-country and you make the cheerleading squad, knocking Miss Popularity from her long-time spot.
   
   Reagan Mercer has problems at home as well. Her grandmother has Alzheimers, and it's up to Reagan to take care of her while her single mom works long hours.
   
   In time, Reagan is invited into the inner circle, yet there's a steep price to pay for this mean-girl lifestyle. When a drinking party goes too far, Reagan has a choice to make - and having a new Christian friend helps.
   
   This is the last book in Melody Carlson's amazing True Colors series, touching on topics that connect with postmodern teens, showing them the power of real faith in a tough world.
   
   --Christian Women Online Book Buzz

1 comments about A Non-Blonde Cheerleader in Love.

1. I have read all of the books in this series and fell in love with the first book.
   
   Unfortunately, as this series is going on - I am starting to feel as though the storylines are getting less interesting. I think what worked so well in the first book was the conflict that existed with Anissa and the rest of the cheerleaders.
   
   While the author has tried to reproduce this in a somewhat clever way, the story did not work for me.
   
   I think what bothered me about this book was the axis towards everybody else - but our main heroine. There was way too much being done and said about the 'boys' and while the author did try to give Anissa a voice and a conscience - it failed. In the end, the story seemed to me to be about a girl and her boyfriend - and they were not that interesting.
   
   I am not sure what would revive this storyline, but its definitely going in the wrong direction right now.

5 comments about Safe House (1-800-Where-R-You).

1. Meg Cabot is an awesome writer. I've adored most of her books, even though I am older than her target audience. I first stumbled across her after the Princess Diary movie, of course, but soon found that the Mediator series and the 1-800- series were my favorites.
   This series starts off fantastic, and the first four books are well worth reading again and again. But this last book doesn't quite match up. Maybe it's because there was a gap in Jessica's life between the last two books, maybe because of all of her experiences, whatever the reason this one was much harder to get into.
   Every other book in the series followed directly after the one before it, but this one jumps over a year. A year in which incredibly significant, and traumatic events happened. There were very dramatic changes in Jess's personality and those were explained by her experiences, but it almost felt like I had missed a book in a series. Or come in 10 minutes late for a movie. The explanations made sense clinically but they didn't make sense emotionally.
   That being said even Meg's worst book is worth reading, and this was NOT her worst book.
   -Still a fan of Meg Cabot!



2. In this third book of the series 1-800-Where-R-You, Jessica Mastriani finds herself in a bit of a pickle. Between the death of a cheerleader, who was from her own school, and trying to convince everyone that she no longer has her ESP powers (which enables her to locate missing people), she stumbles across another kidnaped cheerleader. She doesn't admit to still having her powers but right away she jumps into all of the action. She soon discovers that the police have no clue who the kidnappers were and that she is all alone in trying to solve this case. It all ends with a big twist and an unsuspecting kidnapper.
   
   I really like this book and how it was written. I thought it did a good job of connecting with teens and not being too serious. I liked the author's diction. It was not too advanced and it was not too simple, it was just right. She uses words like blurting, chick, disgust, and kissing to make the reader like and trust the narrator. I disliked the graphic detail when they found the second kidnap victim. It was just too graphic and gross for me. I think it could have been a little less gruesome. I would certainly recommend this book and this series to high school students but I think it would be too advanced for elementary and middle school students even though there is simple diction. Overall, it was a great book.



3. What a great book. Something about this series is so addictive, and I am just caught up in how funny the writing is, and still unable to put the book down no matter how hard I try. It was funny, it was interesting, it was a very quick read, and this is one of the best series that I've ever read.



4. This book is simply amazing! I loved it loved it loved it! If you even LIKE Meg Cabot you are going to fall in love with her writing in this one! It is simply amazing and just fantastic! I definitely did not expect it to be this great but it was!! Buy with confidence- you are going to love this book!!



5. Out of all the series up to Safe House, the books only got better. When Lightning Strikes was good, Code Name Cassandra was great, and Safe House was excellent! I can only hope Jess's next book is even better.
   
   When Amber Mackey turns up dead heads turn towards the QB Mark. And Jess. Only Jess because no one could get a hold of her so she couldn't find her before she was dead. Then Heather Montrose went missing. It was up to Jess to find her only finding her would put into an awfull poistion with the Feds. I won't reveal the other girl who ends up missing and the awful threats Jess receives from someone I did expect and another I didn't. Suspenseful and intresting. Especially when they find Heather in a bad location but weather or not shes dead or alive... is a mystery!

5 comments about The Ultimate Guide to Cheerleading: For Cheerleaders and Coaches.

1. This book is great! It shows in detail on stunting and pyramids. I'm a new coach for an all star team and I've been hunting for a book like this. It also has great ideas for cheers, training tips,and sample forms. I wish it would have went into more detail on tumbling but overall a must have for any cheerleader or coach!



2. As a high school cheerleader, I can say that "The Ultimate Guide to Cheerleading" is one of the most updated books available on cheerleading today, unlike most books published in the 80's that have all of those illegal stunts and outdated cheers. However, this is definitely a good book for cheerleaders, which includes
   
   - Steps to starting a team for coaches who are interested in doing so (i.e.: setting up tryouts, enforcing goal setting for your team, judging criteria for tryouts, etc.)
   
   -Tryout info and advice, along with a section to help you decide if you truly want to be a cheerleader.
   
   - Basic motions, cheers, and chants
   
   - Jumps (the great thing is that this book covers all 8 of basic counts for jumps and fully illustrates them with photos)
   
   - Stunting (the most comprehensive stunting section I have EVER seen in a book... starting off with single base, then moving on to multiple base, basket tosses, and pyramids)
   
   - Competition cheerleading
   
   The only minor thing I don't like is that there really isn't anything about tumbling, and as another reviewer mentioned before, the book skips a few basic stunts, and moves straight to more advanced ones that wouldn't be suggested for beginners. However, if you are on an advanced squad, you will probably appreciate all the ideas for more difficult stunts, because they're all covered. But overall, this is a good book for all cheerleaders and covers (almost) everything you should/need to know. It's definitely the most comprehensive up-to-date book on cheerleading today.



3. My daughter has been cheering since 3rd grade in the town cheerleading squad. She does not do competition cheerleading. She also now cheers for the Junior High she attends. I picked up the book as a present for Christmas and she loves it. I don't know how it would be for anyone else, but she thinks it's great. There are a lot of illustrations in it and she is looking forward to maybe incorporating some of the ideas in her High School squad next year. It was reasonable priced compared to some of the cheerleading products out there like the CD's and video sets. Hope this helps.



4. I recently began coaching cheerleading. I had been a cheerleader in middle school and high school, but that was years and years ago. I wanted to refresh my memory of all the things I learned back then, as well as catch up on all the new stuff, and this book really helped. A great tool! I'm glad I decided on this book.



5. this book was written for novice teams and beginners. I myslef was an elite cheerleader who competed in places like Disney World with the best of the best so I can tell you that advanced cheerleaders will gain nothing from this. It did help with one of our dance routines on the flip side so thats a plus. I would of liked to see more complicated stunts too.