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The Kid from Courage by Ron Berman is an excellent book that keeps you reading. Bryan Berry, the main character, is a likeable person that has a love for tennis, from the small town of Courage, Kansas. He plays but says that he is not yet a tennis player. He enters the annual tennis tournament. Then he works with Henry Johnson, and old tennis pro, they become very close, and even closer when Henry is under the weather. As Bryan struggles with his tennis game, and achieving his dream of becoming a pro, he learns that with the help of old Henry Johnson, and some support of his divorced dad, that his dream can come true.
Every year Courage Kansas hosts an annual tennis tournament, and ever since Bryan met the age limit, he has competed. Charging through the first couple of matches, he was placed into the third round. There was where he met Ted Grover. it was a grueling match among the fifteen year old and the forty year old. Bryan took the first set in a tiebreaker. At 5-4 in the second set and Bryan down with the game score of 30 all, Bryan hit a clean down the line winner, that touched the line but the call from Grover was out. Bryan was furious, and with a couple more horrible calls and a few games later, all going Ted's way, Ted Grover stole victory out form under Bryan's nose.
After the match, Bryan spotted Henry Johnson, and old tennis coach, strolling toward him. To his disbelief, a couple minutes later Bryan and Mr. Johnson were into a deep conversation about the match. Following that day, Bryan was hitting with so much confidence, because Henry was watching, Bryan asked if Henry would guide him in the right direction, as his coach. They became very close, almost like family, they started over from scratch on his tennis game. Bryan told Henry about his problems including his father and him trying to become part of his life. But Bryan's not so sure if he should let him back in because he left once before. Then something very tragic happened.
Poor old Henry came down with the flu. Because Bryan could not be coached by Henry, he had to find a someone else to be his coach. With the nationals coming up, he needed someone with experience, so they called up Mike Scully. Mike and Bryan trained every day. It took Bryan a while to adjust to the feeling and not to be nervous. While Bryan was fight to stay alive in the tournament, Henry was also fighting for his life. Earlier that morning, he had fallen in the bathroom.
Henry was put into the hospital. Bryan came to visit him as much as possible, they talked about the tournament coming up in Kalamazoo. Henry tells him that his problem with his dad is like his second serve, you get another chance and you are only as good as our second serve. One night Bryan went to see Henry and his condition had taken a turn in the wrong direction. He was lying on his death bed and both of them knew it. As Bryan left that night, he knew it would be the last time they saw each other. He reached for the doorknob, ready to leave, and turned back, running to Henry's side, sobbing. They hugged and told each other that they loved one another. That was the last time they saw each other.
Bryan did not want to continue on his path to becoming a pro, but his dad and mom encouraged him to because that would have been what Henry wanted. So he went on with encouragement of his family, step mom and dad included. He lost to the top seed in the finals, but not without a fight. It's a long way from Courage to Kalamazoo, but Bryan Berry made it there known as the Kid from Courage.
Henry teaches Bryan to believe in himself. If you want something bad enough, with a little hard work, you will eventually get there. Bryan now has a totally new outlook on life. In the end, Bryan learns to give people a second chance, because you are only as good as your second serve. I gained a lot from this book, but all in all, I think the most important thing I learned that was if you have a dream, chase it, until you get where you want to be.

Posted by Mrs. Abrams