Karate Dancer - Hardcover

Grade 5-8 Success in martial arts involves a combination of both mental and physical prowess. Troy Matthews longs to become a black belt, but he soon discovers that karate maxims are easier swallowed in the dojang than in the real world. When he loses his cool in a competition, his instructor makes him forgo his black belt test in lieu of organizing a karate demo for disabled children. Troy begins to take his karate training to heart, and his new girlfriend, a dancer, forces him to reexamine his views about dancing and love. Dancing opens up resources in Troy other than aggression to use against his rivals. A near accident leads to unexpected insights about the behavior of the people around him, and the karate demo helps Troy finally understand what getting a black belt is all about. This is a well-written story, despite some unevenness in characterization and plot. Occasionally, Troy's karate observations lapse into exposition; but other times, he's right on. Overall, a better-than-average martial arts book that breaks down stereotypes by presenting karate as a real-life mastery of body and mind. Cathryn A. Camper, Minneapolis Pub . Lib .
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.