Jeff Rud: 6 books

Basketball-crazy Jake Burnett is thrilled to be leaving home to attend prestigious Centerville Prep. It’s an opportunity to pursue his hoop dreams at the highest level. But things aren’t quite as advertised at his new school, and Jake soon finds himself struggling both on and off the court. At...

Fifteen-year-old Kyle Evans has been a jock for years – a triple-threat basketball player who can dribble, pass or shoot with considerable skill. When an old friend encourages Kyle to try out for a part in the school play, he has to deal with more than stage fright. After an act of vandalism shocks...

Reggie Scott has always prided himself on being a hard-hitting middle linebacker. But after he is involved in a play on which an opposing player is seriously injured, things change. Football doesn’t seem to matter so much when another boy is lying on the field, unable to move. When Reggie is accused...

For as long as he can remember, Matt has wanted to play basketball. Now, as he tries out for the team at his new middle school, he realizes that the easy days of elementary ball are over and that this is a much more serious game. Dealing with a hard-driving coach, competitive teammates and his own...

Trying to land a spot on the South Side Middle School football team isn't the biggest challenge Matt Hill faces in the third installment of this popular series. Besides catching passes and dodging defenders, Matt also has to deal with the return of his estranged father following a ten-year absence....

Fresh from a thrilling basketball season playing for the varsity team, Matt is looking forward to a new challenge: baseball. The South Side team seems to be strong this year, if only Matt can control his fear of being hit by an errant pitch. But when Matt's friend, Jake, the team's star, falls in...