Take Your Best Shot
Austin Gutwein
Thomas Nelson, 2009, 220 pp., $12.99, ThomasNelson.com
Swish. Take Your Best Shot, the story of helping AIDS orphans through a love of basketball, hits nothing but net. There is a lot of heart as preteen Austin Gutwein shares the adventure that led him to found Hoops of Hope, an organization that raises money to help families in Africa.
It is a refreshingly insightful journey as Austin shares the emotional and spiritual forces that drove him to do more for others than anyone (including himself) dreamed possible.
The play-by-play account is a shining example of the result of “walking the walk,” and Austin frequently explains his understanding of what following Jesus means in a way that will make readers young and old stand up and cheer. The perfect balance of heart and great challenges to live out one’s faith make this a perfect book for teens who are wondering if they can make a difference in the world.
