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Mo Jackson
Don't Throw It to Mo!
Mo Jackson is a little boy with a big passion for sports. He may not be the biggest, the strongest, or the fastest player, but he won't let that stop him from playing!Mo is the youngest kid on the Robins, his football team. His classmates don’t mind, but the kids on their rival team tease him for being a "butterfingers" who's too tiny to catch the ball. But Mo's coach has a plan to turn Mo's little size into a big win for the Robins!
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2015
About the author
David A. Adler
429 books192 followersDavid Abraham Adler is an American children's author. He was born in New York City, New York in 1947. He graduated from Queens College in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in economics and education. For the next nine years, he worked as a mathematics teacher for the New York City Board of Education, while taking classes towards a master's degree in marketing, a degree he was awarded by New York University in 1971. In that same year, a question from his then-three-year-old nephew inspired Adler to write his first story, A Little at a Time, subsequently published by Random House in 1976. Adler's next project, a series of math books, drew on his experience as a math teacher. In 1977, he created his most famous character, Cam Jansen, originally featured in Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds, which was published that year.
Adler married psychologist Renee Hamada in 1973, and their first child, Michael, was born in 1977. By that time Adler had taken a break from teaching and, while his wife continued her work, he stayed home, took care of Michael, and began a full-time writing career.
Adler's son, Michael S. Adler, is now the co-author of several books with his father, including A Picture Book of Sam Adams, A Picture Book of John Hancock, and A Picture Book of James and Dolly Madison. Another son, Edward, was the inspiration for Adler's Andy Russell series, with the events described in the series loosely based on adventures the Adler family had with Edward's enthusiasm and his pets.
As of November 2008, Adler has three sons and two grandsons. He lives in Woodmere, New York.
(source: Wikipedia)
Adler married psychologist Renee Hamada in 1973, and their first child, Michael, was born in 1977. By that time Adler had taken a break from teaching and, while his wife continued her work, he stayed home, took care of Michael, and began a full-time writing career.
Adler's son, Michael S. Adler, is now the co-author of several books with his father, including A Picture Book of Sam Adams, A Picture Book of John Hancock, and A Picture Book of James and Dolly Madison. Another son, Edward, was the inspiration for Adler's Andy Russell series, with the events described in the series loosely based on adventures the Adler family had with Edward's enthusiasm and his pets.
As of November 2008, Adler has three sons and two grandsons. He lives in Woodmere, New York.
(source: Wikipedia)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
January 23, 2020
Neo picked another level reading book about the young and athletic Mo. This time, his passion is football, something he dreams about regularly. While he may be short and needs to practice catching, Mo wants to get better. During the big game, he sits on the bench and watches his team play. When he is not watching, he is trying an odd technique his coach is recommending. Down, late in the 4th, Mo is called into the game, but the other team is not too worried. It’s Mo, the short kid who cannot catch a ball! The coach has a plan, but will it work?
Neo told me that he liked the book, particularly the confidence Mo found within himself through the book. He shows how much fun it is to be athletic. The book was easy to read and fun all the way through. Great book for someone learning to read or still getting the hang of things.
Did you know Neo’s has his own GR account for reviews? Check him out: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
Neo told me that he liked the book, particularly the confidence Mo found within himself through the book. He shows how much fun it is to be athletic. The book was easy to read and fun all the way through. Great book for someone learning to read or still getting the hang of things.
Did you know Neo’s has his own GR account for reviews? Check him out: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
October 10, 2017
4.5 out of 5
Don’t Trow It to Mo! is a sweet and simple yet clever, engaging, and heartwarming beginning reader (apparently, I cannot praise it enough) about football strategy, acceptance, and consequences of judging others. Mo Jackson is such a lovable main character, and the adults in his life (his mother and Coach Steve) are kind and supportive. Bonus points: all three characters are people of color!
Sam Ricks’s brightly-colored cartoon illustrations are equally lovely, amusing, and dynamic:
What is more, the illustrations not only help telling the story but also provide plenty of visual clues for the more challenging words, such as “butterfingers.”
Finally, the book’s design — a large type, wide-spaced lines, and plenty of white (or light-colored) space — is mindful of the young reader’s needs.
Don’t Trow It to Mo! is a sweet and simple yet clever, engaging, and heartwarming beginning reader (apparently, I cannot praise it enough) about football strategy, acceptance, and consequences of judging others. Mo Jackson is such a lovable main character, and the adults in his life (his mother and Coach Steve) are kind and supportive. Bonus points: all three characters are people of color!
Sam Ricks’s brightly-colored cartoon illustrations are equally lovely, amusing, and dynamic:
What is more, the illustrations not only help telling the story but also provide plenty of visual clues for the more challenging words, such as “butterfingers.”
Finally, the book’s design — a large type, wide-spaced lines, and plenty of white (or light-colored) space — is mindful of the young reader’s needs.
February 25, 2021
Told with a light touch of humor, football-loving kids will enjoy this 2016 Theodore Geisel Award winner about Mo, a young aspiring football player.
February 23, 2016
Wonderful early reader! Anyone else think the the title is a tongue-in-cheek reference to not automatically giving the Geisel award to Mo Willems?! In any event, it's a terrific reader about football, acceptance, strategy, and not judging people by what you see...all achieved in about 100 words.
January 13, 2016
Geisel Award 2016 (my committee!) winner!! <3
January 20, 2016
This Seuss Award winner was nothing special. There just was not enough story or humor for it to be worthwhile. It was about Mo who was so little he hardly got to play on his football team. But when the team was behind, the coach sent Mo in running out to catch the ball, but no one was supposed to throw it to him. They did this several times so the other team would not expect him to receive the ball, but then they DID throw it to him and he caught it for a touchdown. I'm surprised this was the winner.
October 5, 2018
Geisel Award Winner 2016
I really liked this one. Mo Jackson is the smallest one on the football team. He lives for football. His teammates are supportive, but the opposing team makes fun of him for his size and his 'butter fingers'.
I was initially skeptical of why the coach never let him play. I figured out why in the end. It's where the title comes from.
I can't give it away. But despite any obstacle, things happen for a reason and you can do ANYTHING. Also, follow your passions, no matter what others may say.
Good choice for reluctant readers and athletic kids.
I really liked this one. Mo Jackson is the smallest one on the football team. He lives for football. His teammates are supportive, but the opposing team makes fun of him for his size and his 'butter fingers'.
I was initially skeptical of why the coach never let him play. I figured out why in the end. It's where the title comes from.
I can't give it away. But despite any obstacle, things happen for a reason and you can do ANYTHING. Also, follow your passions, no matter what others may say.
Good choice for reluctant readers and athletic kids.
March 20, 2018
This is an adorable, easy-reader picture book with a great message for kids. Mo loves playing football with his after-school team, the Robins. But Mo is much smaller and younger than all the other players. During most games, he sits on the bench next to the coach. When Mo finally gets out on the field, the players on the opposing team assume that no one is really going to throw the ball to Mo. The coach uses the other team's assumptions to the Robins' advantage for a clever ending to the story. Easy-to-read text and humorous illustrations will make this a popular book on the primary bookshelf. This would also be a good book to share with kids to help develop a growth mindset, as Mo is a terrific example of not giving up, but working hard to get better.
January 23, 2020
I picked another level reading book about the young and athletic Mo. This time, his passion is football, something he dreams about regularly. While he may be short and needs to practice catching, Mo wants to get better. During the big game, he sits on the bench and watches his team play. When he is not watching, he is trying an odd technique his coach is recommending. Down, late in the 4th, Mo is called into the game, but the other team is not too worried. It’s Mo, the short kid who cannot catch a ball! The coach has a plan, but will it work?
I enjoyed the book, particularly the confidence Mo found within himself through the book. He shows how much fun it is to be athletic. The book was easy to read and fun all the way through. Great book for someone learning to read or still getting the hang of things.
I enjoyed the book, particularly the confidence Mo found within himself through the book. He shows how much fun it is to be athletic. The book was easy to read and fun all the way through. Great book for someone learning to read or still getting the hang of things.
December 6, 2019
Don't Throw it to Mo! by David Adler is a heartwarming story about a child Mo who loves football. He never gets to play until one day, his coach has a plan that helps Mo win the game! This book is a transitional reader that engages students by using the interest of football and the relatability of a young student. I would use this book in my class as a transitional reader to help students prepare for chapter books.
February 26, 2018
I love this book for both it's illustrations and the story it tells. The idea of the book is great and many young readers can relate to the underdog character Mo. The story is well done and is told with suspense. It ultimately sends a good message to all readers and especially young athletes. I would read this book to all ages with pride.
March 12, 2021
I'm a sucker for an underdog story. This is a very abbreviated Rudy-esque story for the preschool set. :) Cute easy reader that will appeal to a bunch of kids.
March 13, 2017
Easy to see why this is a Monarch 2018 Nominee! Adorable book.
July 21, 2017
I support independent bookstores. You can use this link to find one near you: http://www.indiebound.org
October 2, 2024
This early reader book has a surprising ending. At first, it seems like Mo will never have a chance to catch the ball because he's smaller than everyone else on the team. But that's what Coach wants the other team to think. And it works!
This is a fun book with a good amount of repetition, light-hearted illustrations, and an important lesson on persistence and teamwork.
For Dr. Day's reading challenge:
Copyright: 2015
Genre: picturebook, fiction
Awards: Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
This would be a good book to read aloud to my students and teach the value of hard work and practice and that everyone can contribute to the team.
This is a fun book with a good amount of repetition, light-hearted illustrations, and an important lesson on persistence and teamwork.
For Dr. Day's reading challenge:
Copyright: 2015
Genre: picturebook, fiction
Awards: Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
This would be a good book to read aloud to my students and teach the value of hard work and practice and that everyone can contribute to the team.
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February 14, 2021Text-to-Self Connection
This book relates to my childhood days when I tried out for the cheerleading team in elementary school. You didn't necessarily have to "tryout" for the team but it was considered try outs. I was so nervous and anxious because I wanted to make the team so bad. Mo loves football and his passion is to be one of the best players. But he typically sits on the bench for games because of his small size. I felt that I was never good enough to be on the cheer team but that's not true for Mo or myself. Mo doesn't let the other players bring him down or get in his way of being the best version of himself.
This book relates to my childhood days when I tried out for the cheerleading team in elementary school. You didn't necessarily have to "tryout" for the team but it was considered try outs. I was so nervous and anxious because I wanted to make the team so bad. Mo loves football and his passion is to be one of the best players. But he typically sits on the bench for games because of his small size. I felt that I was never good enough to be on the cheer team but that's not true for Mo or myself. Mo doesn't let the other players bring him down or get in his way of being the best version of himself.
November 20, 2022
I enjoyed this book in a small group setting in my 2nd grade class. We read a paperback copy of the book. Adler writes a story about a young boy named Mo who loves football and is on a football team. He is the smallest kid on the team and has trouble with the ball falling out of his hands. He gets made fun of for it and risks losing the game for his team. Luckily, he saves the day and is the hero! This book lead to a discussion about the themes of perseverance and not giving up. I chose this book in my small group as I have several 2nd graders who play football. I found this book as it was a Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner. Even though I read this in a second grade setting, this book would be perfect in any primary classroom (grade k-3) as part of a read-aloud, SEL lesson, or small group guided reading group.
November 7, 2016
1. Mo is a child who loves football he sleeps while holding his pillow like a football. He is younger and smaller then his teammates but his heart is bigger then his size. He spend most of the game sitting by the coach waiting for his chance. When Mo is finally put in the coach says don't throw him the ball. when the other team see that Mo is not getting the ball they quit covering him which leaves him open for the game winning catch. Mo is a humble child that doesn't want the credit for winning.
2. This book is good for grades K-2
3. This book should be used to teach teamwork and not to overlook anyone.
4. Kids who are left out of sports or activities and kids who doubt themselves could learn a lot from Mo.
5. I would say this would be a good book for kids to read as a group they could pass it around and take turns reading or do a book talk on it.
6. This book has a lot of pictures the teacher could read it as a reward or as a group read.
7. There are a number of books that have to do with overcoming size in sports Rudy is one of them.
8. I could not find any multimedia connections for this book.
2. This book is good for grades K-2
3. This book should be used to teach teamwork and not to overlook anyone.
4. Kids who are left out of sports or activities and kids who doubt themselves could learn a lot from Mo.
5. I would say this would be a good book for kids to read as a group they could pass it around and take turns reading or do a book talk on it.
6. This book has a lot of pictures the teacher could read it as a reward or as a group read.
7. There are a number of books that have to do with overcoming size in sports Rudy is one of them.
8. I could not find any multimedia connections for this book.
March 21, 2016
Finally, a really good reader with a few African-American characters! The main character is Mo. He and the coach of the football team, Coach Steve, are African Americans. The really good part is that is the extent of the African American theme. The rest is on the game with players that are Caucasian and Asian and possibly other people of color. The point being that each of them are a kid (or Coach) first and by the way, an ethnicity. I like the emphasis on kids just being kids.
Mo is smaller than the rest of the team and doesn't get to play much but doesn't let that bother him. Finally Coach Steve puts Mo in. But then he says the title: Don't throw it to Mo. Why on earth would Coach Steve say such a thing? Mo doesn't seem bothered by it but I was. Just read to the end to get your explanation. I love the final positive statement by Coach Steve!
Mo is smaller than the rest of the team and doesn't get to play much but doesn't let that bother him. Finally Coach Steve puts Mo in. But then he says the title: Don't throw it to Mo. Why on earth would Coach Steve say such a thing? Mo doesn't seem bothered by it but I was. Just read to the end to get your explanation. I love the final positive statement by Coach Steve!
January 19, 2016
ADORBS.
June 25, 2017
Another well-designed children's easy reader. It also has a very nice message!
May 6, 2019
Don't Throw It to Mo! sounds like a mean title for a children's book, but don't worry. It's all part of coach's strategy to win the game.
March 17, 2017
As far as early readers go, this one shoots and scores.
September 21, 2023
“Don’t Throw it to Mo!” is about a football game, where Mo never gets a chance to play for the team. The day comes where Mo is called onto the field where he has to run a play, whether the play succeeds is up to Mo.
Reading this book was similar to Marah Gubar’s idea in “Innocence” of the relationship between child and adult, and how they rely on them for guidance. Though Mo never gets the chance to play on the field because of his smaller size compared to the rest of the team, Mo does not give up and continues showing up to practice, sitting next to Coach Steve. Coach Steve is aware that Mo does not play in the game, but still makes Mo practice catching the ball. Coach Steve believes in Mo never pointing out the difference in height or body, but also allowing Mo to be on the team warming up before the game starts and sitting on the bench waiting for his opportunity. When Mo achieves, Coach Steve is there to remind Mo, he is the one who made that happen and the one who deserves the credit. The artwork throughout the story focuses mostly on Mo in his football uniform. The love for the sport is seen with the effort in his face when practicing, the yelling when cheering on his teammates, and the joy when Mo is finally able to play in the actual game. The opposing team is illustrated as doubting Mo is capable of doing anything as they are pointing and laughing at him. When playing defense they are not sprinting, but jogging with their arms crossed. Mo does not let that affect him, as when on the field Mo is viewed with confidence.
Reading this book was similar to Marah Gubar’s idea in “Innocence” of the relationship between child and adult, and how they rely on them for guidance. Though Mo never gets the chance to play on the field because of his smaller size compared to the rest of the team, Mo does not give up and continues showing up to practice, sitting next to Coach Steve. Coach Steve is aware that Mo does not play in the game, but still makes Mo practice catching the ball. Coach Steve believes in Mo never pointing out the difference in height or body, but also allowing Mo to be on the team warming up before the game starts and sitting on the bench waiting for his opportunity. When Mo achieves, Coach Steve is there to remind Mo, he is the one who made that happen and the one who deserves the credit. The artwork throughout the story focuses mostly on Mo in his football uniform. The love for the sport is seen with the effort in his face when practicing, the yelling when cheering on his teammates, and the joy when Mo is finally able to play in the actual game. The opposing team is illustrated as doubting Mo is capable of doing anything as they are pointing and laughing at him. When playing defense they are not sprinting, but jogging with their arms crossed. Mo does not let that affect him, as when on the field Mo is viewed with confidence.
December 8, 2018
I really liked this book! It was a Geisel Award winner in 2016. This book is recommended for children from prek-2nd grade and I think that is the perfect age level for this book. The younger kids can enjoy the book if they are sitting and listening to it, but the older kids would be able to practice their reading skills and build confidence while reading it. The vocabulary is very easy to read and understand, so the children would have little to no trouble finishing it. The style of this book is cartoon because the characters look very childlike and simple. The artistic medium of this book would have to be a mix of media with drawings and digital art used. The characters and the small details look like they were drawn with colored pencil, but some of the details look digitally enhanced like the page where it shows Mo’s shadow trying to catch the football. The background, like the football field and sky, look like they were also created on a computer instead of being colored in with pencil. Something that I really enjoyed about this book was that the main characters were all African American, so this can show and teach children about diversity! I also thought it was interesting that most of the pages were single page illustrations, so each page had its own text on it. This book can teach children to not judge others and to follow their passions no matter what others say. Overall, my favorite part of this book was the diversity it showed!
October 31, 2021
The Geisel Award recognizes the author and illustrator of the most prominent book for early readers published in English. Don’t Throw it to Mo!, another Geisel Award winner, by David A. Adler portrays a young boy who is the smallest player on his football team. Mo’s team accepts him for who he is, but other teams make fun of him for being small. One day, Mo’s coach shows Mo he believes in him and puts him in to make the game winning catch. Everyone underestimates Mo, but one person has faith in him. This story was selected because it discusses something all kids go through (puberty) at different times. Through style, the author shows Mo’s persistence to succeed despite the fact he’s smaller than everyone else. Through second person point of view, we’re able to understand how Mo is feeling, while seeing exactly how others think of him and treat him because of his size. This book can be utilized in the classroom to help children understand everyone’s body changes at different times. Teachers can also use this story to help their students understand the importance of having your own opinions. Although everyone doubted Mo, his coach had his own opinion of him. He believed in Mo, and having that one person support him helped Mo succeed in football. Having an open discussion/debate about a specific topic, such as a presidential election, can allow students to voice their opinions while hearing the opinions of others.
October 20, 2018
Don't Throw It to Mo! is a story all about football and Mo Jackson. Mo is called butterfingers on his football team because his coach told him to put butter all over his hands to try and catch the football. Mo was not very good at football. When it was game day, Mo's coach decided to put him in the game. He instructed Mo to run down the field, however, he instructed the team to not throw the ball to Mo. When Mo ran, he dragged a defender with him. Nobody threw it to Mo. Again, Mo's coach told Mo to do the same thing and for the team to not throw the ball to Mo. Mo ran down the field with the defender not following him as closely this time. Finally, Mo's coach instructed him to run all the way down the field, and this time, Mo's team would throw him the ball. Mo did as he was told, and the defender didn't even run with Mo at all because he thought that Mo wouldn't catch the ball, but he did. Mo won the game for his team! This book is a great football story and a great interactive read aloud for your sport lovers. I actually read this story to the students I tutor and they loved it! I chose this book because one of my students actually plays football and the student was engaged with the book the entire time and offered a lot of meaningful input. Overall, I highly recommend this book!
May 12, 2019
Don't Throw It to Mo! is the 2016 Geisel Award Winner by David A. Adler. I love this book! Mo loves football- he is thinking about catching footballs from the moment his mom wakes him up, he brushes his teeth with his helmet on, and he plays for the Robins. Mo is small and gets made fun of by others, especially the other team. Mo's coach has him unsucessfully practice catching a ball covered in butter, Mo goes deep for the pass, but the ball is never thrown to him. The other team continues to see Mo as small and a butterfingers. This is all part of Coach Steve's plan and when Mo goes deep and the ball is actually thrown to him, he catches it! Mo tells Coach Steve his plan worked, but Coach Steve tells Mo it was all his doing, that he caught the ball.
I love this book because young readers can relate to Mo's character- he is made fun of for being small and everyone assumes he cannot catch the ball, but Mo has Coach Steve on his side and eventually comes out on top. This is a great predicting text, that young readers can work on answering questions and predicting what they think will happen with Mo. Young readers can discuss bullying and if they have ever felt like Mo, or if they can simply to relate to Mo's love of something that others presume he cannot do.
I love this book because young readers can relate to Mo's character- he is made fun of for being small and everyone assumes he cannot catch the ball, but Mo has Coach Steve on his side and eventually comes out on top. This is a great predicting text, that young readers can work on answering questions and predicting what they think will happen with Mo. Young readers can discuss bullying and if they have ever felt like Mo, or if they can simply to relate to Mo's love of something that others presume he cannot do.
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May 6, 2018Copyright-2016
Number of pages-32 pages
Book format- Ebook
Reading level-1st-2nd grade
Genre- Fiction, children's literature
Lit requirement-Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
Summary-
Mo Jackson is a small boy who plays football. He does not really play because he is the smallest on the team. One game against the Jays, he finally went in but the other team did not believe he was good enough to make any plays. They ran three plays at the end of the game. The first two, Mo ran but they planned to not throw to him. No one ran after him or defended him. Finally, on the third play they threw to Mo, but the other team did not believe he was big enough or could catch the ball.
Response-
This is an excellent book when discussing height in a class or even not feeling like you are even with everyone else. Also, it could be included when talking about bullying because of how Mo was treated by the Jays. I would give this book a 3.6 out of 5 because it would be a good class discussion of sports, feeling not good enough, bullying, etc. This wold start discussion and is relatable to many students because in this age they are most likely playing some sort of sport and they can compare Mo's experience to their own.
Number of pages-32 pages
Book format- Ebook
Reading level-1st-2nd grade
Genre- Fiction, children's literature
Lit requirement-Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
Summary-
Mo Jackson is a small boy who plays football. He does not really play because he is the smallest on the team. One game against the Jays, he finally went in but the other team did not believe he was good enough to make any plays. They ran three plays at the end of the game. The first two, Mo ran but they planned to not throw to him. No one ran after him or defended him. Finally, on the third play they threw to Mo, but the other team did not believe he was big enough or could catch the ball.
Response-
This is an excellent book when discussing height in a class or even not feeling like you are even with everyone else. Also, it could be included when talking about bullying because of how Mo was treated by the Jays. I would give this book a 3.6 out of 5 because it would be a good class discussion of sports, feeling not good enough, bullying, etc. This wold start discussion and is relatable to many students because in this age they are most likely playing some sort of sport and they can compare Mo's experience to their own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2018
Copyright: 2015
Number of Pages: 34
Book Format: paperback
Reading Level: GR level I
Genre: fiction
Lit Requirement: easy-to-read book
Summary:
This book is about an African American boy named Mo. Mo plays on a football team called the Robins. He is the youngest on his team, but the only people who make a big deal about that are the rival teams. But this did not stop Mo. His coach had a plan that actually worked. He had Mo play but they never threw the ball to him because he kept dropping the ball. But one time, they did throw the ball to him and he caught it and made a touchdown!
Review:
In my opinion, this book was not one of my favorites. It could be because i am not a huge football fan. If this book was about baseball or a different sport then maybe I would have been more into the book. The illustrations are very bright and cheerful which will set the mood for the book. This book would be perfect for a classroom with a lot of diversity. I believe that teachers should include this book in their classroom library because it will interest people who love sports.
Number of Pages: 34
Book Format: paperback
Reading Level: GR level I
Genre: fiction
Lit Requirement: easy-to-read book
Summary:
This book is about an African American boy named Mo. Mo plays on a football team called the Robins. He is the youngest on his team, but the only people who make a big deal about that are the rival teams. But this did not stop Mo. His coach had a plan that actually worked. He had Mo play but they never threw the ball to him because he kept dropping the ball. But one time, they did throw the ball to him and he caught it and made a touchdown!
Review:
In my opinion, this book was not one of my favorites. It could be because i am not a huge football fan. If this book was about baseball or a different sport then maybe I would have been more into the book. The illustrations are very bright and cheerful which will set the mood for the book. This book would be perfect for a classroom with a lot of diversity. I believe that teachers should include this book in their classroom library because it will interest people who love sports.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews