An Almost Perfect Game [Paperback]

Stephen Manes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1997

Jake Kratzer is baffled when he attends the Nottingham Shoppers' game on Fan Appreciation Night and discovers that, by marking plays on his scorecard, he somehow has become able to control the baseball game. Reprint. SLJ. AB.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6?When Jake, his brother, and their grandparents attend the last game of the season of their favorite minor-league team, the Nottingham Shoppers, Jake buys a scorecard that the vendor assures him is "lucky." He soon realizes that by marking the card in advance of a play, he can affect its outcome. Unfortunately, this only works for the bottom half of each inning, when the Shoppers are on the field. Thus, he can make sure that the Apples don't score, or even get on base, but he can't make his team score. The game drags on until it goes into extra innings; at this point the card loses its effectiveness. Ultimately, the Shoppers lose and Jake is left wondering about the mystery of the magical scorecard. Since this book is a play-by-play account (the chapters are divided into half innings), its appeal to nonbaseball fans will be limited. However, Manes wonderfully evokes minor-league baseball at its most irrepressible, and the witty, first-person narration helps to carry the story along. For enthusiasts of the sport with a taste for a little fantasy, this will be just the ticket.?Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-7. Jake and Randy's grandparents are super baseball fans, so when the boys visit each summer, they traditionally attend several of the local minor league team's home games. Jake and Grandma always try to keep perfect scorecards; Randy and Gramps are simply content to watch the game. But this year things are a bit different. The Shoppers are in a heated pennant race, and it seems that Jake is able to control the action on the field by writing on his scorecard. After 10 innings, the pitcher has missed his shot at a perfect game, the Shoppers lose, and Jake is left to ponder what really happened. Manes captures the experience of a family sharing its love and knowledge of baseball and makes it easy for readers to follow the play-by-play action. Filled with baseball lore and jargon, this will appeal to young fans of the game, especially those who already know how to keep a scorecard. Karen Hutt --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Apple (May 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590444336
• ISBN-13: 978-0590444330
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,683,104 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bestselling author Stephen Manes has written more than thirty books and hundreds of articles in a long career of making arcane worlds accessible to the uninitiated. Four years in the making, his new book, "Where Snowflakes Dance and Swear: Inside the Land of Ballet," was born of his desire to discover how ballet really happens. Now the book has arrived--with an unprecedented amount of inside information about the world he calls the Land of Ballet, from intense rehearsals and lighting sessions to closed-door casting conferences and business meetings.

The book has already earned acclaim from around the globe. In the United States, BalletScoop and ExploreDance called it a "must-read," and Ballet-Dance Magazine deemed it "not to be missed." In Great Britain, a former dancer writing for Balletco found it "engrossing" and "unparalleled." In Australia, Dancelines said "'Snowflakes' reveals all. . . . I can't imagine any other company allowing a writer the same access . . . " James Fayette, a former Principal Dancer with the New York City Ballet, calls the book "a truly in-depth exploration that should be recommended to anyone who craves insight into the very private world of professional ballet and the dancer subculture."

Manes co-wrote the bestselling and much-acclaimed biography "Gates: How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented an Industry--and Made Himself the Richest Man in America." He wrote long-running columns on personal technology for The New York Times, Forbes, PC World, PC Magazine, and many other publications. He was a creator and co-host of the weekly public television series "Digital Duo."

Manes is also the author of dozens of books for children and young adults. His "Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days!" won kid-voted awards in five states and is a curriculum staple in American and French schools. The sequel, "Make Four Million Dollars by Next Thursday!", quickly became a Publishers Weekly bestseller. His books have been adapted for stage and television productions.

Manes has a degree in cinema from the University of Southern California. His writing credits for the screen include programs for ABC Television and KCET/Los Angeles, as well as the 'seventies classic movie "Mother, Jugs & Speed." A native of Pittsburgh, he lives in Seattle.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A kid discovers he can control the game with his scorecard., May 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: An Almost Perfect Game (Paperback)

A boy, his brother, and their grandparents go to a baseball game. When the older brother gets to the game, a vendor says, "Scorecard! Scorecard! Guaranteed lucky!" He buys one and discovers he can control the other team's batters with it. The whole action of the book is in the span of ten innings. I liked it and I'd recommend it to other people.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great!, August 3, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: An Almost Perfect Game (Paperback)

This book will be enjoyable to any baseball fan. It was realistic and fun to read. I stayed up past 11 pm finishing it.

4.0 out of 5 stars An Almost Perfect Game By Stephen Manes, April 15, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: An Almost Perfect Game (Hardcover)

An Almost Perfect Game is by Stephen Manes. This book is great! It is about two boys and their grandparents at a minor league baseball game. It is the last game of the season and is for Appreciation night. My favorite character is Jake because he really likes baseball. Someone has a magic scorecard that can make a big difference in the game. If you like baseball and excitement, you should definitely read this book.