Aurora County All-Stars [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Deborah Wiles (Author), Kate Jackson (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 14, 2007 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

House Jackson, age twelve, star pitcher and team captain of the Aurora County All-Stars, has a secret. For the past year, while sidelined with a broken elbow, he has spent every afternoon at the bedside of a mysterious old man the other kids call Mean-Man Boyd–and he doesn't want anyone to know. Now House is finally ready to play ball again, but his team’s biggest (and ONLY) game of the year might be canceled, thanks to the very girl who caused his broken elbow. It’s almost too much to bear. But in the standoff that ensues, House finds a courage he didn't know he possessed–and discovers that just about everyone in Aurora County, Mississippi, has a secret.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Batter up! National Book Award finalist Wiles (Each Little Bird That Sings) delivers the third book set in her fictional Aurora County—a more boy-friendly read than its predecessors, with plenty of talk about baseball and what constitutes a stalwart team. Twelve-year-old House Jackson, the Aurora County All-Stars captain and star pitcher, has slogged through the preceding year with an out-of-commission elbow. Instead of playing baseball, he's spent most of his time indoors, reading the classics to an old recluse, Mr. Norwood Rhinehart Beauregard Boyd. But when Mr. Boyd dies, House is reminded of his itch to play. Unfortunately, the All-Stars' only game of the year is scheduled for the same day as Aurora County's 200th anniversary pageant, an event directed by pesky 14-year-old Frances Shotz, the girl who broke House's elbow. After a series of minor mishaps, betrayals and bouts of miscommunication, House and Frances work out a hilarious compromise that all readers can root for. In the spirit of Ernest Thayer's poem, Casey at the Bat, the energy during the game mounts, and sports fans will be on the edge of their seats to see which team triumphs. Quotations from Walt Whitman's poetry, baseball players and Aurora County news dispatches pepper the story and add color; Love, Ruby Lavender fans will enjoy Ruby's fortuitous cameo. A home run for Wiles. Ages 10-up. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Those unfamiliar with Love, Ruby Lavender (2001) and Each Little Bird That Sings (2005) may have trouble keeping the characters straight in this story, set once again in a small Mississippi town. That said, baseball makes a lively focus for the novel, told by 12-year-old House Jackson, star pitcher and captain of the Aurora County All-Stars, who counts Sandy Koufax and Walt Whitman among his inspirations. House's broken arm has finally healed, allowing him to play, but his team's big game of the year is threatened by an Independence Day pageant. That's not the only thing House faces; he must confront secrets and betrayal in his hometown and also startling facts about the struggle for civil rights in baseball history. The game play and the lingo are fun, as is the rambunctious farce. Rochman, Hazel --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Audio CD
• Publisher: Listening Library (Audio); Unabridged edition (August 14, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0739348833
• ISBN-13: 978-0739348833
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 6.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,255,051 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars She's done it again, July 6, 2007

By 

Walter E. Carmichael "wcarmich" (Winston Salem, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Aurora County All-Stars (Hardcover)

Deb Wiles is one of those children's book authors that can touch your soul, warm your heart, and teach you a lesson all at the same time. This story takes place in Hallelujah Mississippi, like "Love, Ruby Lavender" and "Each Little Bird that Sings." However, although the main characters from previous stories each make appearances, it is House Jackson, a young boy who is the focus here.
House is a boy who loves baseball and in addition hides a secret he shares with only his father about a mysterious man. In addition, Ms. Wiles deals with discrimination without being too heavy handed about it. As always the names of her characters have hidden meanings and references so see if you can catch them. I also learned that Walt Whitman, poet extraordinaire, was a huge fan of baseball. Who knew...
As a librarian and a lover of children's literature I strongly recommend this books for all readers 8 years old and up. Ms. Wiles offers a story that will suck you in while challenging you to think about all that is going on.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars try it for yourself..............., May 25, 2010

By 

milly "milly" (hawaii) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Aurora County All-Stars (Hardcover)

I have never left a review before but I need to now because I can't believe the bad reviews I'm reading here. This was such a fun family road trip listening cd. My whole family loved this story. Great narrator and a super fun story to listen to for all of us. My kids are 9 and 11 and we are in our 40's. I'm looking for more like this for the next long road trip!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another classic, August 2, 2007

By 

Nancy Drew - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Aurora County All-Stars (Hardcover)

Take all of Deborah Wiles books, triple the humor, enjoyment and pathos quotients...and you have the pleasure you will experience in reading AURORA COUNTY ALL-STARS. Wiles takes a quantum leap forward, not only portraying the mythical South of her previous books, but in acknowledging some of the realities of the here-and-now-South. With appearances of characters from her previous novels, as well as introducing us to compelling new ones, a Deborah Wiles novel is like coming home and having a glass of "sweet tea" on the front porch with old friends. Having devoured this novel in one big gulp(like the other Wiles books),I am already looking forward to her next "trip home."