Beanball [Hardcover]

Gene Fehler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 18, 2008

It's the last inning of a high school baseball game between arch-rivals Oak Grove and Compton. Center fielder Luke "Wizard" Wallace steps up to the plate--and is hit by a beanball, a wild pitch that shatters his skull, destroys the vision in his left eye, and changes his life forever.
In this riveting novel, the events surrounding this pivotal moment are recounted through free-verse monologues by 28 different voices, including those of Luke and his Oak Grove teammates; the pitcher, Kyle Dawkins, and other Compton players; the two coaches; Luke's family members and teachers; and Sarah Edgerton, a new classmate who seems more affected by Luke's injury than his girlfriend is.
With its unusual format, gripping subject matter, and economy of language, Beanball is a thought-provoking, fast-paced read.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–9—A high school athlete is seriously injured by a wild pitch, and he, his family and friends, teachers, coaches, and eyewitnesses share their reactions and feelings about the incident in free-verse monologues. Luke "Wizard" Wallace is a determined, talented player, and a leader on the field and off. Then, in a game versus their archrivals, he leans into a fastball thrown by Kyle Dawkins and is hit by a pitch that leaves him blind in one eye. This plot-driven, brief novel is a page-turner, though its protagonist and supporting characters are one-dimensional. Most are defined chiefly by their relation to Luke: the sympathetic coach; the "win at all costs" coach; his loyal friends and family. Fehler's straightforward story may appeal to die-hard sports fans, but Scott Johnson's Safe at Second (Philomel, 1999) and Carl Deuker's High Heat (Houghton, 2003), two novels that also deal with sports accidents and their aftermath, offer both compelling story lines and memorable characters.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
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Review

The story is well paced, quite satisfying, and will appeal to the reluctant reader.
VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)

In his debut novel, Fehler succeeds at every level.
Kirkus Reviews

Poet and baseball enthusiast Fehler should attract a crowd with his first YA novel, narrated by 28 narrators in free-verse monlogues. . . . Fehler does an excellent job in pacing his shifts of perspective, and the central story, of Luke's friendships and eventual recovery, comes through with drama and clarity.
Publishers Weekly

The short, terse narrative will attract reluctant readers, and Luke's nightmarish ordeal will keep them turning the pages.
Booklist, ALA

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books; None edition (February 18, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618843485
• ISBN-13: 978-0618843480
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 4.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #985,298 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gene grew up in Thomson, Illinois, and currently lives in Seneca, South Carolina, with his wife Polly. The greatest inspirations for his books are his love of baseball and his family. Gene and Polly have two sons, Tim and Andy, and three granddaughters -- Mireille, Gabrielle, and Kaya. His young adult novel BEANBALL was named 2008 Best Book by the Society of School Librarians International. His book CHANGE-UP: BASEBALL POEMS was co-winner of the 2010 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People in the Grades 4-6 category. Gene has the great pleasure of playing more than sixty softball games a year on a senior softball team from Seneca, South Carolina; and more than twenty baseball games a year with one of his sons in the Great American Pastime Baseball League (for players 18 and over) in Greenville, South Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, February 5, 2008

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beanball (Hardcover)

BEANBALL by Gene Fehler will not be gathering any dust on library or classroom shelves. As soon as the first sports fan has read it, the line of readers will be forming right out the door.

Luke Wallace is known as "Wizard." Star baseball, football, and basketball player by his junior year in high school, he already has college and pro scouts showing up at his games. But if any scouts showed up at the game against Oak Grove's rival school Compton, they probably left shaking their heads.

Compton's top-notch pitcher, instructed to throw an inside pitch, loses control and hits Luke right in the face. He goes down, as the umpire describes, "like he was shot." The players, the fans, his parents, and friends are stunned. The ambulance arrives and transports Luke to the ICU at the local hospital.

Now, instead of facing a brilliant sports career, Luke is facing several surgeries and a prolonged recovery. Knowledge that he has lost the sight in his left eye has Luke fighting to find a reason to get better and get on with his life. The tragedy of Luke's accident is felt throughout his community.

BEANBALL is written in verse with a wide cast of characters telling Luke's story from a variety of view points. Although I assigned a grade-level of 9+, this could easily be an acceptable read for 7th- and 8th-graders, as well. Reluctant readers with an interest in sports will be wanting more when they finish BEANBALL.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best baseball story ever thogu not what you would expect., March 16, 2011

By 

Laura Perry - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beanball (Kindle Edition)

I did not read this on the kindle, but did get to read it in boo from the library. I thought it was amazing. Beanball has the perfect ending and has a great story leading up. I like baseball and enjoyed this book, you sould read it if you can.