Finding Buck McHenry [Paperback]

Alfred Slote (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

"Daydreamer Jason, 11, has just been [dropped] from his Little League team. Seeking solace at the baseball-card shop, he makes a startling hypothesis: 'Buck McHenry,' star pitcher [of the Negro Leagues], could be school custodian Mack Henry. Mr. Henry's identity, in doubt through much of the book, provides a mystery, a bittersweet revelation, and a satisfyingly dramatic denouement. The characterizations are pungent, the action (on and off the diamond) involving. A solid, rewarding story." —K.

Finalist, 1992 Edgar Allan Poe Award, Juvenile Category (Mystery Writers of America)
Children's Choices for 1992 (IRA/CBC)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Could Mr. Henry, the custodian at Jason's school, possibly have some connection with former baseball great Buck McHenry? PW commented, "Slote skillfully blends comedy, suspense and baseball in a highly entertaining tale." Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- Jason Ross, a mediocre Little League catcher but avid baseball card collector, is convinced that a local school janitor named Mack Henry is actually a famous pitcher from the Negro Leagues. Jason pressures Mr. Henry into admitting that he is indeed Buck McHenry and talks him into coaching a newly formed team. Things start to unravel, however, when a television sportscaster gets wind of the story, and Jason learns that Mr. Henry has been lying. The novel suffers from some slowness of plot and drawn-out scenes. (It takes approximately 200 pages to describe about 10 hours of action.) And Mr. Henry's false admission to being Buck McHenry is never satisfactorily explained. However, Jason's discovery of the Negro Leagues may lead readers to learn more about the shameful long-term segregation of baseball. This element gives the book a thoughtful perspective that many sports books never achieve--or even attempt, for that matter. So, despite a loosely constructed, improbable plot, this novel does have some likable characters, a bit of a mystery, and an element of seriousness. These features combine to make the book a welcome addition to sports fiction collections. --Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1ST edition (January 30, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064404692
• ISBN-13: 978-0064404693
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #317,084 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #100 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Sports & Activities > Sports > Baseball

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book transforms!, March 9, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Finding Buck McHenry (Paperback)

I knew we had a great book on our hands when my son called me into his room and begged me to read the last two pages of this book because they "brought tears to his eyes." I knew then that Finding Buck McHenry was the book that had turned by son from a person who reads,into a person who enters the heart of a book and is transformed by it. Hurrah! Not only does this book have a compelling story, but it teaches a good deal about the old Negro Leagues and the heroes of those long forgotten times. This touching story inspires all who read it

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An All-Star Book, June 26, 2008

By 

D. Dwyer - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Finding Buck McHenry (Paperback)

This book is a great book for baseball lovers and non-baseball lovers alike!
Jason loves baseball, but likes collecting baseball cards even more. Unfortunately, Jason is not a very good baseball player and is cut from his team and sent to play on an extension team with other rejects.
Trying to cheer up, he goes to the Grandstand, a sports store, and discovers a legendary Negro baseball player named Buck McHenry who just might might be a school janitor in his town living under the name of "Mack Henry"!
When Mr. Henry admits that he is Buck McHenry to his grandson, Aaron, and to Jason, the news leaks out to Kim, another player on the extension team. Kim's father, a great, famous newscaster finds out and is about to tell everyone Mr.Henry's real identity! Soon Kim, Aaron, and Jason realizes that things might not always be what they seem!
This is a wonderful bok with a surprising ending. Once you start this book, you won't be able to put it down. Overall, I give Finding Buck McHenry five stars! Vivian Grade 5

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is worth reading even if you don't like baseball., January 31, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Finding Buck McHenry (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book even though I don't like baseball very much. I started reading it and really got into it quickly. This is a book I would reacommened to everybody. It touches on African American history and what it used to be like playing baseball in the Negro leagues. It is a slightly emotional book so have kleenex handy in case you start to cry