From School Library Journal
Grade 5–8—When Darcy sees Danalda playing baseball with her friends, he notes that she has a great swing and decides she's his "newest Most Valuable Player." Darcy and his baseball buddies have entered middle school, and several factors seem to be pulling them apart. One of his friends wants to be part of the popular crowd, while another boy would rather stay home playing video games. Darcy feels angry and betrayed when his parents, stressed over Grandpa Stillman's erratic behavior, decide to move the man to a care facility. Competition for the baseball team is intense: Darcy tries out, though his chances don't look good. He decides to pursue Danalda's affections, aided by an interesting new student who offers to teach him about girls if he will teach her about baseball. Darcy is a believable character: sports-minded, immature yet likable, and a bit clueless. Readers will recognize who his real romantic interest is long before he does. The story is all just a bit too predictable. Guide readers looking for a light mix of sports and first romance to Janette Rallison's
Playing the Field (Walker, 2002) for its humor and sympathetic slice of life.—
Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
In his first novel published in the U.S., Canadian author Beam offers a solid story that captures seventh-grade male angst with humor and compassion. Darcy Spillman is equally obsessed with making the local baseball team and getting a date with popular Danalda Chase. Hopelessly ignorant in matters of romance, he gets advice from the new girl, Kamna Singh, and from retired minor-leaguer Grandpa Spillman, whose Alzheimer's disease is rapidly progressing. Those who are baseball savvy will love the double-entendres and sports action. Others will be swept along by the story, which is comfortably predictable yet wholly realistic. Beam creates a warm, supportive world, where troubles exist but can be faced and dealt with, thanks to friends and family. Each chapter begins with a definition of a baseball term that loosely applies to Darcy's situation, and Beam's hand-drawn baseball cards depicting each of the main characters complete this satisfying read.
Debbie CartonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
