High Heat [Hardcover]

Carl Deuker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 21, 2003

Like the game of baseball, life is quirky and unpredictable, as Shane Hunter discovers in the spring of his sophomore year. Suddenly and without warning his life of privilege is turned upside down. And just as suddenly, life begins to seem utterly without fairness or purpose to him.
Exciting, well-written sports scenes transport readers right into the stands while complex issues engage their hearts and minds. For here is a novel of loss, of morality, and of the rare, redemptive power of baseball. Can speaking the truth really determine lives? Just how does one accept, move on, and begin doing the right thing?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-Shane Hunter's life of privilege disintegrates when his dad is arrested for money laundering and commits suicide. The teen, his mother, and his younger sister are forced to move out of their palatial home and into subsidized housing in a tough part of Seattle. Shane has a difficult time adjusting, and is eventually arrested for stealing beer from a convenience store. As part of his probation, he must help repair a local baseball diamond. There, he meets the coach of his public school's baseball team, who encourages him to try out. A crucial moment comes when Shane, a relief pitcher with a blazing fastball, faces the team from his old private school. His anger rises to the surface, and he delivers a fastball directly at the head of Reese Robertson, the kid whose family bought Shane's house. Reese is hospitalized, and although Shane affects a lack of concern, he is so rattled that his pitching skills deteriorate. The rest of the novel follows his attempts to get both his arm and his life back on track, and the uneasy bond he forms with Reese. Deuker avoids easy answers in the book's ambiguous but truthful conclusion. Non-sports fans may find too many game descriptions to hold their interest, but devotees will be rewarded with a story that delivers baseball action along with a rich psychological portrait, told through a compelling first-person narration.
Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. Time and baseball work to ease a teenager's hurt in this intense, narrowly focused novel. Shane attends exclusive Shorelake High and enjoys his role as fireballing short reliever on the school's championship baseball team. All of that is swept away when his father commits suicide. Suddenly, Shane is living in public housing, and he takes a brief hiatus from baseball before trying out for his new school's ragtag team. Then, facing Shorelake, Shane throws a vicious beanball that puts star player Reese in the hospital. Shane insists (until almost the end) that it was accidental but is dismayed to discover that he's lost his fastball. Reese, too, has lost his prowess, and the two become wary allies, dedicated to helping each other come back. Shane's inner recovery is mirrored in his gradual return to form on the mound amid a welter of blowouts, close games, and sudden reversals of fortune that propel his team into the state playoffs. Readers who prefer their Hollywood endings unalloyed may be disappointed that Reese experiences no parallel recovery, but there's enough taut sports action here to satisfy the most avid fan. John Peters
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; None edition (March 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618311173
• ISBN-13: 978-0618311170
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,067,039 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brandon's review, May 4, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: High Heat (Paperback)

I liked this book because it was a great book. I play baseball so I thought it would be a good book to read.
Shane Hunter is a great relief pitcher at Shorelake High School in Seattle. At one of his games, these two guys come a take Shane's dad away. He was caught for money laundering. Shane's dad commits suicide and they have to move away to a new house that is a lot smaller. Shane gets caught stealing beer with his friends and for his punishment, he has to do community service and get counseling for a year. For his community service, he gets to clean up a baseball field. He does a great job on the field. The next year, Shane goes to Whitman High School and plays baseball there. His team has an okay season. During that year, Shane hits a kid named Reese Robertson in the head and sends him to the hospital. Shane doesn't pitch as well for the rest of the year and Reese doesn't play as well as he used to be able to. The next year, Shane plays on the baseball team again and they have a great season and make it into the playoffs. A guy on Shane's team, Kim Seung, gets a full scholarship to USC. A scout from the University of Portland is looking at Shane to see if he wants to recruit him. In the playoffs, Whitman faces the Shorelake team. The game comes down to the last pitch and it is Shane against Reese. Will Shane strike out Reese and win the game for his team? Or will Reese get a hit and win the game for his team? Read the book and find out.
I think that sports readers would like this book because it is a great baseball book and it keeps you interested. Also, realistic fiction readers would like this book too because the things that happen in this book could really happen in real life.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great action packed baseball storey!, January 13, 2004

By 

Tyler H (E-Town, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: High Heat (Hardcover)

This book starts out straight away with controversy and conflict. Shane Hunter and his family are very well off through his father's company. They live in an extremely nice home and go to a expensive school. Shane Hunter's father commits sucicide sending him into a depression. Immediately, like most kids he turns to a new lifestyle. They have to sell there house and give up everything and go to a new school. He even gives up baseball, his true love in life. When he gets arrested and has to do community service he works with a guy who helps him get back on track. At his new school he joins the baseball team and is one of the star players. After many great outings he starts to struggle. One of the most exciting moments is when he comes face to face with his old team that used to play for. He has to face the kid who basically replaced his life (Reese). He beans the kid in the face head on. He starts to lose everything and struggle again and consisders his old lifestyles. When Shane gets it together he gets back to himself and lets baseball help him through it. When time passes his guilt sets in. To help himself he starts out by trying to help the kid he hits (Reese). Time passes and they start to become friends but Reese isn't the same. He can't play anymore. It comes down to a fierce head to head battle and Shane has to face Reese again for the win.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!!, April 25, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: High Heat (Hardcover)

Shane Hunter, a Sophomore and star closer for Shorelake High School - a private school near Seattle - seems to have it all, that is until his father is arrested for money laundering and later commits suicide. His mother is forced to sell the house and move the family into public housing. Shane falls in with the wrong crowd and is arrested for shoplifting at a local convenience store. He is put on probation fixing up a baseball field at a Boys' and Girls' Club. There he meets Cornelius Grandison, the baseball coach at his high school Shane later discovers. Coach Grandison becomes a father figure to Shane.

Carl Deuker has created another winner. You'll think you're sitting in the front row with a box of Crackerjacks and a Coke as Shane mows them down in the last inning, and you'll feel the emotions right along with Shane during the roller coaster ride his life takes. Good baseball books are in short supply for teens, so don't let this one slip past.