The Koufax Dilemma [Paperback]

Steven Schnur (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 26, 2001 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Baseball is Dannys life but when the season opener is scheduled for the first night of Passover Danny faces the same dilemma that legendary Jewish pitcher, Sandy Koufax played. How important is the game? How important is his religion? How important is his family? Intense conflict and dramatic baseball make this an exciting and thought-provoking tale.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6. Left-handed pitcher Sandy Koufax is a baseball legend partly because of his blazing fastball and pinpoint accuracy and partly because he refused to pitch in a World Series game that was scheduled on Yom Kippur. In this involving sports story, fifth-grader Danny, too, is a left-handed pitcher with a good fastball, and he knows all about Koufax. But that doesn't help him with his dilemma when his team's opening game coincides with the first night of Passover. Danny's parents are divorced, and his mother insists that he attend a family seder, which he strongly resists. In resolving the conflict, Danny relies less on Koufax's model than on the unusually understanding adults in his life. After missing the game, the boy goes on to become a star pitcher who eventually helps his team win the league's championship game. Schnur avoids other possible conflicts, and his adult characters are probably more empathetic and supportive than those in the lives of many readers, but Danny is a winning character who is appealing, even in his childish obstinacy. In addition, the baseball action should satisfy fans of the game.?Jack Forman, Mesa College Library, San Diego
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-6. With his mom serious about a new man, and his father and stepmother getting ready for a new baby, Danny thinks the only steady thing in his life is baseball. Unfortunately, this year's season opener falls on the first night of Passover, and Danny's mother refuses to let him play. What seems a relatively small thing suddenly snowballs into a series of events that really have less to do with baseball or religion than with Danny's worries about where he fits in with the grown-ups in his life. Danny's whining gets a bit tiresome, and his concerns sort themselves out with surprisingly little drama. But Danny's responses ring true: overdramatic and sometimes illogical, they are right on target, and they give readers a clear sense of what it really means to "cut off your nose to spite your face." Stephanie Zvirin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (September 26, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595199984
• ISBN-13: 978-0595199983
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,531,655 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good book about loyalty to your people, family and team, April 19, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Koufax Dilemma (Library Binding)

I enjoyed this book. It is about the importance of observing one's holidays and preserving one's traditions. But not at all costs and not without compromise, flexibility and change. When his mother insists that Danny miss the Little League opening game in order to attend a Passover seder. Danny is miffed. But eventually he does realize that loyalty to his family and faith can be achieved without disloyalty to his team. Along the way Danny also comes to terms with his parents' divorce, learns alot about the fallibility of adults and matures in general. I particularly appreciated the fact that the way in which the Passover seder is observed is non-traditonal and thus very realistic for a large segment of the Jewish population. Attendance at a Passover seder is something that 90% of Jews do, most of them in a not strictly traditional way. Well done with lovely illustrations

5.0 out of 5 stars Motivated To Read!, October 1, 2007

By 

Baseball Mom (Laguna Hills, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Koufax Dilemma (Paperback)

My 10-year old son is not the first one to run to the books every night to read! However, when we picked this book up he looked forward to picking up the story where he had left off and seemed to really enjoy the characters.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Story, August 22, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Koufax Dilemma (Library Binding)

Danny's life is baseball. Though when his divorced mother starts to go out with someone, Danny is worried she will get remarried. Since his dad can't come to his games anymore because he's travelling too much with his new wife nobody will come and see him play. Also, Passover is coming up and his mom won't let him go to any games on Passover because of a seder he has to go to. With all this going on he is afraid to tell his coach he can't play in a game against their biggest rivalry. Will Danny stop worrying about everything and continue to concentrate on baseball? Read the story to find out.