Customer Reviews

The Kid Who Only Hit Homers (Matt Christopher Sports Classics)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This was my favorite book for a time when I was about seven or eight. I read all the Matt Christopher books and this one was the only one I read more than once. Where as all his other books are pretty realistic tales where a kid learns an important life lesson from sports, this one is different in that it is is more of a fairy tale - kind of like magical realism for kids.

It's exciting enough to read about a kid who only hits homers but the book becomes even more interesting as a meditation on the meaning of success. The fact that I still remember this book at all is a true testament to how enjoyable it was. Buy it for your kid - among childrens literature, this book is a true classic.

The Kid Who Only Hit Homers, by Matt Christopher, tells of a young boy who desperately wants to play baseball for his school. Unfortunately, he is neither a good fielder nor a skilled hitter. He quits tryouts and decides not to play. On the final day of tryouts, the mysterious George Baruth approaches him. This man teaches Sylvester how to field and hit a homerun every time. (spoiler) Everyone starts to ask him questions about this mysterious man and how Sylvester hits a homerun each time he goes to bat. (spoiler)These actions go on throughout the book (spoiler)
Sylvester changes in several ways throughout the book. His skills as a baseball player increase dramatically. This leads to the improvement of his self-confidence, which allows him to feel more comfortable with himself.
This book was banned because of Snooky Malone's belief in everyone's being born under a star, which some readers interpret as ant-Christian. I think that this book shouldn't have banned. (spoiler)

I grew up reading Matt Christopher books and now at the age of 20 I owe my great interest in baseball literature to him and his books. They are great for kids to get into reading about the sports they love to play and they teach great life and sport lessons espicially about humility. There will always be a place in my heart for his literature and this is probably his best book on baseball. Highly reccomended.

Sylvester loved baseball, but he wasn't what you'd call a good hitter. He had already decided against joining the Redbirds when he met George Baruth. He said, " I'm going to help you become one of the best players ever." Before long Sylvester was hitting homers every time he was up to bat. But troubling questions come, like who is Mr. Baruth.

The book was great. It had good detail and the story was like it was based on a true story. If you like baseball it's a great book to read.

The story commences when Sylvester(the main character) misses his baseball tryouts by a single day. As a boy with little talent in a little town desperately seeking acceptance on the high school team, he convinces his coach to let him play. His mysterious trainer George Baruth, teaches him and helps his ability to grow as the book unfolds with minimal surprise in a mediocre plotline.
Overall I thought this book flowed nicely, but was met with many boring moments making me want to put the book down in anguish. I would recommend this book to young readers from the age of first to fifth grade with an interest in Baseball.

Your Friend,

Tim R.

I thought this book was great beacause you got to see this kid who always hit home runs. The child is only 8 years old, and never strikes out. He is also the pitcher for his team. I thought pitchers were not officiant hitters, but not for this kid he was awesome.The other team could never hit the ball.

I thought this was a great book because when I had to go to bed, I was still reading an hour later! I could not put it down. I would recommend "The Kid Who Only Hit Homers" because if you're into baseball and suspense, this is the book for you.

Sam W, 11
Framingham, MA

The Kid Who Only Hit Homers
By Matt Christopher

If you're a kid who likes baseball, than you should read the Kid Who Only Hit Homers by Matt Christopher. This book is about a kid who is named Sylvester Coddmyer. Sylvester is a kid who loves baseball but is not that good at it. He doesn't want to sign up for his team, but that all changes when he meets someone named Mr.Baruth. Mr. Baruth really is Babe Ruth. Babe Ruth practices with Sylvester every day. He teaches him how to hit and how to catch. Sylvester joins the team. Every game he hits a homerun. The moral of the story is practice makes perfect.


Sam F, 10
Cunniff School
Watertown, MA

As a ten year old I've read 10 Matt Christopher books and this is one of his best. You may want to check out Hard Drive to Short. I thought this was his best so far.

Cameron Tucker 5-17 -11
Review of the kid who only hit homers
Grades 5-7th

Going Deep

Sylvester Cod Myer is a 13-year-old baseball player for the Hooper Redbirds and isn't very talented. Every time he made an error or struck out he held his head down and felt sorry for himself. Then one day at the field he decides not to sign up and goes to the dugout and watches the original Redbirds practice on the field.

While he's there he meets a man by the name of Mr. Baruth and Sylvester was surprised by his appearance he looked just like George Herman also known as "Babe" Ruth.

While they are at the field Mr. Baruth becomes determined to get Sylvester on the Redbirds and make him the best player the Redbirds ever had. When Mr. Baruth and Sylvester practice Sylvester starts off rusty and misses the ball but then begins to hit the ball over the fence every single time. After they finished practicing Mr. Baruth tells Sylvester to ask his coach if it's not too late to sign up. Then the next day he asks his coach if it's too late to sign up and the coach notifies Sylvester that the roster is completely full.

Then Mr. Baruth comes up with an idea to get Sylvester on the team. The next day Sylvester goes to the field and asks one of the coaches if he could throw him a couple of pitches. Every pitch thrown, Sylvester hit over the fence for a homerun.

After deep thought and consideration the head coach offered him a position on the team. Sylvester accepted that Mr. Baruth's plan had worked and from then on Sylvester was hitting a homerun in every game. In every one of his at bats there were reporters asking him how does he hit a homerun every time? There's even someone offering to do a biography on Sylvester.

All the pressure is getting to Sylvester in the end, Sylvester does what he thinks is best for him. I enjoyed reading this book. I would recommend it to 5th -7th graders. I enjoyed this book because it teaches a lesson about not quitting. It teaches you to keep trying even you do play poorly, any time you play a sport poorly; I learned that it is important to just keep trying.