Painting the Black [Hardcover]

Carl Deuker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 1997

In his senior year of high school, late bloomer Ryan Ward has just begun to feel the magic of baseball - the magic of catching a wicked slider, of throwing a runner out, of training hard and playing hard and pushing his limits. Giving up baseball would be like getting off the most exciting ride of his life. But when one of his teammates clearly pushes the limits too far, Ryan is faced with a heartbreaking dilemma: he must choose between his love for the game and his sense of integrity - two things that, in his mind, baseball should bring together.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up. During the summer before his senior year, Ryan Ward is thrilled when a kid his age moves in across the street. He's even more thrilled when he learns that Josh Daniels is a star athlete. The two play catch for hours and Ryan secretly dreams of catching for the varsity team in the spring. He watches in awe as Josh proceeds to become the school's starting quarterback and leads the football team to a terrific season, but he is unsettled by the aggressive side of his friend's personality. When baseball season finally arrives, Ryan makes the team as a third-string catcher. He eventually becomes a starter because he's the only one who can handle Josh's hard slider. Just before the championship game, Ryan stumbles upon and stops an assault on a girl in the school. He realizes that one of the masked assailants is Josh, but telling the authorities proves to be an agonizing decision. The book ends somewhat ironically, yet realistically, with Josh signing a multimillion dollar professional baseball contract and receiving a tap on the wrist for his crime. Ryan, meanwhile, enrolls in the local junior college. Rather than producing a stereotyped high school jock, Deuker portrays Josh as a complex and multidimensional character. Ryan is a player who succeeds with his head, rather than through sheer talent. And while he learns about the subtleties of baseball, he also learns about the subtleties of life. A well-crafted sports novel that delivers without becoming didactic or boring.?Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 8-12. After a disastrous fall from a tree, senior Ryan Ward wrote off baseball. But he is swept back into the game when cocky, charismatic Josh Daniels--a star quarterback with the perfect spiral pass as well as a pitcher with a mean slider--moves into the neighborhood. Josh is adept at placing his pitches on the line between fair and foul ("painting the black"), and in his sweep to sports fame, he lives his life much the same way. Ryan, whose spot on the team hinges on his ability to catch Josh's pitches, soon learns that more than a team slot is at stake. The well-written sports scenes--baseball and football--will draw reluctant readers, but it is Ryan's moral courage that will linger when the reading is done. Candace Smith

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; None edition (April 28, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395828481
• ISBN-13: 978-0395828489
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,428,932 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The True Life of HighSchool Baseball Players, February 3, 2003

By 

the kid (Ravensdale, WA usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Painting the Black (Avon Camelot Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

PAINTING THE BLACK

BY: Carl Deuker

" A thrilling sports story "

By the title you think it's about painting. But it's not, it's about baseball. As soon as you read the first page you'll be hooked, and find out it's about a lot more.

Ryan Ward is the type of kid who works at home on the weekends, but isn't a geek or made fun of. He'd do enough to get through the day so he can go back to his safe little room in his safe little house. But when Josh Danils moves in at midnight Ryan's life will change in away he never expected. Ryan is your typical senior who isn't very athletic
Sits around really doesn't have any friends. When Ryan goes over to introduce himself to josh ,a guy who is 6-2 200 pounds good-looking guy, they end up playing baseball at the park. Josh asks Ryan to catch for him Ryan is hesitant because he hurt is ankle and it never healed right but to his surprise josh says he's the best catcher he's ever seen.

Josh soon teaches Ryan about life. One day josh packs up all his stuff and goes and
Tries out for football. Well that's when Ryan starts to realize it's about attaching the day instead of just getting through it. So Ryan works out to get into shape every day. Finally baseball comes Ryan knows josh will make it but Ryan's not sure if he will but josh says
He will. But to his surprise he's the only one who can catch josh's slider, Ryan makes the team . Ryan's life is about to turn upside down in away he never expected. Ryan soon finds out josh is popular and feeds off it. But Ryan is proud of him self he is athletic and has made friends

Ryan emends up having the best year of his life on the baseball team when his life
Starts to change.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Painting the Black, May 9, 2001

By 

Ryan Preszler (Durango, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Painting the Black (Avon Camelot Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

This story is basically a story of struggle for one kid and a glory for another. The main character Ryan is a kid who had always loved baseball, but could not play because a freak acident that broke both his legs. Ever since the injury he has not wanted to play again, until a new kid moves next door. Ryan's new neighbor turns out to be one of those great athletes that are good at any sport they play. They would throw the ballaround everyday and it got Ryan hooked. Ryan and Josh turn out to become really good friends, and Josh talks Ryan into trying out for baseball in the spring. When spring comes around and Ryan shows up for the tryouts, he doesn't know what to think. He doesn't know if he will make the team. Do you think that Ryan will make the team? If you want to find out, read the book. The book painting the Black by Carl Deuker is a very well written and thought out book. I really enjoyed reading this novel. First of all, the whole theme of the book is about baseball and I am a baseball nut. I like stories that there are odds to overcome and surpass before you get what you want. I really like how the author has other things going on in this novel as well. I really connected with this book because when I was a freshman trying out for baseball I really didn't know if I was going to make the team. But the main character in this story, Ryan, is trying out his senior year in high school. As you have read, the story is about overcoming odds to get to where you want to be. Everyone should connect with this book in one way or another.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A third winner from Deuker, August 7, 2000

By 

Robert James (Culver City, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Painting the Black (Avon Camelot Books) (Mass Market Paperback)

Carl Deuker is quickly coming to dominate the sports novel for the young adult market. While his first novel, "On the Devil's Court," is still his most original, his last two, "Heart of a Champion" and "Painting the Black" show a deepening moral concern and a growing ability to write exciting sports scenes. All three of his novels are worth reading by anyone into sports and friendships and tough choices. My only concern is that he is starting to write himself into a corner: his last two novels are something of the same plot and characters. The narrators adore sports, but aren't that good at them; they meet somebody who is incredibly good at sports, but not so good at making moral choices; the narrator gets lifted up by his hero worship of his friend, then has to cope with the realization that his friend isn't perfect. A great plot, to be sure, but Deuker needs to take a step back and not do it a third time. That said, I would read anything Deuker writes: he's that good. He's especially good for young men who don't care much for reading; his plots move fast, his sentences rattle after each other as fast as lightning, and he doesn't pull any punches.