Return of the Home Run Kid (Matt Christopher Sports Classics) [Paperback]

Matt Christopher (Author), Paul Casale (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up | Series: Matt Christopher Sports Classics

Sylvester's baseball has been so dismal that the coach has him warming the bench. So when Cheeko offers to show him a few pointers, he eagerly accepts his offer. But Sylvester can't help thinking there's something fishy about Cheeko.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The prolific Christopher has written yet another action-packed sports story, this one a sequel to The Kid Who Only Hit Homers. A new baseball season has started, but Sylvester Coddmyer III is not hitting homeruns like last year. In fact, he is hardly hitting the ball at all, until mysterious Cheeko appears and teaches Syl about aggression on the field. Though the boy begins to play well, he cannot help but question Cheeko's advice and is even more confused when his evasive coach from last season appears and advises him differently. Ultimately Syl must make his own decisions about how to play the game. This tale aptly explores the intangible aspects of baseball: attitude, confidence, camaraderie and respect. The author successfully balances sizzling play-by-play accounts of games with brief, general descriptions, thus creating a quick-paced story that vividly captures the sport's sights, sounds and spirit. With many facets of his life addressed, Syl becomes a believable and likable protagonist. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- After starring as a power-hitting outfielder the year before, Sylvester Coddmyer finds himself relegated to the bench at the start of the new season because of a prolonged slump. He misses the coaching he received the previous season from the mysterious Mr. Baruth. Soon the boy is approached by the equally mysterious Cheeko, who offers to pick up where Mr. Baruth left off, and soon Sylvester is clobbering homers again. However, Cheeko also encourages him to play--some would say--an aggressive, dirty game. Sylvester's tricks and lack of team spirit eventually alienate him from everyone, including the reappearing Mr. Baruth, and these threads are not resolved in the conclusion. Also left ambiguous are the true identities of the coaches: Mr. Baruth is perhaps none other than the ghost of Babe Ruth, while Cheeko is probably the ghost of a pitcher discredited in the Black Sox scandal. All of this may be leading to a sequel that's reminiscent of the movie, Field of Dreams. This book, however, leaves everything hanging. --Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (May 2, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316142735
• ISBN-13: 978-0316142731
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.5 x 7.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #90,976 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #17 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( C ) > Christopher, Matt
  • #30 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Teens > School & Sports > Fiction
  • #34 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Sports & Activities > Sports > Baseball

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is cool how he hit home runs as he did last season., December 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Return of the Home Run Kid (Matt Christopher Sports Classics) (Paperback)

Last season, Sylvester Codmyre III hit home runs every time but once, when he was up. But in his second season, again he started out slumping. Then he started hitting them back into home runs and he started being good at defense again. It is a good book because it's the second version but Sylvester has a different helper.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Return of the Home Run Kid, October 16, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Return of the Home Run Kid (Matt Christopher Sports Classics) (Paperback)

Sylvester Coddmyer III was a pretty nice kid who grew up in a nice family. He was an only child at the age of 12. In the past year Sylvester had an almost perfect homerun season, he had Mr. baruth's coaching tips to help him get through. The next year came along and there was no Mr. Barthum to help him out. He started out as a bench warmer, if he ever got to play it would just be for an inning or so. One day on the way home from practice a man named Cheeko said do you want me to help you out a little. Sylvester said sure, they practiced about 4 times aweek and befor you know it Sylvester is back hitting homeruns. Inside Sylvester really wondered who this Cheeko guy was anyway.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Return of the Home Run Kid, October 12, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Return of the Home Run Kid (Matt Christopher Sports Classics) (Paperback)

Sylvester was a kid that the last year only hit homers but these year he was playing badly. His coach Mr.Baruth asked him to be a bench warmer for the Redbirds team. Sylvester, in his way home, knew a misterious man called Cheeko who helped him to play better this season. Sylvester now is playing hot.