Screwball: An Ashley Clarke Novel [Perfect Paperback]

Keri Mikulski (Author), Kimberli Green (Editor), Jodi Raines (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 7, 2008

Things have been sweet for fourteen-year old freshman fastpitch fanatic Ashley Clarke. She's happy and content as the starting pitcher for her stress-free fourteen and under ASA team. During her time away from the diamond, she's either sprinting down the soccer field, bouncing a basketball, or hanging at the beach with her BFF, Lizzy. But one sizzling summer day, hottie junior jock Andrew spots her at a pizza shop and Ashley's life changes forever. Meanwhile, her friend, Kate, talks her into joining the Crush, an elite sixteen and under team loaded with tough competition. Shortly after playing in her first game, Ashley finds out new Crush teammate Christy not only hates her guts, but is determined to ruin Ashley's future for good. Join Ashley as she struggles juggling sports, school, and a social life. Will Christy and her cronies force Ashley to quit the Crush? Or will she give it all up to spend more time with Andrew? And who's the new guy in Ashley's life complicating things?

Editorial Reviews

Review

In her debut novel, SCREWBALL, Keri Mikulski has covered all the bases. This is an exciting story. Spunky Ashley finds herself out of her league, facing tough competition on both the sports and romance fronts. Does first love win out or does Ashley sacrifice it all to pursue her softball dreams? I laughed, I cried and I cheered for Ashley. So will you. --Angela De Groot, Children's Author

I loved this book and I don't even play softball! --Taylor Gray - Teen Author

I loved this book and I don't even play softball! --Taylor Gray - Teen Author

About the Author

Keri Mikulski is a writer, author, teacher, and softball coach. Keri earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from Thomas Jefferson University, a master's degree in teaching from The College of New Jersey, and is a graduate of The Institute of Children's Literature. She holds an ACE Personal Trainer certification and a Registered Nurse license. Keri grew up in Maple Shade, New Jersey where she was a three-sport athlete in high school and a two-sport athlete in college until a shoulder injury sidelined her softball career. Her articles has been published in Golfer Girl, Softball Youth, South Jersey Mom, Fastpitch Forever magazines, and she recently sold an article to Highlights for Children. Keri is a monthly columnist for South Jersey Mom and she runs a book club for Fastpitch Forever magazine. She resides near Cape May, New Jersey with her husband and daughter. Screwball is her first novel.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Blitz Publishing, Inc.; 1 edition (January 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979690803
• ISBN-13: 978-0979690808
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,226,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars National Writing for Children Center's Summer YA Book Pick!, July 17, 2008

By 

L. Suzanne Lieurance "The Working Writer's Coach" (Kansas City, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Screwball: An Ashley Clarke Novel (Perfect Paperback)

Keri Mikulski brings high school and fastpitch softball to life in her impressive debut novel, SCREWBALL. Sports, romance, rivalry, mystery, and a strong first-person narrative make for a fast-paced story that readers of all ages will enjoy.

This first book in the Ashley Clarke series is sure to leave young girls everywhere clamoring for more tales of Ashley's struggles to juggle school, sports, and a social life in a small beachside community in New Jersey.

A great summer read, whether or not you're into sports!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast and Fun, August 15, 2008

By 

The Book Muncher (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Screwball: An Ashley Clarke Novel (Perfect Paperback)

Ashley Clarke is a sports girl through and through. She's a great pitcher for her fourteen and under softball team, and she also plays soccer and basketball. Then her friend Kate persuades Ashley to join a different softball team, this one for sixteen and under. But adjusting to this new team is tougher than Ashley expected, especially because the other pitcher Christy seems to want to ruin Ashley's life. Ashley tries different methods of appeasing Christy but realizes she has to settle for just ignoring her, which is a little tough, considering her hot football-player boyfriend Andrew sometimes hangs out with Christy. Screwball is Ashley's story as she tries to figure out a balance to her life between sports, boys, and not-so-nice girls.

Screwball was a very fun and cute summer read. I really liked Ashley's character; she was a little immature at times but also witty and hilarious. It was interesting to watch her mature through the book, and I did notice it had something to do with the guy she was with. Ashley is a really lovable character because many girls can probably relate to all the "injustices" she faced during her first year of high school, and her coming out the other end just fine made me like her even more. Though I am not a sports or softball fan at all, reading along as Ashley played was really exciting; I could really feel her energy and enthusiasm through each game. You don't even have to understand anything about the game to get into Ashley's story. Screwball was definitely a very enjoyable book for me.

Screwball was a very fast, fun, and easy read. The story is more suited for younger teen girls, but older readers looking for a cute story may enjoy it also. I look forward to continuing Ashley's story in later novels.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Compulsive Reader's Reviews, April 5, 2008

By 

The Compulsive Reader (Big Rapids, MI, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Screwball: An Ashley Clarke Novel (Perfect Paperback)

Ashley Clarke knows what it's like to be under pressure. She's an athlete that plays on three different sports teams during the school year. That, on top of school work and trying to have a social life, keeps her awfully busy. And it only adds up when Ashley gets a boyfriend and feels pressured to spend more time with him, in between dodging Christy, a teammate who seems to hate her without reason. Ashley will have to find a way to juggle everything that's going on, and at the same time stay true to herself--something a lot easier said than done.

This novel speaks sports. Though dense with sports talk, strategy, and suspense, Screwball will appeal to both athletes and non-sports players alike. Ashley is tough, determined, and yet appropriately girly at the same time, making her someone that high school girls especially can relate to. This is one book ideal for the reluctant reader who lives and breathes any sort of sport. You don't need to go to the big game to experience all that fun and excitement--just grab some peanuts and this fast paced and entertaining read!

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