No Cream Puffs (Hardcover)

by Karen Day (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 5–8—In this novel set in 1980, Madison is an awkward 12-year-old who is taller than most of the boys in her class. As summer begins, she finds herself on the outs with her friend Sara and thrust into the role of reluctant trailblazer as the first girl to play league baseball in her area of Southern Michigan. Madison's a gifted athlete, but she doesn't like being called a tomboy and she's not sure how she feels about baseball. She loves to pitch, but is uncomfortable with the pressure and the crowds and is self-conscious about her changing body. She struggles to fit in with her teammates, developing a crush on one boy and finding an unexpected ally in another. Also, she finds herself bristling at her mother's attempts to be supportive. The coming-of-age theme is familiar, but Madison's voice and perceptions ring true. At times, Day's plot feels a bit overcrowded and a few of the supporting characters seem one-dimensional, but these are small missteps in an otherwise engaging novel. Recommend this book to readers who enjoyed Kristi Roberts's My Thirteenth Season (Holt, 2005) and Dori Hillestad Butler's Sliding into Home (Peachtree, 2003).—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
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From Booklist
Baseball has been 12-year-old Madison’s passion for years, in contrast to the makeup, clothes, and hairstyles that her best friend, Sara, can’t live without. In fact, Madison is such a good pitcher that her older brother, David, who has coached her for years, finds a boys’ team for her to join, making hers the first team to accept a girl in southern Michigan. As a media storm gradually brews around her, Madison hunkers down to become a valuable team player, pitching and hitting her way to the championship. Set in 1980, Day’s novel explores both the mixed emotions many teenage girls encounter as they move between the rough-and-tumble life of childhood sports and more ladylike pursuits as well as the additional pressure Madison feels by being the first girl to play on a boys’ baseball team. History is full of sport stories about first females, but YA fiction is not, making this perceptive, enjoyable title, packed with exciting baseball, particularly welcome. Grades 6-9. --Frances Bradburn

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books (May 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375837752
• ISBN-13: 978-0375837753
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #358,992 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Home Run by Karen Day!, May 13, 2008

By	Susan Hurwit (Newton, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I sat down to read this book and had to finish it in one night because it was so much fun. An engaging, upbeat plot with subtle humor and meanings underneath. As a child psychologist, I appreciate the multidimensional relationship that Madison has with her mom, and her understated, but intense longing for a dad. Madison's relationships are very realistic and psychologically accurate, and they capture your attention in a thought-provoking way. Speaking of attention, this is what Madison is trying to teach herself to do. And this is what I love most about her. She's trying to pay attention to what's really important and not fall for superficiality, whether it is revealed in fame, self-seeking attention, or pseudo-romance. It's very compelling to watch Madison as she tries to make sense of what love is about in all it's ambiguous forms (best friend, a crush, and as a loving daughter). Over the course of the novel, it is also a privilege to observe as Madison changes and grows up. The over-arching theme of being true to yourself and finding out what that really entails is portrayed in a compassionate and enticing way. It is also interesting to witness the dilemmas inherent in what it was like for a girl to become involved in the world of boys' sports in the 70's. You will laugh and cheer for Madison as she tentatively, and then, proudly steps into a new phase of her life.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Daddy's review, July 3, 2008

By	James F. Day "Jim Day" (La Porte, Indiana USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I loved this book a little more than Tall Tales which I also liked. Do you suspect that Karen Day pitched on a boys little league team?
Daddy Day

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Did I have these worries when I was 13?, June 22, 2008

By	Wendell Summers (Chico CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What a joy to read a book that is so interesting and fun. It can be enjoyed by people of all ages, including baseball players.