Review by Booklist Review
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.--Bradburn, Frances Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 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 (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Twelve-year-old tomboy Madison is the only girl to play in the boys' summer baseball league in 1980 Michigan. She just wants to compete but finds herself the focus of unwanted attention. Madison, feisty and strong-minded, struggles with changing friendships, gender roles, labels such as "trailblazer" and "feminist," and harsh criticism in this thoughtful sports story. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Baseball provides fertile ground for exploring cultural and personal issues in this satisfying novel set in the summer of 1980. Twelve-year-old Madison, a natural athlete, learned to pitch in pick-up games with coaching from her brother. When he encourages her to try out for a boys' team in their small Michigan town, Madison thinks it might be fun. But she finds that when she pitches well, which is almost always, people say she "throws like a boy." If a boy pitches poorly, he "throws like a girl." Her teammates react to her with mixed feelings; two show romantic interest. Coming-of-age themes emerge naturally at home and on the field. Madison chafes at the feminist views of her mother, a well-drawn character, but recognizes her love and loyalty. She resents her former best friend's interest in clothes and popularity, but sees her own role in undermining the friendship. Her feelings and choices ring true as do her teammates' complex reactions. Since controversy still surrounds girls playing football, this fine sports story is fresh and relevant. (Fiction. 10-14) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
