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readitall199's review
4.0
Jalen has a very special talent. He can predict the pitches that a pitcher throws during a game with near perfect accuracy.
Jalen wants to play for a travel team but his father can not afford to pay the fees. Jalen’s father, Fabio owns a diner and prepares delicious Italian food. Jalen does not know what happened to his mother - it’s a sore subject for Fabio. Jalen is mixed race- Italian and Black.
Jalen’s wealthy friend lives next door to Yankee’s player James JY Yager. The story begins with Jalen breaking into JY’s backyard to steal baseballs JY hits, signs, sells for scholarship money for kids to help them play on teams. He meets JY and eventually he is asked to attend games and signal the pitch to JY so he can anticipate it and win.
The second part of the deal is that JY will pay Jalen’s travel team fees and tweet about Fabio’s restaurant being JY’s good luck charm.
Each chapter ends in a cliffhanger. It was a good story.
Jalen wants to play for a travel team but his father can not afford to pay the fees. Jalen’s father, Fabio owns a diner and prepares delicious Italian food. Jalen does not know what happened to his mother - it’s a sore subject for Fabio. Jalen is mixed race- Italian and Black.
Jalen’s wealthy friend lives next door to Yankee’s player James JY Yager. The story begins with Jalen breaking into JY’s backyard to steal baseballs JY hits, signs, sells for scholarship money for kids to help them play on teams. He meets JY and eventually he is asked to attend games and signal the pitch to JY so he can anticipate it and win.
The second part of the deal is that JY will pay Jalen’s travel team fees and tweet about Fabio’s restaurant being JY’s good luck charm.
Each chapter ends in a cliffhanger. It was a good story.
eely225's review
2.0
I read this book because it was mentioned on a baseball podcast. The premise matched one of their recurring hypotheticals: what would happen if a player could predict every pitch?
Of course, this book is written for middle schoolers. As such, it's impossible for me to rate it according to how much it appeals to me; I am quite far removed from the target demographic. The best I can do, then, is evaluate whether I would want to have my hypothetical offspring read this. The answer? Probably not.
The pacing is fine. The characters are boilerplate and, ultimately, harmless. There are some themes, though, that I would not want my kids to internalize.
The main character, Jalen, is a math prodigy. Despite that, he refuses to develop his gift, saying that he doesn't want to waste time on something stuffy like math when he could play baseball. While I understand the desire to appeal to a kid's anti-school instincts, who needs this messaging? Time and again, the book reiterates the theme that the only really worthwhile goal is being a professional athlete.
It also disparages anyone who tries to take an analytical, rather than instinctual, approach to sports. This continues the "no nerds allowed" theme. But, like, you're reading a book. Isn't that kind of nerdy in itself? Are we overcompensating a bit?
This, combined with the unfortunate "wisened, old black man teaches MC a valuable lesson" and "all Italians talk like Mario" tropes, make the book something I'd have trouble recommending to young readers.
Of course, this book is written for middle schoolers. As such, it's impossible for me to rate it according to how much it appeals to me; I am quite far removed from the target demographic. The best I can do, then, is evaluate whether I would want to have my hypothetical offspring read this. The answer? Probably not.
The pacing is fine. The characters are boilerplate and, ultimately, harmless. There are some themes, though, that I would not want my kids to internalize.
The main character, Jalen, is a math prodigy. Despite that, he refuses to develop his gift, saying that he doesn't want to waste time on something stuffy like math when he could play baseball. While I understand the desire to appeal to a kid's anti-school instincts, who needs this messaging? Time and again, the book reiterates the theme that the only really worthwhile goal is being a professional athlete.
It also disparages anyone who tries to take an analytical, rather than instinctual, approach to sports. This continues the "no nerds allowed" theme. But, like, you're reading a book. Isn't that kind of nerdy in itself? Are we overcompensating a bit?
This, combined with the unfortunate "wisened, old black man teaches MC a valuable lesson" and "all Italians talk like Mario" tropes, make the book something I'd have trouble recommending to young readers.
amyduis's review
4.0
Jalen is a likable main character who is blessed with the ability to predict what pitch will be thrown. He and his two best friends love baseball. Jalen dreams of making a summer travel team, but because it is very expensive, he comes up with a creative plan to raise money quickly. This book was a fun, easy read - especially for young baseball fans.
jrpopfan's review against another edition
4.0
I'm a sucker for a good baseball story and who knew Derek Jeter would be behind a kids fiction book.
While I found this in the children's section, I found it a little old for a child but too immature for young adult. Tween it is.
The story was good. Writing good. Baseball stats good. Overall, good, entertaining and fun. Looking forward to the next book.
While I found this in the children's section, I found it a little old for a child but too immature for young adult. Tween it is.
The story was good. Writing good. Baseball stats good. Overall, good, entertaining and fun. Looking forward to the next book.
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