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imstephtacular's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Bullying
Minor: Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Outing, and Blood
jenmangler's review
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this. My favorite parts of the book were the conversations Silas had with his baseball coach. If only every person had someone like Coach Webb in their life.
rachel_tb's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bibliobrandie's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the characters and the plot but I did not care for the writing. I hated all the repetitive words: "Pow, Pow!" " Dog pile, dog pile!" "One down, One down" I'd say about 50 pages could be removed if all the duplicated words were removed from the book. Reads young. Also it's a lot of baseball so I am not really the target audience here.
mthomsen14's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
btdill's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
bookscatstacos's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
zerohero's review against another edition
5.0
It been a long time since i last read a book that made me want to cry out of anger. It’s been even longer since i read something that brought up the emotions of when i was in the closet. Explained everything i could never explain to others.
trix21's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
i loved it.
lauren_soderberg's review against another edition
5.0
This is a wonderful middle-grade read that kind of got lost in the pandemic shuffle last year, which is a shame.
It's the kind of book that is both age-appropriate, but also sort of defies its age demographic. I feel like anybody reading this will be able to glean something positive and didactic. And the novel's treatment of Silas as he becomes more comfortable with his identity is mirrored in a captivating way by the real-life story of Glenn Burke.
The usage of biography in a fictional story was really unique and interesting, and a way that can engage readers to compare and contrast the lived experience of the fictional protagonist and a person who existed in the real world. Glenn Burke's story also serves as a vehicle for Silas's fears and projections, which is also narratively engaging. This book also provides a lot of great insights into how to be a kinder, better person, without veering into being overwrought or heavy-handed.
In short, I loved the book, and would love to see this being taught in classrooms.
It's the kind of book that is both age-appropriate, but also sort of defies its age demographic. I feel like anybody reading this will be able to glean something positive and didactic. And the novel's treatment of Silas as he becomes more comfortable with his identity is mirrored in a captivating way by the real-life story of Glenn Burke.
The usage of biography in a fictional story was really unique and interesting, and a way that can engage readers to compare and contrast the lived experience of the fictional protagonist and a person who existed in the real world. Glenn Burke's story also serves as a vehicle for Silas's fears and projections, which is also narratively engaging. This book also provides a lot of great insights into how to be a kinder, better person, without veering into being overwrought or heavy-handed.
In short, I loved the book, and would love to see this being taught in classrooms.