Will Nick Ever Get on the Mound Again?

Nick’s welcome home from the hospital isn’t all that warm. Then again, it's just he and his dad now, and his father hasn’t smiled in a long time. It's obvious his dad won’t be giving him any breaks, and he seems to resent the limp Nick's developed as a result of Polio, which kept him in the hospital for over a year. His father's always busy playing catcher for the local semiprofessional team, and Nick had to do all the chores around the house. After being away for so long, he knows he doesn’t have any friends left. After all, he went from being the best pitcher in town, to someone who can’t walk without limping. He’ll never be able to pitch now. When an unlikely friendship begins with the girl next door (who's obsessed with baseball), Nick has someone to talk to and maybe play some light ball games with. At the stadium things are really happening. The famous Satchel Paige has come back for another season, and Nick can’t believe his luck. Especially when he gets to meet the great player, and the owner of the team gives Nick some important jobs. Satch takes a liking to Nick and pushes him to overcome his limp and the painful brace that he has to wear. Will Nick’s dad ever show him the affection he needs? Is it possible for Nick to move around without the brace? Will Nick ever get on the mound again? What will happen when they travel to towns that aren’t happy with a team made up of both black and white players? You'll have to read this story to learn more baseball history!

King of the Mound: My Summer with Satchel Paige by Wes Tooke brought history to life for me. I didn’t know anything about Satchel Paige’s baseball career, and even though the characters in this story are made up- I still learned a lot. I really connected with Nick because he's kind and struggling with the way his life has changed. My heart went out to him, and I was glad he was able to make a good friend who helped him see the brighter side of things. I could easily picture the baseball games that were taking place, and I loved imagining the stunts Satchel Paige performed in order to get fans to come to the games. What a talented player! I was sad to see what life was like for any baseball players who weren’t white. It's terrible to think that people wouldn’t let a talented player sign for the majors- simply because of his skin color. This book helped to show that if we don’t take no for an answer there may be consequences we don’t even see! Fans of baseball will definitely enjoy this book and the interaction between Nick and Satch. For those that don't like baseball- if you like to see people working to overcome challenges, this is a story you'll really get into. This book will be enjoyed by kids in third grade and up. A reminder to us all to never give up on our dreams!

Has anyone else read King of the Mound: My Summer with Satchel Paige? Or have you read another book by Wes Tooke? If so what did you think of it? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Happy reading!

~L

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Answer to Monday's Riddle: Take Me Out...

Excellent guessing Riddlers! This week we're up to bat. Lizzy's review will have us cheering for more, and Friday we'll be hearing from Maureen Sherry, author of the book Walls Within Walls. See you all around the book block. ; ) ~ F



The Knickerbockers played the pitch, and history flipped the switch. When Cartwright tossed out the ball, he never let momentum fall. His rules revolved around a mound, set inside a diamond ground, and nine are they who hit and run, sliding home just for fun. The Pirate, Haddix, played it right, but the Braves won the night. Do-or-die at Fenway Park, the Sox and Yankees made their mark. So much news that there's been! It's hard to remember what and when. But, there are those who know it all, and they're most likely to make the call. 

What am I referring to? Answer: Baseball!

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Monday's Riddle: Toss the Pitch...

Hello Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? I'm not a huge fan, but I like to go once in a while. It's always a great time! ; ) ~ F

The Knickerbockers played the pitch, and history flipped the switch. When Cartwright tossed out the ball, he never let momentum fall. His rules revolved around a mound, set inside a diamond ground, and nine are they who hit and run, sliding home just for fun. The Pirate, Haddix, played it right, but the Braves won the night. Do-or-die at Fenway Park, the Sox and Yankees made their mark. So much news that there's been! It's hard to remember what and when. But, there are those who know it all, and they're most likely to make the call. 

What am I referring to?

I gave you a clue! 

Clue! 

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Margo's Musings: Does Practice Make Perfect?

Margo’s favorite book this week has turned out to be entertaining for the whole family. The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires is a book that inspires. In this adorably illustrated story, a young girl is determined to create the most magnificent thing ever. She knows exactly what it will look like. Unfortunately, she has a few problems with some of her creations, but each time she knows just what to do. Eventually, she gets mad that things still aren’t being made the “right way”. What's a girl to do? Taking a walk with her dog might help her see things in the right light. Will all her practice be for nothing? Is it possible that she just needs to keep on working? I’m not telling!

Margo can’t get enough of the pictures in this book, and the dog reminds her of our little pug, Auntie Em. She points and laughs as we read. You should hear Margo telling the girl in the story, “It’s okay”. Of course, once we finish reading, it's time to make our own inventions, which is a blast, though we haven’t created the perfect thing yet. Still, it's fun for the whole family to build something together. 

This is a fabulous story that teaches a lesson we can all learn from, and I'd recommend it to book lovers of all ages.

Happy reading!

~F 

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