Baseball Book for Kids

Baseball is front and center in this new offering from Joan Bauer.  However, you don't have to be a fan of the game to appreciate the protagonist in this book, who is one of the most charming and optimistic characters I have met all year.  But, you just may pick up a love for the game after reading this story, if you didn't love baseball already!

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Title: Soar

Author: Joan Bauer

Target: Grades 4-7

Series: No

What this book is about: 

Jeremiah has a heart transplant, and he loves baseball.  Even though he can’t play, he gets fervently excited about his move to the town of Hillcrest, because they are known for their thriving baseball community.  But just when Jeremiah and his father arrive, the town is rocked by a steroid scandal and the high school team is disbanded.  Jeremiah is hoping to watch his middle school team, but no one wants to play there either.  He knows that baseball is a metaphor for life and not just a game, so he gets some kids together and starts to coach a team.  But will his love for the game be enough to pull this town out of their baseball funk?

Why I love this book:

• First off Jeremiah is just a wonderful written character.  He is charming, disarming, insightful beyond his years and someone who isn’t afraid to speak his mind with measured words.  I was completely captivated and amused by him.

• I like the baseball in the book.  Hey, I have been trained to love the sport by my husband and so I enjoyed the motivational speeches and the emphasis on the basics.

• Spoiler alert, they do win the last game, but they don’t win the series and they loose an awful lot along the way.  I appreciate that.  These kids still felt like absolute winners even if their baseball win to loss ratio was negative!

Who this book is for: 

Great realistic fiction for boys.  For kids who like books on baseball and life, this one is a winner.

Final thoughts: 

I have always enjoyed Joan Bauer’s books, but this one impressed me in a way the others hadn’t.  My favorite book from her by far.

To purchase this book:

Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: Soar  A portion of each purchase will go back to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.

One Minute Book Talk: