Review Detail

Okay, so this book comes in literally just a day or two ago and I unwrap it and think oh geez, not another sports book because I am, while not exactly a girly-girl, not exactly a tomboy either. As someone who is only 4 10 tall, Im not exactly pro-athlete material and sports and I have always had a love-hate (mostly hate) relationship. So I dont generally enjoy reading about them either and usually try to pass sportsy books on to another reviewer.

All that said, I wound up flipping through a few pages and getting hooked in and reading the whole thing in less than an hour.

Its a book told in verse about a life-altering event in a young sports wizs life. There are 28 different narrators, including Luke Wizard Wallace, the center fielder that has his life irrevocably changed by a wild beanball during a baseball game.

While poetry, I think this book will appeal to both genders equally well. Theres a good mix of sports-iness, pathos, drama, and even some romance so that all the bases are covered. And Im not ashamed to admit that I did cry a bit.

The poetry isnt the super-polished kind, but is instead almost prose-like. The poems are more like little glimpses into the thoughts going on inside all the different heads that look at this single event in so many different ways the opposing coach (a real battleax), who is by far the most unsympathetic character, the pitcher who cant handle what he did by accident, the teammates and the best friend&

Recommended for readers aged 10 and up, sports fans, reluctant readers (the pace works really well) and lovers of novels told through poetry. Look for this one after February 18, 2008.