Are you a baseball fan? Or any sports fan? Sports have gotten pretty intense in the past couple of decades, especially youth sports. Most athletes play one sport all year long now. This of course has plusses and minuses. Athletes are really honing their skills, but they are also more prone to serious injuries since they are using the same muscles over and over like never before. Today I am sharing a new novel with you about a high school baseball superstar and how he and his community struggle with the societal pressures that come with great skill. the book is The Right Call by Tommy Greenwald. It is a Game Changer Companion Novel. I have not read Game Changer, so I do not know how closely they are related but this book stands on its own. The book is recommended for ages 10 to 14. I would like to add adults into this category or say 10+. I think anyone working with (parenting, teaching, coaching, etc.) a youth athlete could get a lot from this book.
About the Book:
From award-winning author Tommy Greenwald comes a thrilling companion novel to Game Changer that explores the growing pressures in youth sports, and the lengths some parents will go to make sure their kid comes out on top
Cal Klondike’s life revolves around baseball. He’s the Walthorne Baseball Academy’s star pitcher, and everyone from his coach to his dad to the town sports blogger is telling Cal he has an unlimited future in the sport. But with all this attention comes a lot of added stress, especially as the season kicks into high gear and college and pro scouts start to show up at the games. Inevitably, tensions that have been bubbling under the surface finally boil over, culminating in a confrontation that could change Cal’s relationship to baseball forever.
Told through a combination of transcripts, articles, texts, and emails, The Right Call is a gripping, fast-paced story for middle grade readers about our split-second decisions, facing the consequences, and the courage it takes to forgive.
From Me:
Cal Klondike is the best pitcher in town and possibly the state. Scouts come to watch him pitch to see if he is the real deal. When he started playing baseball his parents were not sports parents. They watched the games but really socialized or scrolled on their phones. Then his pitching skill started, and he suddenly was becoming a star pitcher. He got invited to a special academy where he could build his skills more. The manager there pushes his parents to get him special coaches and send him to special camps. It costs money; money they don't necessarily have. His father becomes more interested and more involved in the games. Soon he is joining the other parents of stars yelling at the umpires. Then Cal gets injured. He is out of baseball for six months. Then on his return another incident happens, and this one may keep him from returning to baseball forever. Through the after-mass Cal discovers a lot about himself as well as one of the umpires and reflects on the sports society that we all hear about in the news.
This book is an easy read. The story is shared through text messages, transcripts, e-mails and articles. It delves into deeper issues that are plaguing our society when it comes to sports. Let's face it with pro sports players making millions of dollars and the scholarships for college athletes, society has put a lot of pressure on young athletes. It is a money game. The idea of it just being for fun or a game seems to get lost with some parents, managers, and thus kids. Cal's parents are smart and have him meet regularly with his guidance counselor to talk about what is happening and the pressure he is under. These are some of the transcripts the reader reads. After the incident the guidance counselor encourages Cal to reach out to the umpire involved in the incident. This umpire tells Cal a bit about himself. He talks about his own baseball career which no one knew about in town. He also tells him about the Vietnam War and the draft. Cal has decided to do his final project paper on the umpire and his life. He is realizing that the umpires are people too and have their own lives. It is something he has not thought about especially when he is on the mound.
This book opens so many topics for discussion. The overall message is that we all make good and bad decisions, and we have to live with the consequences of those decisions. Whether it is on the baseball field or the parking lot or in Vietnam, any decision can be good or bad and have consequences. We are not just our best or worst moment. We should learn from each and try to be better people. This is such a strong message and an important one. The book also shares a bit Operation Babylift from the end of the Vietnam War. In the notes in the back there are more references to Operation Babylift, the current societal referee/umpire abuse, and Rick Anikel, a baseball player with an amazing story that is mentioned in the book. This book is perfect for a summer read, but it is also an amazing reminder to adults about how our behaviors affect the youth around us. It also would be a great book to read as a class and discuss the issues that come up.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love to hear your comments and ideas. Thank you for reading and contributing!