Sixth-graders Jeremy, Nathan, Hank, and Anabel each have their own troubles. Hank's parents are fiercely competitive when it comes to Hank's sports teams, when all Hank wants to do is play. Jeremy suspects his grandmother doesn't want him living with her, but she's his only family as long as Jeremy's dad is nowhere to be found. He'd rather not join the travel team, but he agrees to attend tryouts when his grandmother offers to pay him for it. Nathan loves basketball, but he has to sneak his way into tryouts against his father's wishes. Anabel's family is so absorbed in her brother's basketball talent that they don't seem to even notice her anymore. How can this travel team come together to win?

Reviewed by: emc

Date read: 12/28/2009

ISBN-10: 0060596104

ISBN-13: 9780060596101

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Henry loves playing basketball with his friends until Tough Guy arrives with his team and says, 'I could squash you like a bug.' Suddenly, Henry and his friends are in a match against the Tigers, a team that doesn't care about fair play. The only way Henry can win is by taking matters into his own hands. Then, his friends accuse him of being a ball hog. Is there a way to bring his team together again and outsmart the Tigers? This entertaining story is a great choice for readers new to chapter books.

Reviewed by: emc

Date read: 9/29/2010

ISBN-10: 1596432438

ISBN-13: 9781596432437

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To Brian, baseball is his life. Not just playing the game, but watching it, analyzing it, and knowing baseball history and stats. He learned from his dad, an ex-major league pitcher who now works as a coach for a team in Japan. After his father left Brian and his mom, baseball is the only thing the two have in common. This summer, Brian lands a spot on a travel team and also his dream job as a batboy at Comerica Park for the Detroit Tigers. Icing on the cake comes when Hank Bishop, his all-time favorite player, rejoins the Tigers after serving a suspension for a steroid scandal. Despite Brian's best efforts though, heroes aren't always what they seem. Join Brian as he chronicles his baseball summer in The Batboy by Mike Lupica.

Reviewed by: mec

Date read: 8/31/2010

ISBN-13: 9780399250002

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Bertie's all-girl gang becomes involved in a harmless, but heartfelt, war with an all-boy gang, until her grandmother steps in with the perfect solution.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 3/27/2009

ISBN-10: 0316014427

ISBN-13: 9780316014427

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In El Salvador in the 1980s, Maria tags along to the market with her father, where they must trade some of their possessions for essentials like milk and flour. Maria's father has been out of work as a result of the political unrest in the country. While this story does depict a struggling family in an unstable environment, the real charm of the tale is the way we see Maria's family's love for one another. In the end, Maria makes a tough choice in order to contribute to her family and for the sake of a sick child she's never met. This is a sweet and moving story about growing up and expressing love for others through actions.

Reviewed by: emc

Date read: 12/30/2010

ISBN-10: 0060245212

ISBN-13: 9780060245214

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