by Preller, James.
Publishers Weekly
: Starred Review. Preller, author of the Jigsaw Jones mysteries, raises his game with this perceptive group portrait of boys who play Little League baseball. The structure couldn't be more hackneyed—a championship game with everything on the line—but Preller makes it fresh with insightful sketches of each member of the (underdog) Earl Grubb's Pool Supplies team. There's the coach's kid, Branden, who has baseball's five tools, plus one: he forgets failure immediately. The Sweeney twins are a study in contrasts: Eamon is ninety-six pounds of stress, while Colin speaks in quotes from baseball movies and jibes the opposing first baseman—I'd love to chat, but I don't think I'll be hanging around for long—before stealing second. Sam, sidelined by a tumor in his leg, calls the game from the press box, aching to play, while Patrick Wong, the weakest gazelle in the herd, prays from the infield: Please, God in heaven, don't let them hit it to me. The outcome is predictable but the journey is nailbitingly tense. Kids will be nodding in agreement at the truths laid bare. If Judy Blume could write a book about Little League, about its players' deepest fears and secret dreams, it might come out something like this. Ages 9-14. (Mar.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions Inc. Terms
School Library Journal
: Gr 5–8—Focusing on a single afternoon—a mere six innings of a Little League game—Preller delves into the psyches of middle school boys on two teams—Earl Grubb's Pool Supplies and Northeast Gas & Electric, as well as that of Sam, previously a player but now an announcer. Without explaining why, the story begins with Sam being in bed, thinking about baseball, unable to get to the bathroom alone. It is only later in the book, in a brief area, that readers learn of Sam's recent diagnosis with osteosarcoma. In between Sam's broadcasts, readers learn about other team members, their thoughts and memories about baseball and family. Sharing tidbits of these boys' lives, exposing diverse backgrounds and situations, Six Innings should hit home with many readers. Written in the authentic voice of a soon-to-be 13-year-old, the narrative reflects the thoughts and sensibilities of a middle schooler. Tension builds as the game progresses, and the boys' characters are developed each time they are at bat or on the field for an important play. A tale of baseball, friendship, growth, and coming to terms with hardships, this fast read will grasp any reader who enjoys sports.—Sara Rofofsky Marcus, Yeshiva Har Torah, Little Neck, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions Inc. Terms
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