Out at Home: A Choose Your Path Baseball Book

by Lisa M. Bolt Simons

Overview

Become a baseball star in this interactive adventure. Make the right choices, upgrade your skills, and win the big game!

Whoever said “life isn’t fair” wasn’t kidding. Your parents have been in and out of jail—and you’ve been in and out of foster care—for much of your life. At least you have baseball. It’s the one thing that keeps you in school and out of trouble. But will you stick with the team when your living situation changes for the worse?

You’re the main character in this interactive sports adventure. Play as Alec, and try to keep your head in the game as your home life begins to unravel. Do you have the talent, skill, and focus to keep your starting spot at shortstop? Or will the new kid in town bump you to the bench? More importantly, will you find a way to forgive your parents and bring your family back together?

You may have read sports books before, but you’ve never read one like Out at Home by Lisa M. Bolt Simons. It’s a game within a game. Interactive books for kids are more popular than ever. Create your own adventure with the Choose to Win book series for boys and girls. You’re the main character. You make the choices. Will you find your way to a championship finish? Here’s how the format works:

• Become the main character. Make choices that affect what happens.
• Collect points along the way to upgrade your skills.
• Utilize your upgrades to win the game at story’s end!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781960084453
Publisher:	Adventure Publications, Incorporated
Publication date:	04/08/2025
Series:	Choose to Win
Edition description:	2nd Revised ed.
Pages:	152
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.38(d)
Lexile:	520L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 13 Years

About the Author

Lisa M. Bolt Simons has written 70 nonfiction and fiction children’s books—including five middle-grade Choose Your Path novels—and an adult history book. She has twice received an honorable mention for the McKnight Artist Fellowship for Writers in Children’s Literature. She has also received three Minnesota State Arts Board grants, a MNSCBWI Writing Mentorship, a Shabo Award for Children’s Picture Book Writers, and an artist grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities Council.

Lisa is a proud mom to her math- and science-minded adult twins, Jeri and Anthony. Originally from Colorado, she lives in a Minnesota town (population: 140ish) with her husband, who also loves to read.

Read an Excerpt

You’ve practiced hard and worked hard, and you feel ready. You didn’t think the first game would ever get here. But, finally, it’s April 30. J.T. has been practicing at shortstop and catcher, and you two have been hanging out at school.

The first game is at home. You see your parents in the bleachers. They brought your brothers. Mike and Gretchen are at the game, too. You smile. Your whole family is here.

The team you’re playing is from a small town an hour away. Two years ago, you blew them out, winning by nine runs. Last year, it was another win but only by a run. If they improved again, today will be interesting.

You run to your position and settle between Ashton at second base and Landon at third. You feel your adrenaline pumping. This is what you wait for, through fall and winter. Your glove is tight on your hand. You smack your fist into it, bend your knees, and lean forward.

Logan’s first pitch is a strike, a great way to start. The next pitch is another strike. You don’t even twitch. Your coach says that you must always act cool until the end of the game. Celebrate runs, yes—but don’t celebrate each and every good moment. Concentrate. Get through each pitch, each out, each inning.

Logan tallies a strikeout. Awesome.

The next batter hits the ball right at you, practically a can of corn that rises high into the air and then lands directly in your glove. Two outs.

The third batter smashes a hit into the gap between Julian in center field and Abdi in right field. Julian throws to Ashton at second, forcing the batter to stay at first base with Puff.

The next hit soars over Gabriel’s head in left field. The runner at first speeds his way around the bases—all the way to home plate, scoring a run. The batter stops at second.

Logan strikes out the next hitter for the third and final out of the half-inning. Your team jogs to the dugout. It’s Chane Valley’s turn to bat. The top of the order gets ready. Ben, the leadoff, is the Cardinals’ most consistent hitter. He takes the first pitch for a strike. The second pitch connects square on the sweet spot of Ben’s bat.

Home run!

Ben rounds the bases, and, just like that, it’s a tie game, 1–1.

You take a quick look at the bleachers. Your family and the Mediavilas are still there. It’s not really like you expected them to be gone. You just want to make sure that you’re not dreaming.

Up next, Gabriel hits a line drive to third and hustles to first base.

Ashton repeats the hit with a shot toward third base. He, too, is safe. Gabriel advances to second.

Now it’s your turn. You’re so focused that you’re not even nervous.

You watch two strikes and one ball go by before you take your first swing. That fourth pitch looks hittable on its way. Your bat connects, and you feel a twang.

It’s a Baltimore chop, hitting the ground and then bouncing over the pitcher’s head. You run as fast as you can to the bag. The second baseman doesn’t grab the ball cleanly, so everyone is safe.

Now the bases are loaded, and it’s Puff’s turn to hit. He’s one of the strongest batters, the meat of the order. Puff practices his swing and then steps into the batter’s box. The pitcher seems to find his stuff because Puff strikes out on three pitches.

Logan is next, and he almost always likes the first pitch he sees. He hits a triple, clearing the bases. You sprint to home plate, giving your team a 4–1 lead.

The next three innings go by in a flurry of strikeouts and ground balls. Neither team gets on the board.

Just as you’re about to run onto the field for inning number five, Coach calls you over.

“Gibb, I’m thinking about trying J.T. at shortstop. I want to see how he performs in a game. What do you think? It’s your call. I’ll leave it up to you.”

What will you choose to do?

Table of Contents

How to Use This Book

Starting Lineup

Prologue

1. A New Season

2. First Practice

3. Oh, Brothers!

4. Practice Time

5. Family Matters

6. Going Home

7. The First Game

8. School’s Out

9. State Semifinals

10. Out of Position

11. The Championship

Epilogue

Choose to Win!

About the Author