JULY 2022 - AudioFile
Narrator Kirby Heyborne establishes a youthful voice for 13-year-old Alex, whose greatest passion is cheering for his Grandpa Ira’s independent league baseball team, the Hurricanes, despite years of losses. When Grandpa Ira passes away, Alex’s family discovers that he had sold the team to his out-of-state brother-in-law, who now hopes to sell it. But there’s a hitch. Per the agreement, Alex must take over as manager for the final season, and if he can turn things around, then the team can’t be sold. Heyborne creates a range of unique and enthusiastic voices for the various characters. Listeners will be happy to suspend their disbelief as they cheer on Alex in his impossible task. M.D. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
"A baseball novel that's more heart-to-heart than play-by-play." — Booklist
"A peppy, inspirational tale with a sports backdrop." — Kirkus Reviews
Booklist
"A baseball novel that's more heart-to-heart than play-by-play."
Booklist
"A baseball novel that's more heart-to-heart than play-by-play."
JULY 2022 - AudioFile
Narrator Kirby Heyborne establishes a youthful voice for 13-year-old Alex, whose greatest passion is cheering for his Grandpa Ira’s independent league baseball team, the Hurricanes, despite years of losses. When Grandpa Ira passes away, Alex’s family discovers that he had sold the team to his out-of-state brother-in-law, who now hopes to sell it. But there’s a hitch. Per the agreement, Alex must take over as manager for the final season, and if he can turn things around, then the team can’t be sold. Heyborne creates a range of unique and enthusiastic voices for the various characters. Listeners will be happy to suspend their disbelief as they cheer on Alex in his impossible task. M.D. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2022-03-29
A young baseball superfan realizes his dream, but is he up to the challenge?
Alex Weakerman comes by his love of baseball naturally. His elderly Grandpa Ira owns the Weakerville, Iowa, Hurricanes, “the greatest independent professional baseball team in the whole world,” in Alex’s not-so-humble opinion. This doesn’t mean that Alex is a skilled athlete. He still harbors memories of childhood sports ineptitude under the watchful eye of Aliyah Perkins, the sportiest girl in Weakerville. When Ira passes away, the team is inherited by his brother-in-law, wealthy (and very tan) used-car magnate Parnell “Tex” Cohaagen, who is as flamboyant as his name implies. Alex fears for the team’s future, doubly so when Ira’s will stipulates the firing of Hurricanes manager Buddy LeForge. Tex pitches a mind-blowing curveball when he reveals Ira’s second stipulation: that Alex be hired as the team’s manager. Buoyed by the encouragement of his best bud, Slips, Alex stumbles into the unknown, one step at a time. With Ira’s notes to guide him and a newly enlisted Aliyah also at his side, how can he possibly fail? Rylander fills his warm coming-of-age story with crackly sports slang and tucks colorful minor characters into the nooks and crannies. Lovable nerd Alex is an ideal first-person narrator, infusing his tale with wonder and joy as well as an insider’s knowledge of the game. Slips immigrated from Poland; characters seem to default to White.
A peppy, inspirational tale with a sports backdrop. (Fiction. 10-13)
