December Grades 3-4 Book Club: Clean Getaway

For the December's Grades 3-4 Book Club, we read the book Clean Getaway by Nic Stone. Alex and Emily was present. Here's what we discussed, with help from the publisher's website. 

Reflect on the following quotes:

 

 a. “Looks like we’re both trying to make a run for it.” (p. 48)

 b. “It’s possible to know too much about the folks in your life.” (p. 77)

 c. “So people don’t have to enjoy the wrong they’re doing to do it?” (p. 85)

 d. “Man, I hate this world sometimes.” (p. 136)

 e. “They get seventeen more days. Most of them good.” (p. 211)

 

 

Guilt is a recurring theme in this book. How does guilt motivate G’ma? How does guilt affect Scoob?

 

What is your opinion of G’ma? Was she a good person? Explain the multiple facets of her character. Is anyone all good or all bad?

 

What are some lessons or universal themes in this book? Did it make you think about anything in a new way? What? And why?

 

What are your thoughts about the relationship between G’ma and G’pop? Do you agree with her choice to not bring their son to visit G’pop in prison? Do you agree with her choice to keep secrets from her son? Reflect on this relationship.

Do you think Scoob will ever tell his dad about what G’ma confessed to him? Why or why not?

 

What realization does Scoob come to when he says, “I’m sorry you lost your mom.” (p. 215) Do you think kids sometimes forget their parents are people, too?

 

What do you think of Scoob’s decision to bury G’ma’s treasure box in Mexico? What would you have done?

Do you think events like those in the book could ever happen? Why or why not?

 

Would you call the end of the book a happy one? Why or why not?

Please rate this book between 1 and 5, with 1 being the worst and 5 the best.

-4

-4

Book Club will be meeting on Wednesday, January 13 at 3:30 p.m. We will be meeting via Zoom. We will be reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume.

"Peter finds his demanding two-year-old brother an ever increasing problem."

Books will be available within a week. Please be sure to register so that I can email you the Zoom password!

January Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.

Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

Life with his little brother, Fudge, makes Peter Hatcher feel like a fourth grade nothing. Whether Fudge is throwing a temper tantrum in a shoe store, smearing mashed potatoes on the walls at Hamburger Heaven, or trying to fly, he's never far from trouble. He's an almost three-year-old terror who gets away with everything, and Peter's had it up to here! When Fudge walks off with Dribble, Peter's pet turtle, it's the last straw. Peter has put up with Fudge for too long. Way too long! How can he get his parents to pay attention to him for a change?

Upside Down Magic by Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins

It's never easy when your magic goes wonky.

For Nory, this means that instead of being able to turn into a dragon or a kitten, she turns into both of them at the same time -- a dritten.

For Elliott, the simple act of conjuring fire from his fingertips turns into a fully frozen failure.

For Andres, wonky magic means he's always floating in the air, bouncing off the walls, or sitting on the ceiling.

For Bax, a bad moment of magic will turn him into a . . . actually, he'd rather not talk about that.

Nory, Elliott, Andres, and Bax are just four of the students in Dunwiddle Magic School's Upside-Down Magic class. In their classroom, lessons are unconventional, students are unpredictable, and magic has a tendency to turn wonky at the worst possible moments. Because it's always amazing, the trouble a little wonky magic can cause . . .

November Grades 3-4 Book Club: Frindle

For the November's Grades 3-4 Book Club, we read the book Frindle by Andrew Clements. Luna was present. Here's what we discussed. 

What is Mrs. Granger’s famous “battle cry” that all her former students remember? 

What question does Nick ask Mrs. Granger on the first day of class to stall the lesson? How does she outsmart him? 

List the three important events that lead to Nick's big idea: renaming a pen “a frindle.” 

What exactly does Mrs. Granger mean when she says that “dog” means dog because we all agree it does? 

Why do those students want to stay after school and be punished by Mrs. Granger? Why do they consider it a “badge of honor”? 

If “ain’t” is not a proper word, how can it be in the dictionary, as Nick points out? What is Nick trying to prove when he brings this point up with Mrs. Chatham, the principal? 

Imagine that you are the reporter from the Wakefield Gazette, trying to get the scoop on the new word "frindle." What questions would you ask Mrs. Granger? How would you convince the principal to give you the real story? 

Bud Lawrence wants to own the copyright for the word "frindle." What does he plan to do with it? How can someone own the rights to a word? Explain how this is different from owning a bike or a pair of sneakers, or even a pet dog. 

When the reporter from the TV station asks Nick “What’s next for you and your new word?” Nick replies that “frindle belongs to everyone now.” How can a word belong to everyone? What does someone “do” with a word that belongs to them? 

How does the experience of inventing a new word and becoming a celebrity affect Nick? Why does he think twice about testing out his new idea: protesting the poor food in the cafeteria? 

In her letter to Nick (which he opens years later, after he’s in college), Mrs. Granger says: “A person can watch the sunset, but he cannot slow it down or stop it or make it go backward.” What do you think this observation has to do with Nick’s word? 

Why does Mrs. Granger “expect to hear remarkable things” about Nick in the future? Can you predict — based on his creativity and his restless challenging of rules and conventions — what kind of remarkable things he might go on to do? 

Can you recall the early parts of the story and Mrs. Granger’s “war” against Nick and his new word? Now that you know what her real intentions were — to intentionally make herself “the bad guy” — try to imagine what she was thinking when she posted her angry notice, or when day after day she kept all those students after school. 

Do you think Nick really knew what he was getting into when he started spreading the word “frindle”? How did Mrs. Granger — who tried to make obstacles for Nick — realize the possibility of Nick’s new word?

Please rate this book between 1 and 5, with 1 being the worst and 5 the best.

-A 3

Book Club will be meeting on Wednesday, December 9 at 3:00 p.m. We will be meeting via Zoom. Books will be available behind the Circulation Desk within a week. Please be sure to register so that I can email you the Zoom password!

For December's Book Club, we will be reading Clean Getaway by Nic Stone. 

For the life of him, William "Scoob" Lamar can't seem to stay out of trouble--and now the run-ins at school have led to lockdown at home. So when G'ma, Scoob's favorite person on Earth, asks him to go on an impromptu road trip, he's in the RV faster than he can say FREEDOM. With G'ma's old maps and a strange pamphlet called the 'Travelers' Green Book' at their side, the pair takes off on a journey down G'ma's memory lane. But adventure quickly turns to uncertainty: G'ma keeps changing the license plate, dodging Scoob's questions, and refusing to check Dad's voice mails. And the farther they go, the more Scoob realizes that the world hasn't always been a welcoming place for kids like him, and things aren't always what they seem--G'ma included.

Please be sure to register for Book Club so I know to send you the Zoom password!

December Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

Clean Getaway by Nic Stone

How to Go on an Unplanned Road Trip with Your Grandma:
    Grab a Suitcase: Prepacked from the big spring break trip that got CANCELLED.
    Fasten Your Seatbelt: G'ma's never conventional, so this trip won't be either.
    Use the Green Book: G'ma's most treasured possession. It holds history, memories, and most important, the way home.

What Not to Bring:
    A Cell Phone: Avoid contact with Dad at all costs. Even when G'ma starts acting stranger than usual.

Take a trip with an eleven-year-old boy who is about to discover that the world hasn't always been a welcoming place for kids like him, and things aren't always what they seem--his G'ma included.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Recent immigrants from China and desperate for work and money, ten-year-old Mia Tang's parents take a job managing a rundown motel in Southern California, even though the owner, Mr. Yao is a nasty skinflint who exploits them; while her mother (who was an engineer in China) does the cleaning, Mia works the front desk and tries to cope with demanding customers and other recent immigrants--not to mention being only one of two Chinese in her fifth grade class, the other being Mr. Yao's son, Jason.

Wish by Barbara O'Connor

Eleven-year-old Charlie Reese has been making the same secret wish every day since fourth grade. She even has a list of all the ways there are to make the wish, such as cutting off the pointed end of a slice of pie and wishing on it as she takes the last bite.

But when she is sent to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to live with family she barely knows, it seems unlikely that her wish will ever come true. That is, until she meets Wishbone, a skinny stray dog who captures her heart, and Howard, a neighbor boy who proves surprising in lots of ways. Suddenly Charlie is in serious danger of discovering that what she thought she wanted may not be what she needs at all.

October Grades 3-4 Book Club: The Friendship War

 

For the October's Grades 3-4 Book Club, we read the book The Friendship War by Andrew Clements. Cameron, Chase and Kaylee were present. Here's what we discussed. 

What is Grace’s relationship like with Grampa? How would you describe Grace’s family?

 -They get along really well. Sometimes she and Ben don't get along.

On page 20, Grace says her room is like a museum of her life. Why does she collect things? What value do they hold for her? Would they hold the same value for someone else?

 -Her things hold memories.

-Because her grandpa does it.

 

Buttons become valuable at Grace’s school. What makes the buttons valuable to other students? What gives something value?

-Prettiness

-How much they cost

-Something that you like is valuable

What are some ways that Grace’s and Ellie’s personalities are different? What experiences may have made them this way?

-They don't always have the same teachers

-Ellie always gets her way

-Grace lets Ellie gets her way

 

In the beginning of the story, Grace questions how Ellie can be her best friend if Ellie makes her so upset. What are some important qualities in a friendship? Does Ellie have these qualities at the beginning of the book? Does she by the end? What causes the change?

 -everyone has to cut down trees to save the environment (make new houses for homeless people)

-people should agree with each other most of the time but not all time

-Ellie changes a little bit. 

 

What lessons do Grace and Ellie learn? How do they learn these lessons? Who do you think changes the most?

-Social studies

-How to be a better friend

-Ellie changes more because she gets meaner and meaner but then nicer and nicer 

 

Discuss: Have you ever struggled in a friendship or had conflict over a fad or trend at school? Explain.

 -I have struggled with a friend

-I struggle with friends as well. One friend always wants to do what he wants to do. And he always interrupts.  

-Last year, Pokemon cards were a fad at school. People traded them all the time.

-The buttons broke friendships, just like the broken pinwheel button. 

Who is the meanest character in the book? How are they mean? The nicest? What makes them nice?

 Ellie is the meanest. Hank is the nicest. Grace is in between.

 

Do you think events like those in the book could ever happen? Why or why not?

 -Yeah, every day.

 

Would you call the end of the book a happy one? Why or why not?

 -Happy because they are all friends again.

 Please rank this book from 1-5, with 5 being the best.

-4 across the board

For Book Club in November, we will be reading Frindle by Andrew Clements.

When he decides to turn his fifth grade teacher's love of the dictionary around on her, clever Nick Allen invents a new word and begins a chain of events that quickly moves beyond his control.

Book Club will be meeting on Wednesday, November 18 at 3:00 p.m. Please note the later date due to the Veteran's Day Wednesday holiday the week before. Books will be available behind the Circulation Desk within a week. As always, snacks and good conversation will be provided at Book Club!

 

November Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

Amulet. Bk. 1, The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi

After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals. Eventually, they enlist the help of a small mechanical rabbit named Miskit. Together with Miskit, they face the most terrifying monster of all, and Em finally has the chance to save someone she loves

The BFG by Roald Dahl

The BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It's lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been carried off in the middle of the night by the Bloodbottler, or any of the other giants—rather than the BFG—she would have soon become breakfast. When Sophie hears that the giants are flush-bunking off to England to swollomp a few nice little chiddlers, she decides she must stop them once and for all. And the BFG is going to help her!

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it's love at first sight—and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who drinks too much and has a gun—and abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. But Marty's secret becomes too big for him to keep to himself, and it exposes his entire family to Judd's anger. How far will Marty have to go to make Shiloh his?

March Grades 3-4 Book Club: Orphan Island

For the March's Grades 3-4 Book Club, we read the book Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder. Cameron, Hunter, Luna, Lucy, Matt, Micah, and Mirah were present. Here's what we discussed. 

Discuss the meaning of the rhyme: “Nine on an island, orphans all/Any more, the sky might fall.” What does this rhyme mean to Deen? What does it mean to Jinny? What do you think might be the origin of this rhyme?

-If anyone decides to stay, bad things might happen

-The rhyme meant different things to different characters

-Abigail might have

-The person who created the island

-The person who came to the island first

Why does Jinny not want Deen to leave? Why does she try to make him stay? Discuss Deen’s comments when he says, “The island has rules for a reason” (p. 11) and “I might be ready . . . for something else” (p. 12).

-Because he was the first friend that she had on the island. She has known Deen the longest out of all of the kids.
-He might be bored of the island.
-He might to be adventurous.-

From the way Ess talks and from her behavior when she first comes to the island, can you guess how old she is? How does her language and behavior change through the course of the year she is Jinny’s “Care”?

-Maybe three
-She doesn't say "Mama" (asking for her) anymore, so maybe she's kind of getting over her mom
-By the end of the book, Ess is four (probably) and she is acting more grown-up

Discuss the three skills that each Elder must teach to the youngest child. Why is each of these skills so important and how do they help the children to live on the island? Why do you think Jinny has trouble teaching Ess the skills ?

-The skills are so important because they keep the kids alive.
-She can't remember how she learned them.
-She didn't want to teach Ess the skills because she might have been scared about having to leave the island.
-She might not have known anything to teach.

Is it Jinny’s job to keep Ess safe or, as Ben says, “to teach her to keep herself safe”? (p. 63). What is the difference? What does this difference in perspective tell us about Jinny and about Ben?

-To teach her to keep herself safe.
-They have differences in their personalities. 
-Jinny isn't lazy. She's afraid of failing in teaching Ess how to stay safe.

Discuss the importance of the scene when Jinny swims out in the ocean by herself. How does she change after that experience? What makes Oz say, “What is it with Elders? They always get so weird at the end, don’t they?” (p. 132). How does this compare to Jinny’s experience of Deen before he left the island?

-They're scared.
-They don't know where they're going.

What is the significance of the pile of shoes? How do Ess and Loo react differently when Jinny takes them to bury their shoes? What does she discover when Loo dismantles the shoe pile?

-It's a tradition of the island.
-You are supposed to forget all about your past and where you came from.

How do the other children respond to Jinny’s decision to stay? Describe the changes in the island after Jinny stays. How do these changes affect the lives of all the children?

-They're mad.
-They're hurt.
-The mist began to thin, the winds stopped blowing as much, it started snowing, the snakes got aggressive (and venomous). 

Consider the island from the point of view of different characters. For example, what does life on the island mean to Jinny and to Ben? What sets Jak and Oz apart from the others? How does Sam adapt to his first year without an Elder? How would the story be different if it were told from the point of view of any of the children other than Jinny?

-It's all I ever knew and I should ever need to know-Jinny
-Deen wanted to see the rest of the world

-I felt bad for Loo because he never really got to experience the island

Discuss the title of the book and how it relates to the children’s perception of themselves. How is Jinny affected by Ess’s apparent memories of her mama and Abigail’s letter to her Mommaloo? Do these thoughts contribute to her decision not to leave when the boat comes for her?

-She started to question who might be an orphan and who might not be.

Toward the end of the novel, Jinny calls into question the character of the people who live off the island: “Why would anyone send us to a place with snakes and not give us snake medicines, if there are such things? What kind of parents do we have that they shipped us off to a place like this?” (p. 257). How has Jinny’s attitude about the people who live off the island changed throughout the course of the novel?

-She always thought that she was an orphan and now she's not so sure.
-She is kind of shocked that people would send their children away.

Please rank this book from 1-5, with 5 being the best.

-One 1 (because it had a sad cliffhanger ending)
-Two 2
-One 3
-Two 5

For Book Club in April, we will be reading Framed by James Ponti.

Get to know the only kid on the FBI Director’s speed dial and several international criminals’ most wanted lists all because of his Theory of All Small Things in this hilarious start to a brand-new middle grade mystery series.

So you’re only halfway through your homework and the Director of the FBI keeps texting you for help…What do you do? Save your grade? Or save the country?

If you’re Florian Bates, you figure out a way to do both.

Florian is twelve years old and has just moved to Washington. He’s learning his way around using TOAST, which stands for the Theory of All Small Things. It’s a technique he invented to solve life’s little mysteries such as: where to sit on the on the first day of school, or which Chinese restaurant has the best eggrolls.

But when he teaches it to his new friend Margaret, they uncover a mystery that isn’t little. In fact, it’s HUGE, and it involves the National Gallery, the FBI, and a notorious crime syndicate known as EEL.

Can Florian decipher the clues and finish his homework in time to help the FBI solve the case?

Book Club will be meeting on Wednesday, April 8 at 3:00 p.m. Books will be available behind the Circulation Desk within the next few days. As always, snacks and good conversation will be provided at Book Club!

April Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf

There used to be an empty chair at the back of Mrs. Khan's classroom, but on the third Tuesday of the school year a new kid fills it: nine-year-old Ahmet, a Syrian refugee.

The whole class is curious about this new boy--he doesn't seem to smile, and he doesn't talk much. But after learning that Ahmet fled a Very Real War and was separated from his family along the way, a determined group of his classmates bands together to concoct the Greatest Idea in the World--a magnificent plan to reunite Ahmet with his loved ones.

Framed by James Ponti

Get to know the only kid on the FBI Director’s speed dial and several international criminals’ most wanted lists all because of his Theory of All Small Things in this hilarious start to a brand-new middle grade mystery series.

So you’re only halfway through your homework and the Director of the FBI keeps texting you for help…What do you do? Save your grade? Or save the country?

If you’re Florian Bates, you figure out a way to do both.

Florian is twelve years old and has just moved to Washington. He’s learning his way around using TOAST, which stands for the Theory of All Small Things. It’s a technique he invented to solve life’s little mysteries such as: where to sit on the on the first day of school, or which Chinese restaurant has the best eggrolls.

But when he teaches it to his new friend Margaret, they uncover a mystery that isn’t little. In fact, it’s HUGE, and it involves the National Gallery, the FBI, and a notorious crime syndicate known as EEL.

Can Florian decipher the clues and finish his homework in time to help the FBI solve the case?

Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech

Louie doesn't have the best luck when it comes to nurturing small creatures. So when his father brings home a sickly newborn mini donkey, he's determined to save him. He names him Winslow. Taking care of him helps Louie feel closer to his brother, Gus, who is far, far away in the army.

Everyone worries that Winslow won't survive, especially Louie’s quirky new friend, Nora, who has experienced loss of her own. But as Louie's bond with Winslow grows, surprising and life-altering events prove that this fragile donkey is stronger than anyone could have imagined.

February Grades 3-4 Book Club: Matilda

For the February's Grades 3-4 Book Club, we read the book Matilda by Roald Dahl. Here's what we discussed, aided by some discussion questions on Schmoop.com.

Are the books Mrs. Phelps gives to Matilda appropriate for a five-year-old to read? What would you add to this list? What would you remove?

-Matilda

-The Wild Robot

How would you react if the Trunchbull wandered into one of your classrooms?

-Try to act nicely and think hard about everything I said to her. But that might not help at all.

Look back at a few of the different pranks played in the book. Are they realistic? Could any of them really work? And which one's your favorite?

-They are somewhat realistic. They might not work.

-I liked the peroxiding of the hair prank.

Could anyone besides Bruce Bogtrotter eat an entire chocolate cake?

-No.

Who is the meanest character in the book? How are they mean? The nicest? What makes them nice?

-Mrs. Truchbull. She's really mean and uses her power over the kids.

-Miss Honey was the nicest because she was really gentle with the kids.

Do you think there's too much violence in Matilda, compared to other kids' books? Is the amount of violence appropriate for most readers' age level?

-It depends on who the reader's parents are. But for the most part, I didn't think it was too violent.

If you had powers like Matilda's, what would you do with them? Suppose you could move just one thing with your mind. What would it be?

-It's hard to decide.

Do you think Miss Honey's explanation about why Matilda starts losing her special abilities at the end of the book makes sense?

-Yes.

At what point in the book did you figure out the connection between Miss Honey and the Trunchbull?

-Once the author noted it.

Do you think any of Matilda's pranks are mean spirited? Or are they totally deserved?

-The pranks weren't necessarily deserved and the glue prank was a little mean.

Do you think events like those in the book could ever happen? Why or why not?

-No. All of it seemed a little bit too much. The magical powers are not very realistic. Plus the fact that Matilda was so smart without any help from her parents didn't seem realistic.

Would you call the end of the book a happy one? Why or why not?

-I would call it happy for Matilda. It was good for her because her parents were mean and didn't care about her.

-I think she was probably sad that her parents left her so easily without looking back.

Please rank this book from 1-5, with 5 being the best.

-4

-3.5

For Book Club in March, we will be reading Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder

"On the island, everything is perfect. The sun rises in a sky filled with dancing shapes; the wind, water, and trees shelter and protect those who live there; when the nine children go to sleep in their cabins, it is with full stomachs and joy in their hearts.

And only one thing ever changes: on that day, each year, when a boat appears from the mist upon the ocean carrying one young child to join them—and taking the eldest one away, never to be seen again.

Today’s Changing is no different. The boat arrives, taking away Jinny’s best friend, Deen, replacing him with a new little girl named Ess, and leaving Jinny as the new Elder. Jinny knows her responsibility now—to teach Ess everything she needs to know about the island, to keep things as they’ve always been.

But will she be ready for the inevitable day when the boat will come back—and take her away forever from the only home she’s known?"

Book Club will be meeting on Wednesday, March 11 at 3:00 p.m. Books will be available behind the Circulation Desk within the next few days. As always, snacks and good conversation will be provided at Book Club!

March Grades 3-4 Book Club Suggestions

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets.

Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.

Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.

Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language?

It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?




Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder

On the island, everything is perfect. The sun rises in a sky filled with dancing shapes; the wind, water, and trees shelter and protect those who live there; when the nine children go to sleep in their cabins, it is with full stomachs and joy in their hearts.

And only one thing ever changes: on that day, each year, when a boat appears from the mist upon the ocean carrying one young child to join them—and taking the eldest one away, never to be seen again.

Today’s Changing is no different. The boat arrives, taking away Jinny’s best friend, Deen, replacing him with a new little girl named Ess, and leaving Jinny as the new Elder. Jinny knows her responsibility now—to teach Ess everything she needs to know about the island, to keep things as they’ve always been.

But will she be ready for the inevitable day when the boat will come back—and take her away forever from the only home she’s known?

The Rhino in Right Field by Stacy DeKeyser

Nick wants to change his life. For twelve years, he’s done what his hard-working, immigrant parents want him to do. Now he’s looking for his own American dream and he thinks he’s found it. The local baseball team is having a batboy contest, and Nick wants to win.

But the contest is on a Saturday—the day Nick has to work in his father’s shop. There’s one other tiny—well, not so tiny—problem. A 2,000-pound rhinoceros named Tank. Nick and his friends play ball in the city zoo—and Tank lives just beyond the right field fence. Nick’s experience getting the ball out of Tank’s pen has left him frozen with fear whenever a fly ball comes his way. How’s a lousy fielder going to win the contest?

Nick practices every day with his best friend, Ace, and a new girl who has an impressive throwing arm! But that’s not enough—to get to the contest, Nick has to lie to his parents and blackmail his uncle. All while dodging the school bully, who’s determined to win even by playing dirty. Nick will need to keep his eye on the ball in this fast, funny story about a game that can throw you some curveballs—just like life!