The Batboy by Mike LupicaMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Batboy details the summer life of 14 year old Brian. Brian lives for baseball. He learned that from his dad, who was a major league pitcher before getting let go and leaving his family to move to Japan to be a pitching coach. Brian applies to be a batboy for his favorite team, the Detroit Tigers. Soon he finds out that his idol, Hank Bishop has been picked up by the team. Hank is back into baseball after getting in trouble for testing positive for steroids. He is ecstatic to get the chance to be so close to his idol, but he soon finds out that people are different on TV than they are in real life. Hank treats Brian as if he doesn't exist. However, Brian continues to be nice to Hank, despite what other people are telling him.
Along with being a batboy, Brian is also playing on his traveling team. He knows that he is not the best player on the team, but his best friend Kenny is their star pitcher. Kenny and Brian support each other through all of the events of the story.
The story is pretty fast paced, and the characters are clearly defined. The story isn't cluttered with too many characters, which I appreciate as well. The story also didn't focus on steroids, which is something that sports novels are very inclined to do, recently. Steroids were an issue in the book, but a very small one. One of the best things about this book, however, is that not all of the problems presented come to a happy ending. I love a good sports book, but the ones I've read recently are predictable; this one was different. Brian learns a lot over the course of the summer, about his family, his friends and major league baseball.
Overall, a great read for middle school students. As I was reading it I kept thinking of the kids I will personally hand this to in the Fall!
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