New Kid
Gr 5–8—After hitting a two-run homer in the third inning that ties the championship game, Tommy Rust finds himself at bat, poised to bring in the game-winning run. Then his dad shows up and Tommy knows he's not there to watch the big game. It's time to run. For as long as Tommy can remember, this is how they live- going from town to town, always under a different name. By the time Tommy and his dad reach their destination, a little town in Upstate New York, he has memorized his new name, Brock Nickerson, and managed to push down his anger at being uprooted yet again. In an attempt to fit in at his new school, Brock accepts a dare and throws a rock through Coach Hudgens's window. The Coach, admiring Brock's throwing arm, offers a ticket out of trouble: he wants Brock to join the travel team. Brock and the Coach are compelling and sympathetically drawn characters. Brock's dad is not as fleshed out and comes across as inconsistent. While the baseball action is engaging, the mystery surrounding the father and what he does for a living is never fully explained. This lack of resolution may hint at future installments.—Brenda Kahn, Tenakill Middle School, Closter, NJ