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Ritter, John H.
4 Reviews
(4)
4-6
Die-hard Red Sox fans might believe in Fenway's "high, holy gates" or that the ballpark is "the love of baseball itself...to all boys, all girls, all across the globe." But this overblown hyperbole sinks Ritter's story of the friendship between a struggling pitcher and a kid whose father owns a hotdog stand and their use of magical thinking to turn the team's season around.
Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin
(3)
4-6
Ritter deftly sets this sports story in the Wild West, whipping up a quick-moving tall tale full of unexpected twists. Billy the Kid arrives in a California town where the local baseball team is challenging the Chicago White Stockings for high stakes. Ritter mingles historical figures with characters of his own creation at poker tables, baseball games, ice cream socials, and gunfights. Good fun.
Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin
(3)
4-6
An elderly doctor planning to sell his land for future development decides to hinge the deal on whether Tom's baseball team can beat a rival in a big game. Tom and his teammates, fighting to keep the town the way it is, recruit a reclusive former all-star for their coach and attempt to learn the secrets of hitting. This novel celebrates friendship, community spirit, and the mythology of the great American pastime.
Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta
(3)
YA
In 1921 Ohio, a minister's son is condemned by his father because of his natural inclination for using his left hand. Luke discovers he has a talent for playing baseball, although Pa disdains sports--especially a game that utilizes Luke's "evil" hand. Despite a slightly melodramatic ending, the book presents a unique historical perspective on left-handedness, and the author has a good ear for language.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
4 reviews
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