(4) 4-6 Cal Ripken, Jr.'s All-Stars series. With Kevin Cowherd. This installment focuses on twelve-year-old catcher Mickey's rivalry with Zach ("Zoom"), a self-important pitcher who improves his bad attitude. Sports enthusiasts and Ripken's fans will appreciate the play-by-play game descriptions and baseball tips (especially about the challenging catcher's position). The characterization isn't especially believable here, but the action carries this approachable novel.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 With Kevin Cowherd. The Orioles are excited about playing in a tournament, but center fielder Corey is worried about a hitting slump and about competitive teammate Katelyn. Even worse, his dad's angry words and aggressive actions in the bleachers are embarrassing and frightening. Just the right amount of play-by-play details will keep baseball fans engaged; the father-son subplot and flashes of humor give the story depth.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 With Kevin Cowherd. This book follows the Matt Christopher series formula, which will be a draw for fans of those sports books: players confront a problem, they play baseball, and things improve. Robbie Hammond, pitcher for the Dulaney Orioles, loses his control because of fears he'll hit a batter as he did last season. The short chapters and sports action will appeal to middle-grade readers.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 Cal Ripken, Jr.'s All-Stars series. With Kevin Cowherd. Eighth-grader Cody Parker, heavy but an excellent baseball player, moves to Baltimore, where he beats out a bully to win the third-baseman spot on his school team. Then Cody's accused of stealing cell phones, and things get tense. Short chapters, constructive handling of bullying, and the sports/mystery combination make this a good choice for sports fans.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) 4-6 With Kevin Cowherd. Like many other sports novels for middle graders, this one involves a good athlete with a bad problem: in this case, baseball player Connor's impulsiveness and volatile temper. Not surprisingly, he learns to get a grip by the end of the book. The story, "loosely based on a challenge Cal Ripkin, Jr. once faced," will entertain his fans.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ron Mazellan. A dispirited Cal Ripken Jr. is depicted on the cover of his picture book about the Baltimore Orioles's twenty-one-game losing streak. Mazellan's mixed-media illustrations offer perspectives from the dugout, the clubhouse, and the field, but the view grows grimmer with each page turn. The "winning isn't everything" message is almost as hard on readers as it was on the Orioles.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 The Baltimore Oriole's autobiography, The Only Way I Know, has been adapted for a young audience. Condensed by over two-thirds and with a simpler sentence structure and narrative style, the book follows Ripken from childhood through the minor leagues and to his record for playing the most consecutive major league games. Illustrated with color plates, the book has sure-fire appeal for young baseball fans.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Stan Silver. Accompanied by clear color photos, this is a chatty, informative autobiographical sketch of the Baltimore Orioles shortstop and third baseman who, during the last decade, set the record for the most consecutive games played--2,632 games without a break. Ripken's appealing modesty and easy conversational style make this a natural for young baseball fans.

Reviewer: Jack Forman