King of the Mound: My Summer with Satchel Paige

Baseball legend Satchel Paige changes a boy's life in this coming-of-age tale from the author of Lucky.

Nick was going to be a star baseball player, no doubt about it. People for miles around talked about the twelve-year-old boy with the golden arm. And then Nick is diagnosed with polio--a life-threatening disease in the 1930s. Everyone is devastated, especially Nick's father, who copes by closing off from his son. When Nick finally leaves the hospital he wants nothing more than to get back in the game, but he seems to be the only one who thinks it's possible. But after he begins working for Mr. Churchill, the owner of a minor league team, Nick meets Satchel Paige, arguably the best player in baseball. Satchel faces obstacles of his own--his skin color prevents him from joining the major leagues--and he encourages Nick to overcome the odds and step out of the dugout.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published: 02/21/2012
ISBN: 9781442433465
Pages: 160
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 8.10h x 5.50w x 0.90d
Award: Rhode Island Children's Book Awards - Nominee
Award: Sunshine State Young Reader's Award - Nominee
Award: Sequoyah Book Awards - Nominee
Award: Volunteer State Book Awards - Nominee

Review Citations: Kirkus Reviews 11/15/2011
Voice of Youth Advocates 02/01/2012 pg. 602 - Recommended - Better Than Most
School Library Journal 02/01/2012 pg. 136
Booklist 02/15/2012 pg. 58
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 04/01/2012
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2012 pg. 84 - Below Average, With Minor Flaw

Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 149825 / King of the Mound: My Summer with Satchel Paige
Reading Level: 5.6 / Interest Level: Middle Grade / Point Value: 6