Review: Baseball Great by Tim Green

What will Josh do -
when so much is at stake?

All Josh really wants to do is play ball, but as he gets in deeper with youth championship team the Titans, there are questions he just got to ask! Together with school reporter Jaden, Josh investigates his suspicions of steroid use - until the two friends find themselves in a desperate struggle with a dangerous man who doesn't want them to expose the nasty secrets they uncover.

This story involves an adult issue that has unfortunately become prominent in the sport's world. And even more unfortunate is the fact that this behavior has been passed on to younger athletes. This story's tackles that issue for a middle school baseball team. Tim Green writes with great detail and knowledge of sports without being too technical to be good. Each chapter ends with a bit of a cliff hanger that makes you want to read more although some of the chapters end rather abruptly mid-scene. The topics are timely as this twelve-year-old boy and his family deal with financial difficulties, bullying, peer pressure and illegal steroid use. Although Josh and his friends have very mature conversations for their age they are dealing with serious subjects.

Josh's father is a minor league baseball player who has recently lost his job. While it creates hardship for the family it also allows Josh to settle down in one town, Syracuse, NY (near me!) and play ball with the school team. But his father is eager for him to have advantages that he didn't have as a child so he pressures him into joining the travel team with older kids where he has recently found a new job. The school teammates feel let down and the new teammates aren't very welcoming. To make matter worse, the coach is very intense and wants to win at any cost. When Josh becomes suspicious of a new sports drink and pills that are being passed around the team to help make them bigger and stronger he isn't sure where to turn. He doesn't want to jeopardize his father's job or their fragile relationship. He looks to his two friends to help him do the right thing. This is a good story that will keep you interested until the end.

Tim Green has previously written adult novels, middle-grade books about football and now has branched out into baseball. He knows his subject matter. As a previous coach of baseball and football and a professional athlete, he's lived through the sports experience. And as a father of five children he has certainly lived through the kid experience!

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books First Look Program for a copy of this book.
HarperCollins Hit the Field with Tim Green
Author's website - www.timgreenbooks.com

Publisher: Harper Collins
Release Date: 3/24/09
Pages: 256
Price/format:hardcover/$16.99
Type: Young Adult
Age: 10-12