Man Out at First

July 1, 1993
Gr 2-4- -An easy-to-read chapter book about a young first baseman, Theodore "Turtleneck" Jones, who loses his confidence after being hit in the chest by a fast-moving ball. Christopher explores the boy's thoughts and feelings about being a disappointment to his coach and teammates, and includes a blind adult neighbor who offers the youngster encouragement along the way. Theodore watches with sadness as his position is given to a teammate, but the author wraps up the situation superbly when the coach talks to both players encouragingly saying, "Jack, you've played a good game . . . now I'm going to give Turtleneck a chance." This time Turtleneck feels that he won't let anyone down. An uplifting and reassuring story. -Blair Christolon, Prince William Library, Manassas, VA

August 1, 1993
Gr. 2-4. Eight-year-old Turtleneck Jones, first baseman for the Peach Street Mudders, is accidentally smacked in the chest by a fast-moving baseball, causing him to black out temporarily. He soon recovers physically, but his fear of being hit again makes him shy away from the ball and miss easy plays. When the coach replaces him, Turtleneck is devastated, even though he realizes the reason for the switch. Finally, he is sent in to relieve the first baseman, manages to overcome his fear, and catches a fly ball at his chest. Featuring the team from Christopher's earlier "The Hit Away Kid" (1988) and aimed at a slightly younger audience than "Pressure Play" (below), this should fill the bill for young baseball fans ready for the transition from easy readers to novels. A subplot involving Turtleneck's helping an elderly blind neighbor is also well-handled. ((Reviewed Aug. 1993))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1993, American Library Association.)