Under the Baseball Moon

May 8, 2006
The lyrical title of Ritter's latest may mislead fans of his terrific previous book, The Boy Who Saved Baseball
. The subject here is actually music, and the hero is a 16-year-old skateboarding trumpeter named Andy Ramos, who's in love with a softball pitcher. What this work shares with Boy
is a realistic setting infused with fable. This time Ritter riffs on a legend about a blues musician who sold his soul to the devil in exchange for stardom. Becoming a world-class trumpeter is just what Andy has in mind as he begins the summer, intent on devoting each day to the launch of his musical career. Then Glory Martinez, his childhood nemesis, returns to Ocean Beach, now a gorgeous teen with a wicked curveball and outsize dreams of her own. The two quickly discover that each brings out the best in the other's performance, which becomes problematic when various concert dates conflict with tournament schedules. An eerie stranger in black also appears who knows a great deal about Andy's dreams, talks in riddles and makes promises too good for Andy to pass up. Ritter's dialogue crackles with the rhythms of the funky California setting, and Andy's passion and ambition give the novel its heartbeat. "A song's journey," he learns, "is not complete until it reaches an audience," and while this solid performance probably won't appeal to the readers who loved Boy
, it ought to introduce Ritter to a new crowd: music lovers and romantics. Ages 11-up.

September 1, 2007
Gr 7-10 -Andy Ramos and Glory Martinez are pursuing their respective music and softball dreams in John H. Ritter's novel (Philomel, 2006). Set in San Diego, the story gives a nice flavor of the summer scene at Ocean Beach's diverse community. Trumpeter Andy is creating his own fusion sound with fellow band members Tran and Little Lobo when his childhood friend, Glory, returns to town. Her goal is a softball scholarship, and Andy's music inspires her best play. Old tensions give way to a new romance, and both teens are trying to be there for each other. Opportunities arise for both of them, but Andy almost loses sight of what is really important when a shady figure, Max Lucero, offers the young musician/skateboarder a fast track to fame. Dan Woren narrates with youthful enthusiasm and handles the Latino characters with subtle, but clear accents. The combination of realistic teen relationships, tongue-in-cheek humor, strong family connections, and a bit of Faustian mysticism with Max's character gives this recording broad appeal. High school and public libraries serving Hispanic communities will find it especially valuable.Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT

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