Double Play at Short

June 1, 1995
Gr 3-6-Danny Walker, 12, was adopted as an infant. When he notices something familiar about Tammy Aiken, a girl playing shortstop on a rival team, he studies her and even takes photos of her on the field. Finally, Danny's mother reveals that he has a twin sister who was adopted by another family, and that they have just moved back into a nearby town. Christopher does his typically good job of describing the baseball play-by-play. However, he peppers this far-fetched plot with clues that are about as subtle as a ton of bricks. Readers will find it implausible that Tammy would not only move back in town, but also end up playing shortstop, the same position as Danny on a rival baseball team. Also unbelievable is the fact that he would notice other similarities between himself and the girl-batting with the same left-handed stance and having the same grin. When Danny finally blurts out the truth to his twin, she is shocked. Readers will be just as incredulous at the idea that Tammy's adoptive parents never believed the children would meet when they moved back into the area. Die-hard fans of Christopher may want to read this one, but it's not one of his most memorable books.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Library, Manassas, VA

May 1, 1995
Gr. 3^-6. Twelve-year-old shortstop Danny Walker feels he is a sure bet for the all-star team, until he meets Tammy Aiken, the new shortstop for the opposition. Like Danny, Tammy is a great player, but other similarities (both have red hair, a similar stance, and field right-handed but bat left-handed) make Danny uneasy. When further investigation reveals that both are adopted and share the same birthday, Danny becomes convinced that the two are twins, separated at birth. While the long-lost twins subplot offers few surprises, the outcome of the baseball series will hold the reader's interest, and Christopher's unusual ending (in which both twins are able to walk away as winners) will satisfy sports fans. The inclusion of so many female players is a bonus. ((Reviewed May 01, 1995))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1995, American Library Association.)