I Revisit The Line Up (Loaded From Top - Bottom)

Since baseball season is quickly approaching, I decided to rerun a feature I did last year. Originally it ran in late March but I am hoping to do something new to open the season and I didn't want the two things to collide. I am still working out what I might do though I know this Line Up can not be topped so this is a one time thing.

This is still one of my favorite features. Again much thanks to the author's for their time and wonderful answers.


The Line Up

1 Change-up: Baseball Poems by Gene Fehler SS -
This was my 2009 Cybils choice for poetry. Check out this nice review at My World - Mi Mundo. Baseball fans will love this collection of poems.


2. Keeping Score by Linda Sue Park 1st
In this novel there is talk of the classic 1951 pennant race between the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants. For baseball fans that should be more than enough reason to pick up this wonderful book. Reviews via author's site


3 Mudville by Kurtis Scaletta 2nd
12 yr old Roy was one of my favorite male protagonist of 2009. I loved that he read Their Eyes Where Watching God to impress a girl. Named a top 10 sports books for youth in 2009 by Booklist. More honors and reviews via author's site


4 The Brooklyn Nine by Alan Gratz CF
I had picked this novel to get a shiny Newbery sticker and I wasn't the only one. Named a top 10 sports books for youth in 2009 by Booklist Reviews via the author's site


5 The Prince of Fenway Park by Julianna Baggott RF
This was my Cybils choice MG Fantasy for 2009 and a Cybils finalist. Reviews via author's site. For all the baseball fans who love the history of the game the author mentions Curt Flood. Curt Flood named in a middle grade novel, I was like WOW


6 Six Innings by James Preller 3rd
Preller doesn't waste time with the regular season. He goes straight to the Little League championship game. Named a top 10 sports book in 2008 by Booklist . Also in 2008 made New York Public Library Top 100 Best Books for Reading and Sharing List. 2009 ALA Children's Notable Book


7 The Comeback Season by Jennifer E. Smith LF
I couldn't find contact info on Smith but I wasn't going to give up. If you've read this book you know why. Praise via publishers site. I have author James Kennedy to thank for getting me in touch with Smith.


8 Painting the Black by Carl Deuker C
I find it very fitting that Deuker the veteran for sports novels for young readers is behind the plate. He has won six state awards. If you are in need of a great sport novel check out Deuker's site


9 The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane P
Reviews via author's site. One of four spring books recommended for young readers by USA Today in 2009. I still remember the beautiful Haiku in this novel.


Here's how its going to work. I asked the authors 12 questions. The first nine questions are inspired by their books. The final three wrap up questions I thought of tie it all together. It will be broken up into 4 days, 3 questions a day.

I love the gender balance amongst the authors and within the stories themselves. This is more so for baseball fans but I do hope everyone gets something out of it. I hope that non baseball fans will have a better appreciation and respect for novels centered around sports after reading all the answers.

If you know any baseball fan please let them know about this. It's rated PG and appropriate for young baseball fans who may get a kick out of finding out the favorite teams of nine authors and other baseball related tidbits

Older fans will love the talk of the game and being able to a find few great books to share with young baseball fans.


Questions 1 -3
Questions 4-6
Questions 7-9
Questions 10-12

Payback Time - Carl Deuker

Payback Time by Carl Deuker
Daniel True is a senior at his Seattle H.S. He dreams of becoming a journalist. When Daniel isn't voted editor newspaper, he's very surprised and disappointed. To make it even worse the new editor is making him the sports reporter. Daniel likes watching sports but he wants to cover real news.

At school everyone calls Daniel - Mitch, short for Michehlin Man, an unwanted name he got his first day of high school. Daniel accepts the new assignment as sports reporter. When He and Kimi Yon (his photographer and crush) go to football practice they notice a very talented new player, Angel Marichal. Though for some reason Angel is keeping his ability a secret. The coach isn't using Angel to his full capacity. Daniel knows something is up and is deteremined to find out what. Breaking this story might be his big break.

This is Deuker's first novel where the main protagonist isn't an athlete. It was an expected change, but there is still no denying the author's strengths. The sports action is always excellent. The reader can easily picture every play. Though Daniel isn't a player, there's still a lot of football in Payback Time.

Deuker is very good at creating main characters with some depths and expressing their internal struggles

"My gut hurt so much, I didn't even want to move, so instead of going into the house, I sat in the silent car. I'm not the kind of person who will ever make news. I'm too ordinary, and I've known that for as long as I can remember. That's why the movie about Nixon had been such a big deal to me. I could picture myself being like those reporters. I could scratch a story until I got to the bottom of it. The newsmen in Afghanistan and Iraq didn't charge into battle firing guns. They carried cameras and tape recorders and paper and pencils. Those were the tools they used to shine light into the darkness. I thought that someday I'd be brave like them. But tonight I hadn't had the courage to keep my fist clenched around a set of keys."

Daniel and Kimi work very well together. The author also shares some of Kimi's past and goals. The revelation of Angel's secret fell a little short for me. Though, Daniel more than makes up for that. I highly recommend Payback Time, its out now just in time for football season. ages 12up

It's almost time for baseball playoffs. If you missed it do check out 9 Authors, 12 Questions I posted back in April . Deuker was kind enough to hold down the catcher's spot with Painting the Black.