Mark Setzer loves baseball, but there's no one to coach a team sponsored by his local temple until his mother takes over. Although Mrs. Setzer knows very little about baseball or coaching, she knows a great deal about bossing. One of the first people she bosses is Mark's older brother, enlisting <some would say blackmailing> him into being the assistant coach.
Mark's problem is that he feels he doesn't play well enough for the team. His best friend, Hersch used to practice with him, but Hersch has moved to the "richer" part of town now. Although they try to keep in touch, Hersch is making new friends, including the kid that he and Mark used to make fun of. In desperation, Mark goes to the projects, where his teammates live, hoping to practice with them. Not only do his new friends help him get through his unhappiness with school, preparations for his bar mitzvah, and his crazy family, they also help him get over his insecurity with the game. But when Mark makes an uncomfortable discovery he worries that his new friends, his family and his team mates will turn their backs on him unless he keeps quiet. His decision ultimately shows Mark that being a man is means sometimes you make hard choices.
This is a great book for boys around 10 to 12. The book is told through Mark's first person experience, and shows his struggles with all the pre adolescent angst that most kids suffer through. Learning how to balance family, friends and self doubt is a tough thing for any child but Mark gets through the bumps with his integrity intact, and that's what I appreciated most about this story.
If you have a son <or daughter!> you'd like to encourage to read, I definitely recommend "About the B'nai Bagels." And if you are a parent who ever coached or assistant coached any sporting events for your kids, you might want to give it a read too. You'll enjoy it as well!
No comments:
Post a Comment