When a girl joins Jackson’s fifth-grade baseball team, the boys have mixed responses. Sydney is the sister of Jackson’s best friend, Gig. And Gig is furious that Sydney—who excels at everything—is moving in on the one thing he feels he does well: baseball. Jackson wants to support Gig, but Sydney is talented, too, and the team needs her, although most of the players are unwilling to welcome her. This unexpected tension during baseball season is compounded by other looming changes in the lives of Jackson and his friends, including humorous rumors and poignant fears about the pending terror of middle school. John Coy’s novel is first and foremost a sports story with plenty of baseball action to savor, but it also offers insight into pressures big and small in the lives of its characters. Coy avoids an easy resolution to the drama of whether this group will come together as a team, although the sexism Sydney faces among some of the opposing teams’ players and coaches does help spur reflection on the part of her teammates. (Ages 9–11)

Jackson’s parents are divorced and his mother has started dating. Gig’s dad is in the National Guard and has been called up to serve in the Middle East. Isaac's dad wants him to go to a different middle school than all his friends. Diego is the new kid in school, a power-hitter who works with his family on the weekends and can't make every team practice. These four friends lead different lives, but on the baseball field, they're a strong team, the top of the order. In this crucial last year of elementary school, they’re faced with preparing for middle school and dealing with a new member of their team—a girl!

Acclaimed author John Coy takes readers into the hearts and minds of 5th grade boys, with plenty of baseball action that's sure to keep even the most reluctant readers turning the pages.