The Batboy

Good even for non-sports fans

I'm not usually a huge baseball fan, but Mike Lupica is usually a big seller. So when his new novel came out, I decided to give it a shot.
Brian Dudley feels like he's living the dream in his summer job as a batboy for his hometown Major League team. Even though his mom doesn't understand it, especially after his dad left them for the sport; baseball is what makes Brian feel alive. But when his baseball hero, Hank Bishop, seems to be nothing like Brian imagined, and his own hitting sinks into a slump, Brian starts to wonder if baseball's really what it's all about. Brian and Hank soon discover that sometimes you just have to step up to the plate and swing for the fences, even if the only one rooting for you is yourself.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Brian's Homerun

The book The Batboy by Mike Lupica is an exciting but serious story. When I saw the list for the summer reading just the title of the book got my attention. If you are a baseball fan you would definitely love this book. The way Mike Lupica describes the scenery is amazing. The words that he uses make you feel like you are actually in the story watching a baseball game. This is one of the best books that you can read for the summer. You won't regret reading the novel The Batboy. Mike Lupica's books are great sports lovers. His books are a great way to really enjoy your reading experience. The next books on my list are Summerball and Million Dollar Throw both by Mike Lupica. It's like the best of both worlds reading and sports.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great!!!

I would recomend it. Great book

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

good book

really liked it

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

bat boy gets big fan

I love it can't wait to buy the whole book

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

great book

this book was great. i would recomend it to anyone who likes sports.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

For All Sports Lovers- A Must Read

Batboy. The dream job of most teenage kids. In the novel, The Batboy by Mike Lupica, Brian Dudley is just that. This is a great sports-fiction novel for all baseball lovers, young or old. Brian's dad, Cole Dudley, had been a major league pitcher for several teams. The problem, he is an awful dad. All he knows how to do is baseball. He lives, sleeps and eats baseball. For this reason he is divorced. Brian still finds sanctuary within it though. When Brian got the job as a batboy, Brian's mom Liz, was reluctant at first. Until she found out that Hank Bishop, Brian's idol and reason he began to love baseball, was traded onto the team. Brian was ecstatic when he heard this. On the other hand, when Brian met Hank it did not go as planned. Never in a million years would Brian think this would happen. Overall, I would give this book 7.5 out of 10 for one main reason. The book was way too predictable.
I feel that Brian sticking with Hank through all that happened was touching. Most kids like to be front runners. For example, you are more likely to be a Kobe fan than a Gilbert Arenas fan. Not with Brian though. All those Cleveland fans who burned the LeBron jerseys are the exact opposite of Brian! He kept boxes full of Hank Bishop Memorabilia. I find this very interesting. I infer that Mike Lupica did this for a reason to teach a lesson. That lesson is to stay true to yourself in this case. Although this was not my favorite book ever, I would certainly recommend it to a friend. It is a great adventure for a 14 year old boy with divorced parents to go through. It was also very shocking on how highly you can think of someone and how rude they can be back at you.
I would say this book is a very mild page turner. It does not involve much suspense, but being the sports fan I am it made me keep on reading. Additionally, the turns in the novel made it very entertaining. Furthermore, I connected to Brian in this novel. As a matter of fact, it was very easy to do so because we are the same age and have the same interests. In my opinion any sports lover will not have a challenge doing so. Finally, this plot was very believable. Not only did it involve real life situations, but it also explained them. For instance, the author explains that all baseball players go into slumps at one point in their career's or another. As you can see, this is a very entertaining book for all sports fans and I believe you will also enjoy it as much as I have.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

The bat boy by Mike Lupica

Mr. Lupica book Batboy focuses on baseball and family. Brian and his mom are working though Brian father's abrupt departure for Japanese baseball.Brian Dudley is a heart broken kid that is longing for his father, all Brian is looking for is for his father to be there for him but his father life was all about baseball. Brian is a player for his town team and also has landed a job as a batboy for the Detroit Tiger and that his hero will be playing for the team.

As i was reading this book I could tell Brian life has been hard all the people he loved have disappoint him like his hero Hank and father, but as I keep reading all that disappointment keep him going no matter what came to him just for the love of the game.Brian loyalty to the game is in part an attempt to remain connected with his father, who blazes through town as a talent scout, but does not take the time to say or watch one of his games.

Through this story, Brian learns about current problems in the professional sport such as steroids, he learns about role models as well as love for the game.

Brian has a ultimate dream of every younfg fan--- geeting to work alongside one's favorite team. " I wish it was me with Delgado Beltron" This book will appeal to any reader who loves baseball.

I will recommend this book to all the kids that have a dream of becoming an athletic player because they will learn a lot of things from what any prayer or fan can go though. I think Mike Lupica is a marvelous writer. As i went though this journey reading the Batboy, he has encourage me to read all of his publish books. My next journey will be reading (Heat) also a story about a boy name Michael that has love for the game as Brian and I have.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Enjoyed this book - as a Tigers fan and as a parent!

As a child, I spent summers in Michigan. The more times I was able to attend a game at Tiger Stadium, the better! I was in love with baseball, and in love with the Tigers through those years - Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, Rusty Staub, Kirk Gibson, Alan Trammell, Jack Morris, Lance Parrish....the list goes on. I truly believed I would one day be the first female pro baseball player! Even though this book takes place at Comerica, it brought to life those childhood images, my love for the game of baseball, and the dream of being a batboy (or girl!).

With books like "The Batboy", Lupica has filled a need for literature that appeals to kids who are sports fans, but not necessarily avid readers. And avid readers who are also sports fans, like my daughter, have another enjoyable alternative. As usual, Lupica doesn't "dumb it down" for his young readers, and doesn't shy away from dealing with real-life or controversial issues, like divorce and steroid use in professional sports. I know my kids will enjoy this as much as I did.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Awesome

I love this book as mucn as i love cheese!

Hi

Great book, Best book i ever read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous

The best book I've ever read!!!

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Hhhhi

0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVED IT

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Iive

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Amazing

Read it

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Homerun!

Great!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great boookkk ever

This book is great who ever likes sports and sadness and action read this and you will not stop reading this book and you will love it read this book for a report

Loved it

Awsome

OMG SO AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, it was awesome i absolutely luv'd it. Even tho im a girl.