The Girl Who Threw Butterflies

Baseball, a Girl, Zen, and a Knuckleball

Molly is an eighth grader who recently lost her father in a car accident. When he was alive, her dad played catch and watched baseball with her. He also taught her some pitching fundamentals, including how to throw a knuckleball (AKA The Butterfly Pitch). Rather than try out for softball the spring after he dies, Molly decides to try out for the baseball team. The boys baseball team.

This book really resonates with me. My dad and I bonded over the Chicago Cubs and APBA when I was a kid. We also used to play catch in the backyard (football in the fall, softball in the spring). He never taught me to pitch, but he did teach me to really understand and love the game. We had a lot of other things in common, but sports was a big one. He was also a journalist, as was Molly's dad. My dad died five years ago. I still miss and think about him constantly, especially in April, when baseball season starts.

7 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

AMAZING

IS AN AMAZING BOOK IF U LIKE THIS U WILL LIKE KEEPING SCORE BY LINDA SUE PARK

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

ThisBOOK IS AMAZING

I READ THIS BOOK ON A CRUISE AND IT WAS SOOOOOOOOOOO AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Omg!

I cant believe how good this boook was! I reccomend this book to everyone!

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

A Great Knuckle-Balling Book

A superb story about coping with loss, life, and baseball.

2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!

You must read this book.It is one of my favorites.It is without a dobt the best book I have ever read. You must buy this book

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

#@$% awsome

Greatest book ever

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

ok

it wasgood but liked So B. It alot more

1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

A wonderful book!

You don't have to love baseball to enjoy The Girl Who Threw Butterflies. The author makes great observations about life through his colorful characters. I will recommend it to my 11 year old niece.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

What an incredible read! This really is one of those books I can

What an incredible read! This really is one of those books I can see myself reading again and again, and which I won’t hesitate to recommend as a must-read.

A few of the things I loved so much about Molly is how realistically she’s painted and how easy it was to relate to her in some ways. Also, she doesn’t come across as a strong character at first because she’s shy and withdrawn, but she’s intelligent and astonishingly perceptive of her surroundings and the people around her. The reader learns more about Molly’s parents, which is a vital part of the storyline, by the way Molly draws the comparisons between her mom and dad’s different personalities – done perfectly to “show” the reader how this little family functioned before the death of her father pulled them apart. Sadly, the relationship between Molly and her mother is more than a little strained after Molly’s father’s death. It was heart-rendering to see Molly trying to reach out to her mother for a little affection, but knowing she might be rebuffed, pulling back into her shell again.

Once Molly’s on the baseball field, though, she regains some of her confidence and she shines! The budding friendship on the field between Molly and Lonnie drew me so much deeper into Molly’s world. Not only is Lonnie her personal catcher, he’s also the type of friend who doesn’t mind sticking up for the only girl player on his team. The author didn’t sketch him as a typical obnoxious teenage boy, but rather as a quiet, artistic kid dealing with his own set of problems at home. So by the way…I know zilch about baseball, but I gained a lot of knowledge about the game - and some wicked baseball trivia – while reading this book. Plus, the game practices, the excitement, anxiety, the build-up, and the game itself was so well described, I felt like one of the players on the field. It was awesome!

I absolutely loved Molly’s best friend, Celia. Her spontaneous personality and strong character reminded me very much of my own best friend I had in school. Molly isn’t as outgoing as Celia, but their different personalities complement each other perfectly. Celia – even though she’s not into sports at all – is Molly’s biggest cheerleader and encourages her all the way. Who wouldn’t want a friend like her?

One thing the author did tremendously well was to bring home to the reader the importance of Molly’s dad in her life. From the get-go you understand that he was the foundation of their family. He wasn’t perfect, but Molly was the apple of his eye, and he likewise was her whole world. Every time she had flashbacks or a memory about her dad, it tugged at my heart. Many times Molly’s inner-dialogue and thought processes had me smiling by the way she perceived things, but I couldn’t ignore the underlying sadness she constantly felt at the loss of this very important figure in her life. Everything Molly did pointed back in some way to something her dad had taught her - especially everything about baseball.

Baseball, teamwork, friendship, and closure are the prevalent themes in this heartfelt story. The author expertly blends together Molly’s friendships with Celia and Lonnie, her floundering relationship with her mom, and Molly gaining self-confidence on the baseball field while working through the heartache of her father’s death, to form the basis on which this story is built. Sometimes I find that certain books in which a character has to deal with the loss of an important person in their life, it can become emotionally taxing. Here it’s not the case. It’s not often I come across an author who tells a story in such a touching way, it has me reading most of the book with tears in my eyes, and without me feeling emotionally worn-out at the end.

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies might be most suitable for readers aged nine to twelve, but I have to admit, I had a wonderful time reading this book. It elicited all the good feelings a fantastic book that ends on a satisfying note can leave with you after turning the final page. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s into baseball, or those who can relate to dealing with the loss of a loved one. Readers who simply enjoy books with a powerful moral-of-the-story theme and a feel-good ending, will undoubtedly also find something to love about this story.

I love love baseball and this book!!!!!!

I love baseball and i really want to play but im a girl. Anyone else think thats not fair? So anyways this book is about this girl that plays baseball. Would recommend it to anyone who loves baseball.

Bookchic13

I love this book, its different from others.

Half and half

I had to read this for a book report. It isnt my favorite genre
but it was good.

Stinks

I cannot rean it anmore

Not that great

I had to read this for summer reading and it was ok but if I did not have to I would not have read it
Its depressing and boring

Snowy

Sorry I gtg now.

Awesome

Cool i love molly and lonnie

Not for me

Weread this in school andnit went on and on and on. I didn't like it because she was always so depressed. I didn't think it was worth 5 stars.

awesome

this book was so cool

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.