Children's Literature - Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger
Alfie and the rest of the Mudders baseball team are surprised when a new player shows up. They are even more surprised when they learn that Roberti does not play well and does not always seem to know what is going on. The coach asks Alfie to keep an eye on Roberti and help him learn how to play the game. Alfie is willing to try, but he starts to worry that the only reason the coach would ask him to help Roberti is so he can teach Roberti to replace him. After all, Alfie makes plenty of mistakes himself at the plate and out in right field. There are other confusing things about Roberti too. He seems to live with people who are not his parents, and they come to pick him up from practice in a bigger car than Alfie has ever seen before. Alfie decides to concentrate on helping Roberti, who improves very quickly. In fact, it looks like Roberti will end up taking Alfie's position in right field. Can Alfie do anything to save his spot? Young boys will likely enjoy the story and might even anticipate the surprise ending. Reviewer: Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger
Stranger in Right Field (Peach Street Mudders Series)
by Matt Christopher, Bert DodsonView All Available Formats & Editions
Editorial Reviews
School Library Journal
Gr 2-3Alfie Maples is puzzled when he sees that the newest member of the Peach Street Mudders baseball team cannot catch or hit the ball very well. He is even more suspicious when the coach asks him to help Roberti Frantelli learn the ropes. Because Alfie is not a star player, he is worried that the coach will replace him with Roberti, whom he has taught everything he knows. Again, Christopher has made his major character a boy with whom young readers can empathize. Woven within the plot are subtle pointers on how to play the game. Pen-and-ink sketches illustrate the action. It's unfortunate that the publisher has again printed the annoying ad on the back cover enticing readers to join the Matt Christopher Fan Club by sending a dollar with no mention of what they'll get in return. That aside, readers will enjoy this storyand it's most unlikely that they'll guess the ending that explains why Roberti is on the team.Blair Christolon, Prince William Library, Manassas, VA
Product Details
- ISBN-13:
- 9781599533223
- Publisher:
- Norwood House Press
- Publication date:
- 08/01/2009
- Series:
- Peach Street Mudders Series
- Pages:
- 64
- Sales rank:
- 1,345,852
- Product dimensions:
- 6.76(w) x 8.64(h) x 0.18(d)
- Age Range:
- 7 - 9 Years
Meet the Author
Matt Christopher (1917-1997) was an American writer of children's books. He wrote more than 400 novels and short stories, mainly featuring sports. After his death, his family has overseen the production of ghost written books under his name. Born in Bath, Pennsylvania, Christopher was a gifted athlete as a child, which influenced his primary topic of writing. In addition to sports books, he also enjoyed writing detective fiction; his first published novel before the successful The Lucky Baseball Bat was Look for the Body, a murder mystery written for adults.
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