"You don't aim a butterfly - you release it"

I really grew fond of the main character in The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane. Molly is in 8th grade and had always been close to her father; he loved baseball and taught her a lot, including how to throw a knuckleball, a pitch that floats through the air like a butterfly. He died in a car crash six months ago, and Molly is still working through her grief. As a way of following her heart and honoring her father, she decides to go out for the boys' baseball team. Not unexpectedly, she meets some resistance, but with help from her crazy friend Celia; Lonnie, a catcher with an artistic soul; and two understanding coaches; she makes the team. Molly's memories of her father, her interactions with her mom, and her way of dealing with the good and bad in her life are all expressed very realistically, and the sports action on the mound adds a nice touch.