"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.

Overcoming the odds

Imagine your favorite thing to do. What if you had an accident, and you probably couldn't to that favorite thing any more? How hard would you work at it? For an inspiring story, read One-Handed Catch by M. J. Auch. Norm is in sixth grade and he just lost his hand in a freak accident at his father's butcher shop. How is he ever going to figure out how to do the simple things in life, like tie his shoes, let alone get back to playing baseball? Pushed by his no-nonsense mom, inspired by real-life major league (and one-armed) player Pete Gray, and helped by his friend Leon, Norm does an amazing job of adapting to his new situation. Based on a real-life incident in the life of the author's husband, this is about a clever kid who perseveres and even shows some humor after life throws him a screwball.

Take me out to the ball game

I just love the voice of author Deborah Wiles, and I wasn't disappointed in her book The Aurora County All-Stars.  It helps if you've read Love, Ruby Lavender, since many characters are the same, but this story still stands on its own.  House Jackson and his friends have a problem: the one and only game that the All-Stars play is scheduled for the same time and day as the county's Fourth of July pageant, which all the ball players are expected to participate in.  While trying to figure out what to do, House confronts secrets, betrayal, the powerful Mamas, a soap opera star, interesting facts about baseball and segregation, a dog named Eudora Welty, and the obnoxious Frances "Finesse" Shotz.  You'll love the feel of the slow Mississippi life, the hot summer sun, and the smooth combination of humor and loyalty. 

Batter up!

Mike Lupica is known for writing great baseball books for the middle school crowd, and The Batboy is another winner.  The son of an ex-major league player, Brian is 14 and he just landed his dream job: being a batboy for the Detroit Tigers. He's thrilled when he finds out that Hank Bishop, his all-time baseball hero, is coming to play for the Tigers, after being suspended for steroid use.  Brian doesn't have much of a relationship with his dad - his parents are divorced, his dad is coaching in Japan and never communicates - and he tries to reach out to Hank.  Even though Hank is downright rude, Brian keeps trying, and in the end, they find a way to help each other out.  A solid story with a lot of behind-the-scenes baseball details.