Bookverdict.com

Gr 7-Up Mike Semak's chances of becoming star center fielder and senior team captain are jeopardized when he loses his temper with a geeky classmate, Zack. The sweet spot on the baseball team becomes even more elusive when a cocky cleanup batter, Oscar Ramirez, arrives out of nowhere with a murky birth date and questionable immigration status. Mike's penance for fighting is to help out at Cyber Club, but he learns that Coach Cody purposefully assigned him to spy on Zack and other "pukes" he suspects are hacking into the school network. There, he falls for K...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

- Mike is a convincing and complex protagonist. His opinions and attitudes evolve throughout the story, and his moral choices become a crucial aspect of the novel's tension. - Mike is beloved by his teammates, but Oscar is usually the superior player. Meanwhile, Oscar's immigrant origins alienate some of the team members, putting a strain on Mike's ...Log In or Sign Up to Read More