Review by Booklist Review
Josh LeBlanc, last seen in Baseball Great (2009), returns to discover more about the seamier side of sports. First, he is seriously injured by an intentional beanball. This, however, doesn't keep him from playing with his traveling team in a prestigious tournament, during which he discovers that a retired superstar is paying off an umpire so that his son's team can win. Josh and his budding-reporter friend, Jaden, foil the plan with the help of Bob Costas, who makes a brief guest appearance as sportscaster and crime stopper. Once again, Green effectively blends exciting sports and adventure.--Morning, Todd Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-In this sequel to the author's popular Baseball Great (HarperCollins, 2009), 12-year-old Josh LeBlanc has his hands full as he tries to lead his team to victory in the Hall of Fame National Championship Tournament. As a consequence of being purposely beaned in an early-round game, he has to have eye surgery; he is briefly detained after sneaking into the Hall of Fame with his buddy Benji; he thinks he's losing his sort-of girlfriend to the handsome son of a former major league star; and he is interviewed on national TV by legendary announcer Bob Costas. He uncovers a plot on the part of the former major leaguer to fix the games in the tournament and makes an escape by motorboat from a crooked, shotgun-wielding umpire, all the while performing on the field at a nearly superhuman level. There is certainly a lot going on, not all of it entirely plausible, but everything is handled with a light, deft touch. A highlight of the book is the banter between Josh and Benji, much of which is genuinely hilarious. Real baseball aficionados will appreciate the treatment of some of the more subtle nuances of the game. Enjoyable, unpretentious escapism for youngsters, especially reluctant readers.-Richard Luzer, Fair Haven Union High School, VT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
This sequel to Baseball Great revolves around Josh's nascent romance with Jaden--jeopardized when she starts dating a handsome baseball superstar from California--and the exposition of a corrupt umpire. Rivals is less compelling than its predecessor due to some cartoonish characters and implausible plot elements, but fans of light sports fiction will be appeased. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
