Power Hitter

Deborah Dowson is a Canadian children’s librarian living in Powell,
Ohio.

Connor’s mom is going to the hospital for an operation, and he is
being sent to Winnipeg to spend the summer with relatives whom he has
never met. Connor soon discovers that his cousins are baseball fanatics.
Not only do they play little league, but they practice with their
friends every day and have season tickets to the Winnipeg Goldeyes too.
Unfortunately Connor has never played and he has only ever watched a few
games on television. Nonetheless, Connor is drawn into the game by his
enthusiastic cousins, and once they discover his uncanny ability to hit
home runs, they are seriously motivated to help him make the team.
Connor is discouraged and frustrated at first, but once he discovers a
fun way to practise and his skills improve, he is ready to contribute
his “big bat” to the team.

This is a sports story that keeps the focus on the sport. There are
plenty of ideas for a player to glean from the instructions given to
Connor, such as how Connor uses his imagination to focus on the ball
while hitting. The characters are lively and bright and the story is
uplifting. Although Connor deals with some issues in his home life, his
mature attitude and quiet sense of humor keeps the story’s tone
positive. Readers will be rooting for this unlikely baseball hero all
the way. Highly recommended.