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Searching for Candlestick Park
Life has been tough for Spencer since his dad left. His mom complains constantly, they never seem to have enough money, and they're always having to move. He knows his father works for the Giants baseball team and lives somewhere in San Francisco—and Spencer's sure that if he can somehow get there, his dad will take him in. But California is a long, dangerous way from Seattle if you've only got fourteen dollars, you're twelve, and you're alone.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
About the author
Peg Kehret
82 books644 followersPeg Kehret writes middle grade fiction and nonfiction. She's won dozens of state children's choice awards, where kids vote for their favorite book.
When she was twelve, Peg was paralyzed with polio. Most of her protagonists are the age she was then.
A volunteer with animal rescue groups, three of Peg's books are co-authored by Pete the Cat."
When she was twelve, Peg was paralyzed with polio. Most of her protagonists are the age she was then.
A volunteer with animal rescue groups, three of Peg's books are co-authored by Pete the Cat."
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 10, 2013
I had to read this book for my 7th Grade English class. The mere recollection of it brings back so many sore and painful memories that I may have to cut out parts of this review that maybe ought to be said, only for the sake of not having to think about it any longer. This children's story is what I would call ideal trash. If I am glad for having read it at all it would only be for the sake of knowing a bad book to be more readily able to distinguish and contrast it to good ones.
There are two main criticisms that I must make, with all of the others subordinate to one or the other:
Initially, I must say that this is seriously poor writing to put it as delicately as honestly would allow. Virtually no descriptions of either characters or places is given, along with a very poor employment of literary skill in almost every other field imaginable. In fact, it begins with no introduction, and mere dialogue without having introduced who is speaking, and after that it barely gives any description. There was no originality to any of the characters. They were entirely 'wooden', and sad enough as it may sound already, aside from their individual situations, you couldn't tell them apart. They all act the same way, say very similar things, and ... Let's just say that characterization was extremely poor. All of the other aspects of its constructive elements are terrible as well. Nothing is described well, events jump around without transition, the actual use of words and clarity of the narrative is horrible, and, above all, the plot is absolute garbage. This, I honestly believe, was written as it went. I meant to say, that the author didn't have the plot planned out from the outset. There are so many loose ends poorly introduced that were carelessly thrown together at the very end, (if they were at all), that had no relation to the whole plot in general that I am being very liberal to say that there even was a plot at all, properly speaking. It is almost difficult to describe how bad it was. There was no continuity to it, and I have nothing good to say.
Secondly, the message taught here is unbelievable. Essentially, the main character, (a child living with his mother), are forced out of their apartment in the middle of the night because they had not paid their rent, and so they move in with the kid's Aunt May. He is not allowed to keep his cat "Foxey" because his aunt will not tolerate it and dislikes cats. So, rather than parting with the animal, what does the kid decide to do? The unthinkable! He steals cash from his aunt's purse, and runs off with his cat on his bike, looking for his father (who had divorced his mother), in hopes that he would "understand". Throughout this long journey, he is reduced to eating left overs at fast food restaurants from people who didn't finish their food, old bags of potato chips crawling with ants lying in parking lots, and generally becomes starved. He even gets robbed by some punks lying to him about where he can find food. Once he get's in the city where his dad lived, and this next bit is so shocking, he is invited by a total stranger to 'come to his house'. This guy very well could be a pedophile, murderer, intend to kidnap him for ransom, or possess a whole other whole host of malicious intents. Of course, this man warms the kid up by complimenting his cat, and saying that he could give it food. "Of course" this guy turns out to be the nicest of gentlemen, who is a real cat lover, (with statues of cats that are hand carved by him), and gives the kid entire bags of cat food, as well as feeding him himself. After he is refreshed by the kind generosity of this old man, he leaves, and find his dad at the town's stadium, "Candlestick Park", (of course only after acquiring admittance in all but the most questionable of ways). Once he's in the park, during a game, he sets out to find his dad, who is an usher. He talks to him after the game, explains the whole catastrophe that he wasn't allowed to keep his cat, and all of the long trials he had experienced in his long journey to find him. To top it all off, he asks if he could live with him, and asserts that it would be just perfect; just he, his dad, his cat, living happily and watching baseball together. His dad entirely blows him off, saying sorry, because he's living in an apartment too small with he and his girlfriend to accommodate him. What a worthless father, who blows off his own misguided son like that... Regardless, he receives a letter from the previously mentioned old man, who wrote to him when he knew he was going to die. He had been having chest pains, (and he'd had them before, but he knew this would be it for him), and he had a heart attack later and died. So, of course he sends the kid a huge sum of money. Enough for him to fly back home with his mom and his aunt, (who had come for him), and to pay the rent on their apartment so that they could move back in. In the end, they apologize to him for being so mean, and tell him that he can keep his cat. The end.
I am not even going to comment, (hopefully it is blatantly obvious), on how horrible this plot was, (and my summation does not include the horrible details and very poor writing). What kind of story is this though, that teaches kids that its okay to run away from home on unreasonable, childish initiatives like having to give away a pet, steal, go to the home of strangers, and other unmentioned things of the same magnitude (such as hitch-hiking)? I am appalled that this is required reading, and especially at the 7th grade level! Not only was nothing good communicated, but some very horrible things were, and perhaps some of them would encourage actual children to do things as stupid as the main character, and end up in a really bad situation, and not the fairy-tale bull-crap ending that this had.
I admit that this is as much of a rant as it is a review, but if you have any reasonable grounds with which to challenge the claims made, please do so, I would encourage it.
There are two main criticisms that I must make, with all of the others subordinate to one or the other:
Initially, I must say that this is seriously poor writing to put it as delicately as honestly would allow. Virtually no descriptions of either characters or places is given, along with a very poor employment of literary skill in almost every other field imaginable. In fact, it begins with no introduction, and mere dialogue without having introduced who is speaking, and after that it barely gives any description. There was no originality to any of the characters. They were entirely 'wooden', and sad enough as it may sound already, aside from their individual situations, you couldn't tell them apart. They all act the same way, say very similar things, and ... Let's just say that characterization was extremely poor. All of the other aspects of its constructive elements are terrible as well. Nothing is described well, events jump around without transition, the actual use of words and clarity of the narrative is horrible, and, above all, the plot is absolute garbage. This, I honestly believe, was written as it went. I meant to say, that the author didn't have the plot planned out from the outset. There are so many loose ends poorly introduced that were carelessly thrown together at the very end, (if they were at all), that had no relation to the whole plot in general that I am being very liberal to say that there even was a plot at all, properly speaking. It is almost difficult to describe how bad it was. There was no continuity to it, and I have nothing good to say.
Secondly, the message taught here is unbelievable. Essentially, the main character, (a child living with his mother), are forced out of their apartment in the middle of the night because they had not paid their rent, and so they move in with the kid's Aunt May. He is not allowed to keep his cat "Foxey" because his aunt will not tolerate it and dislikes cats. So, rather than parting with the animal, what does the kid decide to do? The unthinkable! He steals cash from his aunt's purse, and runs off with his cat on his bike, looking for his father (who had divorced his mother), in hopes that he would "understand". Throughout this long journey, he is reduced to eating left overs at fast food restaurants from people who didn't finish their food, old bags of potato chips crawling with ants lying in parking lots, and generally becomes starved. He even gets robbed by some punks lying to him about where he can find food. Once he get's in the city where his dad lived, and this next bit is so shocking, he is invited by a total stranger to 'come to his house'. This guy very well could be a pedophile, murderer, intend to kidnap him for ransom, or possess a whole other whole host of malicious intents. Of course, this man warms the kid up by complimenting his cat, and saying that he could give it food. "Of course" this guy turns out to be the nicest of gentlemen, who is a real cat lover, (with statues of cats that are hand carved by him), and gives the kid entire bags of cat food, as well as feeding him himself. After he is refreshed by the kind generosity of this old man, he leaves, and find his dad at the town's stadium, "Candlestick Park", (of course only after acquiring admittance in all but the most questionable of ways). Once he's in the park, during a game, he sets out to find his dad, who is an usher. He talks to him after the game, explains the whole catastrophe that he wasn't allowed to keep his cat, and all of the long trials he had experienced in his long journey to find him. To top it all off, he asks if he could live with him, and asserts that it would be just perfect; just he, his dad, his cat, living happily and watching baseball together. His dad entirely blows him off, saying sorry, because he's living in an apartment too small with he and his girlfriend to accommodate him. What a worthless father, who blows off his own misguided son like that... Regardless, he receives a letter from the previously mentioned old man, who wrote to him when he knew he was going to die. He had been having chest pains, (and he'd had them before, but he knew this would be it for him), and he had a heart attack later and died. So, of course he sends the kid a huge sum of money. Enough for him to fly back home with his mom and his aunt, (who had come for him), and to pay the rent on their apartment so that they could move back in. In the end, they apologize to him for being so mean, and tell him that he can keep his cat. The end.
I am not even going to comment, (hopefully it is blatantly obvious), on how horrible this plot was, (and my summation does not include the horrible details and very poor writing). What kind of story is this though, that teaches kids that its okay to run away from home on unreasonable, childish initiatives like having to give away a pet, steal, go to the home of strangers, and other unmentioned things of the same magnitude (such as hitch-hiking)? I am appalled that this is required reading, and especially at the 7th grade level! Not only was nothing good communicated, but some very horrible things were, and perhaps some of them would encourage actual children to do things as stupid as the main character, and end up in a really bad situation, and not the fairy-tale bull-crap ending that this had.
I admit that this is as much of a rant as it is a review, but if you have any reasonable grounds with which to challenge the claims made, please do so, I would encourage it.
Read
July 27, 2013I always enjoy Peg Kehret's books. That said, the preface of this book may make some 13 years olds think they can run away and be safe. The story is about Spencer running away to find his father at Candlestick Park. This is all so he can save his cat from going to the pound. That part I liked since I believe that once you take on a pet, they are yours for their life time.
July 1, 2008
Another good read. This book is about a boy who is searching for his father. This search is prompted by the financial situation that his mother is in.....a great story about relationships with unexpected people.
June 24, 2011
I really liked this book. It is by one of my favorite authors, Peg Kehret. I really think you should read it. But you don't have to if you don't want to. So, yeah. You should try it if you want to. So...peace out.
October 12, 2008
One of her best books
November 18, 2009
Boy wants to see his dad (divorced) and sets out by himself on his bike and his cat.
February 22, 2010
i liked this book
i liked it because the boy was determaned to get to his dads house all by himself with his cat foxy. it showed that we realy wanted to leave his mom and go live with his dad.
i liked it because the boy was determaned to get to his dads house all by himself with his cat foxy. it showed that we realy wanted to leave his mom and go live with his dad.
November 13, 2012
Peg Kehret's books will appeal to both boys and girls between 8-12
November 28, 2010
This one will cause some great discussion among my students. Lots of good moral dilemmas for kids to work through.
October 8, 2013
Read this to the kids, it was a exciting read, they really enjoyed it.
October 17, 2015
Funny at times and really suspenseful. I think the ending should be a bit happier though.
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December 5, 2025
not exactly as i had remembered (positive)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews