Squeeze Play

Cal Ripken, Jr.'s All Stars

by Cal Ripken Jr.

Corey Maduro should be thrilled about the Orioles going to the big Grand Slam Tournament. But whenever he thinks about playing, he feels sick. For one thing, he's in a monster hitting slump, which shows no signs of ending. Then there's Katelyn Moss, who thinks she deserves Corey's center field job and tries to outdo him at everything.

But Corey's biggest problem is his dad, who turns into a howling, wild-eyed maniac at his son's games. Joe Maduro ridicules the other team, gets in shouting matches with parents, and screams at the umps when calls don't go the Orioles' way. It's so embarrassing Corey wants to crawl into a hole-except Katelyn would probably dig a better hole and make him feel worse.

With Squeeze Play, the best-selling team behind Hothead, Super Slugger, and Wild Pitch delivers another funny and action-packed home run.

Genres: Sports, Middle Grade

208 pages, Hardcover

First published March 4, 2014

About the author

Cal Ripken, Jr. was a shortstop and third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles for his entire career (1981-2001). Nicknamed “The Iron Man” for his relentless work ethic and reliability on the field, Ripken is most remembered for playing a record 2,632 straight games over 17 seasons. He was a 19-time All Star and is considered to be one of the best shortstops professional baseball has ever seen. In 2007 he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Since his retirement, Ripken has worked as President and CEO of Ripken Baseball, Inc. to nurture the love of baseball in young children from a grassroots level.

Reviews

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute. I've read others in this series, and I enjoyed them. THey are quick reads, and each book focuses on a different player. This one focused on Cody. His problem is his dad. I loved how things worked out.

[Jacob Vanden Avond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was great. I kept coming back to read it because it was so interesting. Anyone who is a baseball fan should read this book.

[Mathew Barrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. If you like to read sport books this is a book for you. The story line is good and believable. The book can also be relatable. The book just wants you to never stop reading it. it always pulls you back in for more. It is all about a boy named Corey Maduro and his love for baseball but there are the challenges he has to face. To finish this up I would recommend this book to lots of people.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corey has three problems. His dad. His teammate, Katelyn. And the big tournament.

Will the team win the big tournament? Will his dad ever be the kind of encouraging dad Corey needs? Why was Katelyn so cruel? Would she ever stop?

If you like baseball, you'll enjoy this book.

[Brady R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book.I would run away of I were Corey

[Cale Houchins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book because I can relate to the main character. Cody has to deal with a dad that gets mad when he doesn't play well. My dad used to get mad at me when i didn't do well. Both Cory's dad stopped and my dad stopped too.

[Tammi Peterman]

This is an intermediate book for independent reading.

I chose this book because of the students love for sports and baseball in particular. The story chronicles a little league team as they make it to a major tournament. The piece includes plenty of good baseball action with descriptions of games as they are played and lot of great details about Baseball in general. I think these details will keep the student interested and engaged. The piece has some underlying messages which are appropriate for this age including teamwork, working through a slump to achieve success, loss of loved ones and the challenge of having sometimes over-passionate families. Since the student indicated he enjoys spending time with family I think he will appreciate the father son relationship and the struggles they face.

Hook for student: This book was written by a Major League Baseball player. This book is about a boy a little older than you who hits a slump in his hitting and the internal struggles he faces to overcome his slump. There is a lot of baseball action that I think you will like and if you like the piece the author has several others I think you will enjoy.

[Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book I read is Squeeze Play. This is a realistic fiction book written by Cal Ripken Jr. and Kevin Cowherd. In my opinion, this is a very good book. It is about an all-star baseball player named Corey Maduro who goes into an all-star tournament with his team. He has one problem though, he has a crazy dad. He has to deal with his dad stealing the other teams signs, arguing with the ump, screaming at both teams, and running onto the field. Will his dad change his ways? Will Corey survive the embarrassment from his dad?

This is a very good book .The authors did a good job of putting readers into Corey’s shoes. Let’s face it, at some point a parent at a ballgame you have attended has gone bezerk. They also brought the fields at the Grand Slam Tournament to life. He uses very descriptive words in the beginning. The author didn’t ignore any details while describing the scenes. This book is more than just a baseball book, it brings you into the life of Corey Maduro. All in all, Squeeze Play by Cal Ripken Jr. and Kevin Cowherd.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is for fans of baseball. The author describes the games as they're played, and he also shares some of the finer details of baseball. The conflict with the girl playing right field is predictable, but Corey's relationship with his dad may connect with many athletic readers. Parents can put pressure on their kids playing sports and embarrass them with inappropriate behavior. Corey's dad is an extreme case, but I've seen parts of him in many parents over the years. Overall, a great book!

[Kennedy]

In This book Squeeze Play By Cal Ripken a lot happens with the main characters Corey, his dad, coach, his best bud Sammy,