A Long Pitch Home

by Natalie Dias Lorenzi

Ten-year-old Bilal liked his life back home in Pakistan. He was a star on his cricket team. But when his father suddenly sends the family to live with their aunt and uncle in America, nothing is familiar. While Bilal tries to keep up with his cousin Jalaal by joining a baseball league and practicing his English, he wonders when his father will join the family in Virginia. Maybe if Bilal can prove himself on the pitcher’s mound, his father will make it to see him play. But playing baseball means navigating relationships with the guys, and with Jordan, the only girl on the team—the player no one but Bilal wants to be friends with.

Genres: Middle Grade, Sports, Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Fiction, Cultural, Friendship

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2016

Reviews

[John Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a lot to like in this coming of age story. Bilal moves suddenly from Karachi to Maryland as his father has become embroiled in a situation in Pakistan. Bilal has taken English lessons for five years, but American slang is beyond his ken when he arrives at his cousins home with his mother, sister and toddler brother while his father must remain. Having excelled in cricket in his home country, he is sent off to baseball camp upon arrival in the US, which is alien to him.

There was much to love about this book, learning a new culture, negotiating life in America as an immigrant, sexism among his new friends (he befriends a 'girl' who happens to be the best player on his new baseball team to the horror of his male friends). I also loved that Bilal's grandmother in Karachi was named Daddo, how cool was that.

'In the backyard, Coach Matt flips hamburger on the grill, and a lady who must be Mrs. Coach Matt comes out with a pitcher of iced tea.' I love some of the culture nibbles like this one.

Sometimes sentimental and a bit over the top, still a lovely story of family and culture. And baseball and cricket. For me, arriving in Oz 37 years ago and going to a party where the cricket was on the tv, I asked the men there what was happening. One asked 'What do you know about cricket?' When I answered 'Nothing', he replied 'Then I can't tell you what's going on.' I now love and follow cricket, but baseball is still my first love (my beloved NY Yankees pitched a perfect game today against the Oakland Athletics). So this one was special to me. And my 100th book of the year so far!

[Serina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gently introduces readers to Pakistani culture while telling a story with universal appeal. Bilal is a lot like any 10 year old that has moved to a new place, instead he has moved to a new country. He wants friends and to fit in at school. Yet there are alot of firsts that I've *never* found in an elementary book. There are literally over 9 million kids in US who speak a second language and 1 million of those don't speak English well at all! Its shocking that all those kids are being completely ignored in literature. ESL is discussed for the first time, and we see how useful it is to not only help with the language but also the adjustment of a new culture. Sprinkled throughout is the sharp differences of living in America. Muslim customs are mentioned but not the focus. No one makes fun of him for being different. Instead he has to decided to stick up for another girl thats being bullied. The conclusion is a bit story book ending but the length of time that is required before it comes about makes it very plausible. Baseball is the running theme. Yet because for Bilal its new, we get to experience it for the first time also. It reads easy despite the foreign words here and there. Give to fans of baseball, reluctant readers and American kids so they can continue to develop empathy for people who are different.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

By now, it should be clear that coming to America presents its own unique challenges. In the case of ten-year-old Bilal, the country is confusing in many of the usual ways: its language, rapid speech patterns, clothing, driving customs, holidays, foods, and even sports. But perhaps most disappointing to Bilal upon his move to Washington, DC, is that no one seems to know much about cricket, the sport in which he excelled back home in Pakistan, much less know how to play it. As his father stays behind in Pakistan to clear his name, the rest of the family, including Bilal's mother, his younger sister, and a much younger brother go to stay with his mother's brother. They are as welcoming as can be, but things are just so different, and once school starts, Bilal is embarrassed to be put in an ESL class for language support despite the fact that he studied English back home. While Hira heads off to a Girl Scout camp, Bilal accompanies his older cousin Jalaal to a baseball camp. He is unsuccessful at batting, but his pitching shows potential. As it turns out, one of the players is a girl named Jordan who has something in common with Bilal. Her mother has been deployed, and she goes months without seeing him. Despite her talent in the sport, the other boys tease Jordan or ignore her, and Bilal is conflicted about whether to embrace the friendship she offers him or hide it from the others. Intermediate graders will certainly understand his concerns since he is still on shaky ground himself as a new kid in the community, but he also knows that Jordan is a real friend. Although the ending is a bit over the top with the notion of pulling strings in order for Bilal's father to join the family and a celebrity taking the time to visit a young boy, I still enjoyed the story, which will certainly encourage readers to reach out to immigrants or anyone new to their school or class. Even speaking a little more slowly or explaining concepts might be seen as an act of compassion. As a couple of other reviewers have noted, it might have been helpful to explain briefly in an afterword some details of the political situation in Bilal's home country or first country as his teacher, Mr. Jacobs, calls it. I liked that idea a lot. In fact, I liked Mr. Jacobs and Mrs. Wu and the two baseball coaches a lot too. The author does a fine job of pulling in her readers from the opening lines, but once the baseball team is working toward that final game, she provides less details than might be desired. Still, the book does exactly what it sets out to do--put a very human face to immigration and a family trying to find its way in a completely different culture and place, particularly hard to do without the father.

[Sunday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get this book into the hands of 4th, 5th, 6th grade students--book talk it and leave in the classroom library, make a core text for literature circles, read aloud to the whole class in spare moments and ask small groups to turn and talk. This book lends itself to so many higher level thinking questions that could push our students to develop emotional insight into what happens when children from other countries move to the United States. We see the U.S. through the eyes of the main character, Bilal, who moves to the U.S. from Pakistan--on very short notice, leaving behind friends, cricket, and family. The writing is sharp and witty, making you laugh at how Bilal sees what we take for granted like when Bilal reads a sign at the pool that says, "Swim Meet Tomorrow" and he wonders, "Swim meet? Do swimmers go there to meet each other?" or when he asks his cousin, "Why do the baseball players all wear gloves if only one of them can be the catcher?" I could feel also Bilal's agony as he left his father behind, his embarrassment as he had to take a test in English and scored lower than his young sister and felt as though his score would disappoint his parents. His sorrow at the loss of a game he knew so well--cricket and his confusion over the new game--baseball. His pounding heart as he threw a pitch that might or might save his father who is trapped in Pakistan, unable to get proper travel papers. I made my family WAIT until I finished the book before I'd go do something with them--I had to know how the book ended.

There's also a smaller storyline -about Jordan, a girl who plays baseball and whose dad is also away--serving the military. Jordan and Bilal - from different countries and cultures -- still travel the same path as they grapple with the absence of their dads.

The author gently introduces Islam and the cultural ways of Bilal's family and contrasts these with mainstream American culture--revealing how some of the characters like Bilal's cousin have made sense of both, navigate both and live both cultures. Lorenzi's approach is developmentally appropriate and will be enlightening for her audience of readers.

Overall - the plot and the writing are just really, really well done and I'd highly recommend.

[Aeicha · Rating 4 out of 5]

When ten year old Bilal and his family leave Pakistan, he must adjust to the often confusing and hectic life of America. Making new friends, learning English, fitting in, and learning to like America is not easy for Bilal, especially when he misses his father, back in Pakistan, so much. Hoping to make his father proud and speed up his arrival, Bilal joins a local baseball team, but finds that baseball is not at all like his beloved cricket, especially when one of his teammates turns out to be a talented girl.

Natalie Dias Lorenzi’s A Long Pitch Home is a thoughtful and tender middle-grade story that deftly explores the immigration experience through the honest and observant eyes of a child. Bilal’s story is an important one, as it reflects the lives and experiences of so many young readers in America today. Lorenzi carefully and respectfully explores Bilal’s Pakistani culture and customs, creating an immersive and authentic reading experience. Young readers will enjoy Bilal’s unique perspective and learning about his culture, but they will also find many aspects of his life (family dynamics, wanting to fit in, friendship issues, etc) to be very relatable and relevant to their own lives.

Bilal, his family members, and Jordan (the one girl on his team) are all engaging, well-developed characters, that young readers will enjoy getting to know and find very likable.

My final thoughts: With a heartfelt message, excellent storytelling, and unforgettable main character, A Long Pitch Home will amuse, educate, and leave a mark.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an ok story of a boy trying to adjust after leaving Pakistan, and arriving in Virginia, because of some problems with his father's work.

There is no prejudice, as you might expect might happen when there is a story of muslims trying to adjust being in the United States. Instead, it is a matter of having to adjust because Bilal knows how to play cricket, and to fit in he has to learn to play baseball.

The conflict is his learning to play, learning more English and getting along with the girl on the team, who is also a fish out of water.

There is nothing wrong with this book, really. It is an ok book to teach kids about trying to fit in, but nothing really happens. Very safe. The boy misses his father. No worries about the outside world, no worries about how his family will survive. His only worries are about baseball and his father.

A much better book about this same subject, trying to fit into American society would be It Ain't So Awful , Falafel. Much better voice of the character. Much closer to the bone about how it feels.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book avaialable for an honest review

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was instantly sucked into this story of 10-year old Bilal, who, after his father is jailed for several days, suddenly moves with the rest of his family to the US. His experiences there are of a sensitive but well-adjusted boy making sense of a new culture while longing to have his father join them.

I enjoyed learning about Pakistani and Muslim culture in comparisons... at home Bilal is good at cricket. People think it's an insect in the US. His descriptions of cookie-cutter houses with small mowed lawns and gardens and an "alley" at each house for cars, and dogs as pet... contrasts with his former life in a crowded apartment building in a city filled with brightly painted buses with people hanging off the sides, motorbikes, dust, and stray dogs.

He wants to be friends with a girl, but "the guys" don't like her, so he keeps his friendship with her low-key. When she calls him on it, it's a high (and low) point in the book.

There is no overt immigrant or Islamophobia in the book, which I appreciated. Bilal had enough to deal with just figuring out what everyone is saying, and trying to fit in. The story has depth and heart... and sports... so good for boys, too.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true testament to the quote that home can be a feeling rather than a place. Throughout the book, Bilal, a 10-year old boy from Pakistan struggles to accept his new life in America with his already acclimated aunt/uncle/cousins. For their safety,the family was moved away from Pakistan with barely a notice and no time to say goodbye, worst of all father must stay behind. As Bilal arrives in America he faces cultural barriers, language barriers, hesitation to accept his new reality without his Baba and longing for a feeling of security and acceptance. Bilal is a lover of Cricket but America is all about baseball. The story unravels around Bilal finding his place on the baseball team as he tries to improve his game so one day he could be part of the team and as Baba has promised, he will make it to America to watch one of his games.
I highly recommend this book!
*I received an ARC via NetGalley & Charlesbridge in exchange for an honest review.

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young Bilal's perspective on having to leave the home you know and try to forge a new life in a strange and unfamiliar world. To make matters worse, his family leaves Pakistan without their father. Bilal's older cousin helps him assimilate through baseball. The process is not easy but eventually, Bilal begins to adjust to this new life. A life that will never be complete until his father joins them. In a bold and reckless move, Bilal finds a solution to the problem and sacrifices an important game for a chance to bring his father to America.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent middle reader book about a Pakistani family moving to the U.S. and how 5th grader, Bilal, strives to fit in.

[Virginia McGee Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Natalie Dias Lorenzi knows how to write a first line that pulls a reader into a book. A Long Pitch Home begins, “They took my father three days ago, a week before my tenth birthday.” The statement forms the impetus and background for her story of Balil who gets a visa to come to the United States with his immediate family, except for his father.
Adjustments begin as they leave the airport with his uncle sitting behind the steering wheel on the left side of the car and his mother “sitting next to him, where the steering wheel should be.” His observation of other things that are different include a wide road with four neat lanes but no donkeys pulling carts, no buses with fringe hanging from the bumpers, and no people riding on the tops or hanging out the doors and windows.
The book is laced with pertinent humor. “I smell masala and am glad we are eating something normal. I have heard Americans eat hot dogs, but I do not want to try those. We don’t eat dog meat in Pakistan.” Bilal describes his arrival at the gym, “Anyone can see I’m different from the other kids at baseball camp. I’m the only one with a black eye.”
Bilal’s copes with being separated from his father by Skyping with him occasionally and remaining hopeful that he will be granted a visa soon. He learns a new brand of English that is different from what he learned in Pakistan and focuses on learning to play baseball instead of cricket. His friendship with his rival for the pitching job causes problems with the other players. Jordan is an outcast because she is a girl and team members discourage him from having anything to do with her, but they share more than baseball. She is missing her father who has been deployed to Afghanistan.
The author’s background as a librarian in a school with a majority population of immigrants and years of teaching English as a Second Language in Japan, Italy, and the US bring empathy for this young Muslim Pakistani immigrant who adapts to life in a new country while holding onto traditions that are important to his family and culture. One of my favorite scenes was his attempt to eat customary American foods for Thanksgiving dinner and seeing those traditions through the eyes of someone who is eating them for the first time.
A Long Pitch Home, available on September 6, is an excellent choice for middle schoolers who look for diversity in the characters in their books or for anyone who loves a really good story. If you like both of those and are not in middle school, go ahead and read it. You have my permission.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bilal has to leave Pakistan quickly without telling any of his friends. What makes it worse is that it is his birthday and the family is leaving without Baba. Will he make friends in the United States? Do they play cricket there? When will Baba join them? Why can't he come with them? There are so many questions that Bilal has about leaving Pakistan that he is nervous and scared. When they arrive in Washington they are met by his aunt and uncle. Living with his relatives, he is able to learn some things from his cousin Jalal.

Even though Jalal is much older than Bilal, he takes him under his wing. He teaches him about baseball and takes him to baseball camp. Bilal meets some boys there and one girl, Jordan. The boys do not want Jordan on the team because she is a girl, but Bilal feels a special kinship with her. School is another problem for Bilal. He has difficulty with English and again, does not make many friends. The boys he knows from baseball camp are in another class but Jordan is in his class. He develops a reluctant friendship with her and learns that her father is deployed in Afghanistan and she is living with her uncle. He continues to play baseball and Jordan helps him with his pitching and hitting on the sly. He does not want the boys to know they are friends. When his father still does not come to America after almost a year, Bilal is getting worried. He will do whatever he can to get his Baba to come and live with them. He takes a chance at the biggest baseball game of the year, but will it pay off.

This is a great story about coming to America as an immigrant family. It deals with separation from loved ones, dealing with a new language and culture, trying to make friends and fit in as well as making decisions to be true to yourself. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to schools, class libraries, community libraries and to middle grade students.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Cindy Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Bilal is 10, his family moves from Pakistan to the U.S. But Bilal’s father can’t join them; he’s under suspicion of stealing from his company, and he must stay to clear his name. Bilal, his mom, younger sister, and baby brother move in with his aunt and uncle in the Washington, D.C. area, where Bilal works hard to fit in. He finds a connection through playing baseball, making friends when he joins the team. But he’s confused why none of his new friends like the girl on the team, Jordan. In the time Bilal waits for his dad to join them, he will learn lessons in English and in friendship, and he will need to take a daring risk to finally get his most cherished wish.

A Long Pitch Home by Natalie Dias Lorenzi introduces readers to Pakistani culture while telling a story with universal appeal. Bilal is a lot like any 10 year old. He wants friends, he wants to enjoy playing a sport, and he wants to feel like he fits in at school. Most of all, he wants his family all safe and happy in one home. Throughout the book he is on a journey of discovery about a new culture and a new language. But he is also discovering what it means to be a good friend as well as to have good friends, and how sometimes that means risking the approval of others.

Lorenzi weaves in facts about Pakistani culture and Muslim practices seamlessly, bringing Bilal and his family to life while keeping the story of his efforts to fit in and make friends in focus. While there’s a lot going on in the book, it never feels forced. As a result, readers are likely to relate to Bilal and his struggles even as they learn about his religion, Pakistani food and history, playing cricket, and more. I highly recommend A Long Pitch Home for mother-daughter book clubs and any readers aged 9 to 12.

The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Hannah Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an exceptional read and I never wanted to put the book down. Maybe it was the way Lorenzi created her story, or maybe it was because I was thrilled to finally find a book that represents Muslims in a happy tone. I have many Muslim friends who have gone through a lot of the same issues that were presented to Bilal throughout his transition to America, so I was constantly intrigued by the first-person narration by Bilal himself. I not only enjoyed this book because it gave me a look into the challenges that my friends went through in their transitions, but the presentation of cultural information was also placed seamlessly throughout the story. Throughout the book Lorenzi includes snippets of Pakistani and Muslim culture, like instead of saying a “Hollywood movie-star smile”, Lorenzi (2016) says “Bollywood movie-star smile.” Also there is a part of the story where Bilal is at a community pool and he is shocked by the swimming attire and he questions, “Aren’t the adults embarrassed to be half-naked in front of everyone?” Even though this quote is short and meaningless without context, it really depicts the differences in modesty and clothing between Muslim and American culture. The only critique I would have about this chapter book is that I wish it was written by a Muslim author or someone who is from Pakistan. Even though Lorenzi has traveled and lived many places, I think this book could have been taken even further by having first hand experiences intertwined within this fictional story.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over the course of a single day, which says something about how hard it was to put down, even for things like meals. I rarely give a book a five-star rating, but this one deserves it.
Bilal, the main character, comes to the U.S. with most of his family. His father is unable to leave their native Pakistan, for some of the same reasons that he wants the rest of the family to get out. There is trouble, apparently caused by the father's longtime friend.
In their new home, foods, clothes and even sports are strange and different, and no one, even well-meaning teachers, seems to understand much about his nation, his culture, or even his favorite sport of cricket.
Instead, he's nudged toward learning baseball, and its culture and customs.
The story is an excellent one about home, separation from family, differences in cultures, and a host of other issues, including a very obscure baseball rule.
Bilal is a great character, a believable 10-year-old who is intelligent, but whose knowledge of English is somewhat limited at the start of the story. He learns quickly, though, just as he learns the difference between being a cricket bowler and a baseball pitcher. Idioms are different, though, just as hitting a round ball with a round bat is very strange to him. The rules of friendship are also tricky, as he learns during the story.
I would offer this to any tween to read, boy or girl, because there are strong, interesting characters in it, both male and female, and an intriguing story that remains believable.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Balal suffers from serious culture shock when, overnight, he and his mother and siblings are suddenly relocated from Pakistan to the Washington, DC suburbs. While his father stays behind to sort out some political red tape that prevents him from leaving the country, Bilal finds himself lost in an unfamiliar world of baseball games, ESL classes, and multicultural holiday sing-alongs. The only person who seems to understand how Bilal feels is Jordan, a girl on his baseball team whom the other players dislike simply for being female. As time wears on, Bilal feels the stress of his father's absence weighing on him more and more heavily, and he takes a risk, hoping it will pay off by uniting his family once more. With this, her second book, Natalie Dias Lorenzi (Flying the Dragon), delivers a tightly plotted and wonderfully written novel that hits a sweet spot for upper elementary school readers. Bilal is a believable ten-year-old boy, and though some of his concerns are specific to being a Muslim and an immigrant, many others are problems any child could face. While this is a book about diversity, it is neither preachy or political. It is an honest story about family and friendship, which also strives for cultural accuracy and honest representation. One of the best novels I've read in 2016.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bilal comes with his mother and siblings to the US, where they stay with his uncle, aunt, and cousin. Bilal's father isn't able to get a visa yet, so he's still in Pakistan. Bilal learns colloquial American English (which was decidedly not what he had learned before), starts playing baseball (though his heart belongs to cricket), navigates messy friendship dynamics, and tries anything to get his father to the US.

Friendship: Making friends in a new place, making friends with people who aren't friends with each other (and this one involved gender dynamics here), how and when to stand up for people.

Language: I found the book to be really interesting in terms of language learning. Hira picks up a ton of American English really quickly because she's outgoing and talkative, not afraid of making mistakes. Bilal knew more formal English when they arrived in the US, but he's more wary of making mistakes and is more reserved. He's also very aware of the differences in the English he learned and the English he's hearing around him in the United States. Also, it's a very minor point, but I'm glad that Hira losing Urdu (and both her and Bilal's worry over it) was a thread in the story.

I found the pacing to be a little uneven, but there were always time markers, so you knew how much time had passed. (It was sometimes just more than I expected.)

[The Reading Countess · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Long Pitch Home checks many boxes:
✔️boy main character
✔️girl minor character (thereby making it friendly to both guys and gals...Why girls are more open to reading books with characters in this order vs. boys when the tables are turned is a discussion for another time...)
✔️baseball (and by default, cricket)
✔️Pakistani family
✔️immigration
✔️Afghanistan/current events

I liked the confusion Bilal felt with many English words and terms native speakers take for granted. The author’s way of handling idioms and colloquial terms reminded me of HOME OF THE BRAVE. I think many kids will love that baseball plays such a vital role. Bilal’s cousin and younger sister assimilating into their newfound homeland was an important aspect of the story.

The problem Bilal’s dad finds himself in felt a little forced, though. Look, I get that we need tension in plot. But it felt rushed and not fleshed out.

I admire the author’s ability to tell Bilal’s story so authentically. It is evident that she did much research-read the acknowledgments to see the extent to which she went. While we surely must advocate for more authors telling their own stories, A Long Pitch Home has too many strong qualities not to make this a text in our libraries. We need Bilal’s story.

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bilal is surprised when he, his siblings, and his mother suddenly leave Pakistan for America. His father must stay behind. They go to Virginia, where they stay with his aunt, uncle, and teenage cousin. The move to the United States is difficult for Bilal -- in Pakistan he had good friends and was the star of the his cricket team. His cousin enrolls him in baseball camp to make the transition easier, but baseball really isn't anything like cricket. Bilal can pitch, but batting is a lot harder. Plus, the English his coaches and teammates are speaking is very different from what he learned in school. To make matters worse, there is a girl on the team as well. Bilal worries constantly, about his father, his playing, his English. He knows he is fortunate in a lot of ways, and he has the help and support of many people in his life. This is an excellent look at the difficult transition of moving to the United States. Bilal is so likable and relatable that readers can't help but become involved in his story and root for his success. There is plenty of baseball to keep sports lovers interested as well. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lorenzi Natalie Dias A Long Pitch Home, 248 pages. Charlesbridge, 2016. $17. Language: G (0 swears 0 “F”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG.

Bilal is your average boy from Karachi, Pakistan. He is really into cricket and his favorite player is Omar Khan. One day his family decides to move from their hometown to America because their cousins lived there, this is a challenge for Bilal because there is a language barrier, and he has completely different interests. He joins a baseball league because his uncle Jalaal enrolls him into it. He meets a person on the team named Jordan who is a girl. This is where his experience in America starts.

I liked that I could personally relate to this book in some way. It is about a Muslim boy that is being introduced to American culture. I can also relate to how he has to deal with how a lifestyle of an American muslim is compared to the ones in the middle east. The author did a good job on representing muslims to people. I’m happy with the way this book came out.

MS - ESSENTIAL 7th Grade Student Reviewer IK
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Myra Benedict · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bilal a boy who moved to America but it ain’t that easy to fit in to be American .when you came from a whole different world a whole different culture ..things get hard when Bilal was putted to a baseball camp and English being his second language..the coach speaks fast and with a different accent it is hard for him to know what is going on...but the worst part is his Dad is not there his loved Aba Jaan(beloved dad) bilal misses his dad his life his friends will he fit ?in will he learn English ?will he be a good American? will his dad come? A lot of question but time will brings the answers. .... good story but I think there could be good details to it more details about the culture and more understanding for the readers

[Amanda Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bilal and his family have to move to America suddenly and his father must stay behind in Pakistan. Bilal has studied the English language, but he realizes there are many American sayings (such as mom, baseball, and apple pie) that make no sense to him. Bilal has to learn to adjust to his new home and language. His aunt signs him up for baseball camp to help him acclimate. Bilal only played cricket in Pakistan. He has a lot to learn about America. The language the author uses to tell the story is emotive and I really felt I understood what a 10-year-old would feel like being a foreigner in America.

[Georgene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the way the author wove different plots throughout the story, and added a lot of information about life in a Muslim family and what a new English speaker would experience when he arrived in America. Bilal, the main character, seemed believable but many of the supporting characters seemed kind of one-dimensional. Everyone seemed almost too good to be true; there was no conflict within the family. Everyone got along and helped each other. Ammi and Baba were the perfect parents, even though Baba was caught up in some political turmoil in Pakistan.
A feel-good book with a happy ending that I saw coming.

[Abigail Wasnik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. This book is about cricket (not the bug cricket a game similar to baseball). So the boy's father went missing no one knows where he went well the adults knew not the boy. Ethier way the father comes back and says that they have to move to America with their uncle and aunt so now they move and the father s not there with them he would come later on and the boy biblal needs to start a new life with a new sport baseball he choose to do baseball because he was so super good in cricket and in America there is no cricket so he chooses baseball which kind of is similar to cricket. You have to read this book it is so good.

[David Wickham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved that the main character is a young immigrant from Pakistan. I think it's gives some great insight about some challenges faced by so many people moving to America. I know I have some students that would totally relate to not just adjusting to America but having loved ones living far away. I also like how another character can relate as her father is deployed half way across the world.

I also think it is super cool that I know the author! She is an awesome woman, mother, writer and librarian! I'm very lucky to know her family, to work with her and to have taught her two daughters! :)

[KitaabWorld.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Bilal has to move suddenly from Pakistan to America, he encounters many unfamiliar things that confuse him. Enrolling in an ESL course, a summer baseball camp and having to make new friends, Bilal struggles with language, foreign customs and a longing for home and family. A moving and realistic depiction of the immigrant experience through the eyes of a child.

See other books in our Muslim Kids as Heroes booklist here:
https://kitaabworld.com/blogs/news/co...

[Alissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another Battle of the Books book for my son's competition and I'll say from the cover I wasn't too excited since it looked to be a "sports" book.

However, I really loved this story of a family that was suddenly uprooted from their home in Pakistan and resettled in Northern Virginia. The book talks about the struggles of new immigrants in a land where the customs, language and culture are very different than the land from whence they came.

A great book to teach compassion and understanding to youth and adults alike.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, probably because it's not as sports-heavy as I thought it was going to be. It's one of the few juvenile fiction books (in English) whose protagonist is a young Muslim boy. Because the boy's baba is stuck overseas and faces an unjust prison sentence, I think many Turkish kids in America could relate well to this story, too. But it has broad appeal overall, and I'd recommend it for any elementary school's library.

[Nan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this story of a boy moving to Virginia suddenly and even though he speaks English finding himself often lost and uncomfortable with the language. The references to cricket (not the bug!) and baseball are well written and believable, and the confusion with many slang terms is very funny. Bilal is a very likable main character as is his whole family, especially Jilaal. Definitely want to promote this with my students, especially those who like baseball.

[Trish (readtmc) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* rounded up

An endearing story about the immigrant experience through 10 year old Bilal's perspective. Besides being a good introduction to Muslim and Pakistani cultures, I appreciated how Lorenzi made me feel empathetic towards Bilal's struggles while adjusting to a new culture, especially his observations of American customs and learning another language (particularly the idioms and colloquialisms).