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Home Team #4
Team Players
Cassie must learn that you can’t “fix” someone else after a girl with Aspergers joins her softball team in the fourth and final book of the Home Team series from New York Times bestselling author and sports-writing legend Mike Lupica.
Cassie Bennett is great at being in charge. She always knows what to do to lead her teams to victory, keep her many groups of friends together, or fix any problem that comes her way. So when Sarah Milligan, an autistic girl with unreal softball skills, joins Cassie’s team, Cassie’s sure she can help her fit in with the team.
But before long it’s obvious that being around so many people is really hard for Sarah, and the more Cassie tries to reach out and involve her, the more Sarah pushes her away, sometimes literally. It doesn’t help that Cassie’s teammates aren’t as interested in helping Sarah as they are in making sure they make it to the new softball All-Star Tournament that’ll be televised just like the Little League World Series.
Soon no one seems to even want Sarah on the team anymore besides Cassie, and the harder Cassie tries to bring everyone together, the worse things seem to get. Cassie Bennett never backs down from a challenge, but can she realize that maybe the challenge isn’t fixing a problem in someone else, but in herself? Or will her stubbornness lead her to lose more than just softball games?
Cassie Bennett is great at being in charge. She always knows what to do to lead her teams to victory, keep her many groups of friends together, or fix any problem that comes her way. So when Sarah Milligan, an autistic girl with unreal softball skills, joins Cassie’s team, Cassie’s sure she can help her fit in with the team.
But before long it’s obvious that being around so many people is really hard for Sarah, and the more Cassie tries to reach out and involve her, the more Sarah pushes her away, sometimes literally. It doesn’t help that Cassie’s teammates aren’t as interested in helping Sarah as they are in making sure they make it to the new softball All-Star Tournament that’ll be televised just like the Little League World Series.
Soon no one seems to even want Sarah on the team anymore besides Cassie, and the harder Cassie tries to bring everyone together, the worse things seem to get. Cassie Bennett never backs down from a challenge, but can she realize that maybe the challenge isn’t fixing a problem in someone else, but in herself? Or will her stubbornness lead her to lose more than just softball games?
304 pages, Hardcover
Published April 3, 2018
34 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Mike Lupica
111 books1,215 followersMichael Lupica is an author and American newspaper columnist, best known for his provocative commentary on sports in the New York Daily News and his appearances on ESPN.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 15, 2019
The four friends, Gus, Jack, Teddy, and Cassie, return in book #4 of the Home Team series. Now spanning the summer between middle school and high school, these athletes find themselves on very competitive teams... Cassie on her Red Sox softball team, and the boys on their Cubs baseball team.
Even though core players have returned for the season, each team takes on a challenge with a new player. The Red Sox are joined by Sarah Milligan a superb athlete with Asperger Syndrome. Everything with her is literal, black-and-white, while she is socially awkward. The Cubs are managed by Coach Anthony, who not only is loud and critical, but his son, who is also on the team, can do no wrong.
Both teams find out what it means to be a teammate even when some players are not the easiest to get along with. Yet, by season's end, they are both exactly where they wanted to be...whether they win or lose.
Team Players tackles the issue of disabilities and especially Asperger Syndrome with clarity and honesty. A good selection for classmates who may want to know more about the disability.
Even though core players have returned for the season, each team takes on a challenge with a new player. The Red Sox are joined by Sarah Milligan a superb athlete with Asperger Syndrome. Everything with her is literal, black-and-white, while she is socially awkward. The Cubs are managed by Coach Anthony, who not only is loud and critical, but his son, who is also on the team, can do no wrong.
Both teams find out what it means to be a teammate even when some players are not the easiest to get along with. Yet, by season's end, they are both exactly where they wanted to be...whether they win or lose.
Team Players tackles the issue of disabilities and especially Asperger Syndrome with clarity and honesty. A good selection for classmates who may want to know more about the disability.
January 6, 2018
In Mike Lupica's fourth installment of the Home Team series Cassie Bennett is the lead character. She is a strong girl with impressive opinions and expectations of what she can do. She can solve any problem for her friends, her team, and herself that is put in her path.
When a new girl with autism joins her softball team, she thinks that she can help her fit in. She's friends with all of the other girls, so it shouldn't be that hard, right? The new girl, Sarah Milligan has mad softball skills. She's great at bat, a natural at pitching and would only get better with practice, and an amazing center fielder as she can run like the wind and seems to know exactly where the ball is going to end up. Cassie wants to be friendly and perhaps become friends with Sarah. She also feels like being nice to Sarah should be easy for the other girls as whoever makes them better (and she certainly does that) should be accepted. Especially as whoever wins the playoffs this year gets to play at Fenway and be put on NESN for a small New England tournament.
Sarah isn't sure of what to make of Cassie. People usually don't want to be her friend, and goodness knows no one else on the team is talking to her, and therefore finds Cassie's behavior distrustful. Cassie also read up on autism online and felt like she should automatically know how to be around Sarah. One practice they have a scrimmage and Sarah smashes a home run out of the park. On the third base line Cassie shouts at Sarah that her hit was awesome and holds both of her hands out for a double high-five, Sarah pushes Cassie to the ground and yells, "Get off me!" So, if her other teammates didn't think she was weird and didn't want her on their team before, they certainly did now.
Cassie feels like it was her fault. After her reading she should have realized Sarah might not have reacted in the same way as a NT. Her friends, Jack, Teddy, and Gus remind her that there is no way she could have known how Sarah could react. Jack smartly (and appropriately) points out that Sarah is 100% herself, just like everyone else (NTs) are unique individuals so it Sarah, and reading up on her diagnosis doesn't mean that Cassie knows her. She just has to take it slow, and perhaps slower than she wants to.
The softball team fractures over Sarah with only a few people talking to Cassie and the rest of her teammates freezing her out. The boys baseball team on the other hand is fractured at the beginning by a new coach who seems to have confused middle school baseball with the major leagues and is forever yelling and punishing the players on top of favoring his son, who isn't even all that good. After the coach behaves in an unbecoming manner at a baseball game he's fired and Jack ends up coaching the boys team with Cassie stepping in for most games as third base coach.
Throughout the season and her interactions with Sarah (some positive and some negative) Cassie finally realizes, with Sarah's and Sarah's mom's help, that she has been pitying Sarah and sympathizing, instead of empathizing. She hadn't been trying to be friends with Sarah for Sarah, she'd been doing it for herself. Once she realizes this, everything else starts to fall into place and slowly things start to come back together both in her life, in her (perhaps) friendship with Sarah, and with her softball team.
Lupica wrote a heart-warming book that can be enlightening for those who don't understand autism (not that this is a thorough going-over, and even if it was it still doesn't mean you'd know everything there is to know and be able to just instinctively know and become friends with every person with autism that you meet). Sarah is a great character and we see her strengths as well as her weaknesses. We see her grow throughout the season, and the reader can also get insight into the way she thinks. I think the most important aspects though, is that people need to learn the difference between empathy and sympathy as well as the fact that neurodiverse or not every individual is unique and you need to remember that.
The only (perhaps obvious) unfortunate part of this for me was that Lupica gave a shout-out to Autism Speaks, and almost everything I have ever read has informed me that people with autism DO NOT like this organization as it is all about "fixing" them and finding a cure etc. and they don't (rightly) feel that they are broken. What they want is more awareness for how people in society could be more cognizant of people with autism and what their needs may be and therefore be more accommodating, as well as being provided with the help that they need while growing up to be able to be as independent as possible, which is different for everyone. That was a huge bummer for me, but hey, what are you gonna do?
When a new girl with autism joins her softball team, she thinks that she can help her fit in. She's friends with all of the other girls, so it shouldn't be that hard, right? The new girl, Sarah Milligan has mad softball skills. She's great at bat, a natural at pitching and would only get better with practice, and an amazing center fielder as she can run like the wind and seems to know exactly where the ball is going to end up. Cassie wants to be friendly and perhaps become friends with Sarah. She also feels like being nice to Sarah should be easy for the other girls as whoever makes them better (and she certainly does that) should be accepted. Especially as whoever wins the playoffs this year gets to play at Fenway and be put on NESN for a small New England tournament.
Sarah isn't sure of what to make of Cassie. People usually don't want to be her friend, and goodness knows no one else on the team is talking to her, and therefore finds Cassie's behavior distrustful. Cassie also read up on autism online and felt like she should automatically know how to be around Sarah. One practice they have a scrimmage and Sarah smashes a home run out of the park. On the third base line Cassie shouts at Sarah that her hit was awesome and holds both of her hands out for a double high-five, Sarah pushes Cassie to the ground and yells, "Get off me!" So, if her other teammates didn't think she was weird and didn't want her on their team before, they certainly did now.
Cassie feels like it was her fault. After her reading she should have realized Sarah might not have reacted in the same way as a NT. Her friends, Jack, Teddy, and Gus remind her that there is no way she could have known how Sarah could react. Jack smartly (and appropriately) points out that Sarah is 100% herself, just like everyone else (NTs) are unique individuals so it Sarah, and reading up on her diagnosis doesn't mean that Cassie knows her. She just has to take it slow, and perhaps slower than she wants to.
The softball team fractures over Sarah with only a few people talking to Cassie and the rest of her teammates freezing her out. The boys baseball team on the other hand is fractured at the beginning by a new coach who seems to have confused middle school baseball with the major leagues and is forever yelling and punishing the players on top of favoring his son, who isn't even all that good. After the coach behaves in an unbecoming manner at a baseball game he's fired and Jack ends up coaching the boys team with Cassie stepping in for most games as third base coach.
Throughout the season and her interactions with Sarah (some positive and some negative) Cassie finally realizes, with Sarah's and Sarah's mom's help, that she has been pitying Sarah and sympathizing, instead of empathizing. She hadn't been trying to be friends with Sarah for Sarah, she'd been doing it for herself. Once she realizes this, everything else starts to fall into place and slowly things start to come back together both in her life, in her (perhaps) friendship with Sarah, and with her softball team.
Lupica wrote a heart-warming book that can be enlightening for those who don't understand autism (not that this is a thorough going-over, and even if it was it still doesn't mean you'd know everything there is to know and be able to just instinctively know and become friends with every person with autism that you meet). Sarah is a great character and we see her strengths as well as her weaknesses. We see her grow throughout the season, and the reader can also get insight into the way she thinks. I think the most important aspects though, is that people need to learn the difference between empathy and sympathy as well as the fact that neurodiverse or not every individual is unique and you need to remember that.
The only (perhaps obvious) unfortunate part of this for me was that Lupica gave a shout-out to Autism Speaks, and almost everything I have ever read has informed me that people with autism DO NOT like this organization as it is all about "fixing" them and finding a cure etc. and they don't (rightly) feel that they are broken. What they want is more awareness for how people in society could be more cognizant of people with autism and what their needs may be and therefore be more accommodating, as well as being provided with the help that they need while growing up to be able to be as independent as possible, which is different for everyone. That was a huge bummer for me, but hey, what are you gonna do?
August 19, 2018
Team Players by Mike Lupica, 291 pages. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2018. $17.
Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence G
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Cassie Bennett is heavy into sports. She is good at a lot of sports, but her favorite is softball. She is a natural leader and her team, coached by her dad, could make it the play-offs and be on television. Enter Sarah Milligan, an autistic girl who, while she has some mad skills, is also difficult to play with. Cassie is sure she can make everyone on the team get along, but Sarah’s presence and Cassie’s involvement fracture the team. Cassie’s friends, Teddy, Gus, and Jack are having problems with their team as well. It would seem that team players don’t always play as a team.
There are some great themes here, like inclusion, and differences, and what makes a friend. This book may give readers some exposure to autism and some of its manifestations, though autism varies wildly from kid to kid. It is refreshing to see characters sincerely trying to do the right thing even if it costs them. Though Cassie and her friends sometimes seem wiser than most adults, they have some great insights. The book seemed a bit long, but probably because I was following the team drama instead of the softball plays. All this book needs is the smell of popcorn to go with it.
Michelle in the Middle, Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence G
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Cassie Bennett is heavy into sports. She is good at a lot of sports, but her favorite is softball. She is a natural leader and her team, coached by her dad, could make it the play-offs and be on television. Enter Sarah Milligan, an autistic girl who, while she has some mad skills, is also difficult to play with. Cassie is sure she can make everyone on the team get along, but Sarah’s presence and Cassie’s involvement fracture the team. Cassie’s friends, Teddy, Gus, and Jack are having problems with their team as well. It would seem that team players don’t always play as a team.
There are some great themes here, like inclusion, and differences, and what makes a friend. This book may give readers some exposure to autism and some of its manifestations, though autism varies wildly from kid to kid. It is refreshing to see characters sincerely trying to do the right thing even if it costs them. Though Cassie and her friends sometimes seem wiser than most adults, they have some great insights. The book seemed a bit long, but probably because I was following the team drama instead of the softball plays. All this book needs is the smell of popcorn to go with it.
Michelle in the Middle, Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
August 24, 2022
A great book about friendship, team work, leadership, trust and loyalty. Cassie is the captain of her softball team when a new player with Asperger's joins. Sarah is difficult for the other girls to understand. She doesn't smile, and she doesn't like loud noises or people touching her. She is a phenomenal softball player, and she wants to be a part of the team, but she doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the girls. "It wasn't as if Sarah didn't want to be around other people. It just seemed that she didn't know how to act when she was. She didn't want to be alone, but didn't know how not to be." Cassie is determined to make Sarah feel welcomed, but it's proving to be more challenging than she ever imagined.
Fantastic children's/YA book, but you'll enjoy it so much more if you like base/softball. Many of the games get described in great detail and might get tedious to read if you're not a fan.
Fantastic children's/YA book, but you'll enjoy it so much more if you like base/softball. Many of the games get described in great detail and might get tedious to read if you're not a fan.
March 13, 2020
I think the theme is its more important to be a team player and a good friend instead of caring for yourself only.
March 17, 2018
Placed in the excitement of softball season, this book takes a look at real team work and delves into some of the problems of autism along the way.
Cassie is a sports ace and softball season, one of her favorites, is about to begin. Balancing all her friends, especially the girls, with her interests isn't always easy, especially when a new girl joins the team. Sarah is autistic and although she's an amazing player, the other girls aren't sure how to deal with her. Cassie determined to help Sarah mold in with the team. Her attempts end up causing a bigger cleft and driving even her own friends away.
This is the fourth book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone. I did not read the other books in the series.
Cassie is a fun power-girl with a great head on her shoulders. She's great at sports, very popular, and already knows that balancing all of this takes a lot of work. Her warm personality and determination make her easy to like and a girl to root for the whole way through. Her friends—the closet ones anyway—stand by her and work things out even when the going gets tough. It's an inspiration in this sense alone.
The sport aspect is well done. Most of the scenes take place in a softball setting, but it never comes across as over powering. The softball aspect flows naturally into the plot and has an atmosphere softball fans will quickly recognize and feel at home in. Even non-sport fan readers can fall into the situations without any trouble, since much of the plot has to do with the relationship between the kids.
The interactions between the characters is very natural and the reactions understandable. The author also does a fairly decent job at slipping in an autistic character and showing the difficulties she as well as those around her, might have. Having an autistic child myself and knowing many similar families, I tend to be more sensitive and critical when authors use these type of characters, since autism covers a much wider spectrum of behavior than most people realize. In literature, however, only certain behaviors and reactions tend to be emphasized, giving a perception of an autistic person which tends to be fairly narrow when compared to reality. It's a difficult area to tackle, and in this book, done fairly convincingly.
The message in this book is strong, and while it's a sports story, it's a serious one. I wouldn't recommend it to the younger range of middle graders by more toward ages 10 to 14. But it's definitely a joy to read, and the author does an amazing job at presenting a situation perfectly fitting to the age range in almost every way. I can only recommend it to sport fans and those who simply enjoy a good, middle grade contemporary read.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed this enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.
Cassie is a sports ace and softball season, one of her favorites, is about to begin. Balancing all her friends, especially the girls, with her interests isn't always easy, especially when a new girl joins the team. Sarah is autistic and although she's an amazing player, the other girls aren't sure how to deal with her. Cassie determined to help Sarah mold in with the team. Her attempts end up causing a bigger cleft and driving even her own friends away.
This is the fourth book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone. I did not read the other books in the series.
Cassie is a fun power-girl with a great head on her shoulders. She's great at sports, very popular, and already knows that balancing all of this takes a lot of work. Her warm personality and determination make her easy to like and a girl to root for the whole way through. Her friends—the closet ones anyway—stand by her and work things out even when the going gets tough. It's an inspiration in this sense alone.
The sport aspect is well done. Most of the scenes take place in a softball setting, but it never comes across as over powering. The softball aspect flows naturally into the plot and has an atmosphere softball fans will quickly recognize and feel at home in. Even non-sport fan readers can fall into the situations without any trouble, since much of the plot has to do with the relationship between the kids.
The interactions between the characters is very natural and the reactions understandable. The author also does a fairly decent job at slipping in an autistic character and showing the difficulties she as well as those around her, might have. Having an autistic child myself and knowing many similar families, I tend to be more sensitive and critical when authors use these type of characters, since autism covers a much wider spectrum of behavior than most people realize. In literature, however, only certain behaviors and reactions tend to be emphasized, giving a perception of an autistic person which tends to be fairly narrow when compared to reality. It's a difficult area to tackle, and in this book, done fairly convincingly.
The message in this book is strong, and while it's a sports story, it's a serious one. I wouldn't recommend it to the younger range of middle graders by more toward ages 10 to 14. But it's definitely a joy to read, and the author does an amazing job at presenting a situation perfectly fitting to the age range in almost every way. I can only recommend it to sport fans and those who simply enjoy a good, middle grade contemporary read.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed this enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.
April 24, 2019
Mike Lupica is king of kids' sports fiction. He chooses an on-field and off-field conflict and melds them into one exciting story. The outside theme he brings to this novel is Asperger's syndrome. After facing the challenge of being a girl on a boys' basketball team in book 3, Cassie is now in softball season with a new player on the team. Sarah is on the Autism spectrum. She's a fantastic player, but her lack of social skills is building a wall between her and the rest of the team. They don't get her, and therefore, don't like her. Cassie goes out of her way to make Sarah feel like she's part of the team, but everything she does backfires and only makes it worse with Sarah and her teammates.
Meanwhile, the boys' baseball team is having their own set of problems. The coach is a yeller. He doesn't respect the players or the umpire. After he loses his cool with the umpire, the board fires him, and Cassie's friend, Jack, is voted in as coach by his teammates. Cassie jumps in as a third base coach.
Lupica's books always tackle issues that kids face in the real world. That's the reason you don't have to be a sports player to enjoy his books. The conflict and the lesson are powerful. His main character always grows and learns a valuable life lesson. Cassie is a nice person from the start, but navigating the complex world of adolescent girls isn't easy. Emotions are all over the place. With Sarah, she has a new problem. She has to figure out how to deal with someone who doesn't experience emotion like everyone else. Someone whose rules are based on a system of logic that other people don't get.
Cassie is a great role model because her instinct is to include Sarah, rather than exclude her. Her intentions are in the right place. Highly recommend.
Meanwhile, the boys' baseball team is having their own set of problems. The coach is a yeller. He doesn't respect the players or the umpire. After he loses his cool with the umpire, the board fires him, and Cassie's friend, Jack, is voted in as coach by his teammates. Cassie jumps in as a third base coach.
Lupica's books always tackle issues that kids face in the real world. That's the reason you don't have to be a sports player to enjoy his books. The conflict and the lesson are powerful. His main character always grows and learns a valuable life lesson. Cassie is a nice person from the start, but navigating the complex world of adolescent girls isn't easy. Emotions are all over the place. With Sarah, she has a new problem. She has to figure out how to deal with someone who doesn't experience emotion like everyone else. Someone whose rules are based on a system of logic that other people don't get.
Cassie is a great role model because her instinct is to include Sarah, rather than exclude her. Her intentions are in the right place. Highly recommend.
January 7, 2019
In the book, "Team Players" by Mike Lupica Cassie just finished the 8th grade and she is excited for summer baseball to start. The team is coached by Cassie's dad and they are ready to go undefeated and play on national tv but a new girl joins the team. The new girl (Sarah) actually turns out be really good except she has autism and she is difficult to play with. Whenever Cassie tries to stand up for Sarah, Cassie feels left out and isolated. Cassie tries to include Sarah and tries to be friends with Sarah but because Sarah has autism nobody else wants to talk to her. This is a problem in today's world, even if someone does the right thing and tries to help out someone nobody else really wants to because they are afraid they won't look cool. Sarah struggles with her relationship between her and the team and it shows sometimes people with autism have a hard time understanding when someone is trying to be nice or if they are making fun of them. This book also includes Jack's team, Jack is Cassie's best friend. Jacks coach (Sam's dad) believes his team is all about giving Glory to his son. Practice and games aren't fun for the team because the coach is so unfair so the coach just quits the team and leaves Jack to coach. Mike Lupica wrote a heartwarming novel that shows what people on the spectrum have to go through.
December 14, 2018
In the book Team Players written by Mike Lupica, Cassie has a new teammate on her softball team named Sarah, who is a little bit different than the Cassie and her teammates because she has aspergers. Cassie has experienced differences with her friends before because a classmate she had named Peter had autism and Cassie wanted to help. Cassie felt that she didn’t try her best to try her best with including Peter. That is what really motivated her to try and help Sarah. After their first couple practices Sarah was an absolute natural. They went to their first game of the season and there was a big argument better Sarah and the girl named Katherine. Katherine and Sarah were running for a fly ball and the ball dropped right between them and they lost the game. Katherine was saying that Sarah called for the ball, but Sarah said she didn’t. Sarah asked Cassie who she believed in front of the whole team and Cassie said she believed Sarah. The only girls who were on Cassie’s side were Lizzie and Brooke. The other girls started ignoring Cassie. Were they able to figure this all out before the season ended? I gave this book 5 stars because I love baseball and I loved the characters.
November 16, 2018
I really enjoyed the characters in this series.
Focusing on Friendship and Sports and not diving into romance = Yes, thank you!
In this particular book, the plot is not all that suspenseful. But I love the characters so much that I would read about them facing anything. So I was hooked!
I think this did a good job of portraying a character with Asburgers, and the challenges they face. I thought that this story was good at the subtle character stuff. And I really enjoyed some of the conversations that our main group of friends had with each other.
I wish there was another book to read about these kids as they go into High School. I would love to see them take on the Freshmen Football season!
Focusing on Friendship and Sports and not diving into romance = Yes, thank you!
In this particular book, the plot is not all that suspenseful. But I love the characters so much that I would read about them facing anything. So I was hooked!
I think this did a good job of portraying a character with Asburgers, and the challenges they face. I thought that this story was good at the subtle character stuff. And I really enjoyed some of the conversations that our main group of friends had with each other.
I wish there was another book to read about these kids as they go into High School. I would love to see them take on the Freshmen Football season!
May 2, 2019
I love Team Players by Mike Lupica. I have always liked sports books by Mike Lupica, but this one has to be my favorite. When a new girl with a brain syndrome join's Cassie's softball team, she tries to make the girl feel welcome. But whenever she does something to try to be friends with her, it ends up with her farther away then she started with, with the new girl and the rest of her team. And her friends are having problems with their coach on their baseball team. Can she figure out how to turn her summer around?
This is a great book. Some parts are a little boring, but the rest of the parts make up for it.
This is a great book. Some parts are a little boring, but the rest of the parts make up for it.
July 28, 2018
Cassie has always loved sports and looks forward to the start of the softball season. The season ends up with unanticipated struggles when a new girl, named Sarah, joins the team. Sarah is on the autism spectrum and Cassie struggles to connect with her. When Cassie tries to stick up for Sarah, she learns what it feels like to be on the outside.
As always, Lupica creates excitement with his vivid descriptions of the game. However, it is the look into Asperger's and how it not only effects those with it but those around that steals the bases with this one.
As always, Lupica creates excitement with his vivid descriptions of the game. However, it is the look into Asperger's and how it not only effects those with it but those around that steals the bases with this one.
May 24, 2018
This book is like getting a double-header since it covers the team dynamics and season of two teams, not just one. I read it in one day and enjoyed it very much. It is about friendship, sports, and teamwork. As an adult reading this, I identified more with the coach and tried to think how best to handle the dissension on the girls’ team. I highly recommend this to any kid who enjoys baseball or softball, but especially team dynamics.
August 3, 2018
Cassie and Jack are best friends, gifted athletes, and current softball/baseball players on two different teams. One is struggling with a mouthy, arrogant coach, and the other is enduring the silent treatment by teammates when a talented new girl joins their team with off-putting idiosyncratic autistic behaviors. How do they manage their seasons? Who is controlling whom? Find the fictional happy ending here, with Lupica's usual grasp of sport talk and the friendships forged on teams.
August 17, 2019
When I bought this book for the school library, I didn't realize it was the 4th book in a series. Mike Lupica does a great job added some details from the previous books to help connect the stories even if you didn't read them. It helps to see how close the characters are from previous experiences. Team Players is a great read and can be a stand alone. I do want to read the other books too.
July 15, 2018
When I see a book about baseball, I think, I should get that book. But when I see a book about a girl and baseball, I immediately check out that book. This was an amazing book about friendship and how it isn't the same to everyone...
October 17, 2018
It was very good. Very good lesson
October 11, 2019
I thought it was a good book and I recommend it
May 21, 2021
Like Tim Green, Mike Lupica's books are always a good balance of play-by-play sports action and every day kid issues.
Cassie's softball season is put in jeopardy when her team has a hard time adjusting their dynamic when a new girl joins the team. Sarah is an amazing player, but her Asperger's makes it hard for her to communicate with her teammates. And while Cassie is 100% dedicated to making Sarah feel like part of the team, the other girls--including Sarah--aren't so sure.
There's also some baseball thrown in here (maybe Lupica worried boys wouldn't read this if it was just softball?) as Cassie helps her three guy friends navigate their own difficult season. This is the same group from previous books in the series, but I didn't feel like I needed to read those for this one--it definitely works on it's own, as well. The sports parts are exciting and the other parts are realistic, so overall this was a good read and great for young readers.
Cassie's softball season is put in jeopardy when her team has a hard time adjusting their dynamic when a new girl joins the team. Sarah is an amazing player, but her Asperger's makes it hard for her to communicate with her teammates. And while Cassie is 100% dedicated to making Sarah feel like part of the team, the other girls--including Sarah--aren't so sure.
There's also some baseball thrown in here (maybe Lupica worried boys wouldn't read this if it was just softball?) as Cassie helps her three guy friends navigate their own difficult season. This is the same group from previous books in the series, but I didn't feel like I needed to read those for this one--it definitely works on it's own, as well. The sports parts are exciting and the other parts are realistic, so overall this was a good read and great for young readers.
July 15, 2021
Cassie loves to play softball. Her team has a shot this year of playing in the championship game at Fenway Park. A new member to the team, Sarah, is on the autism spectrum. She is not accepted by most of the team, but Cassie learns about autism and tries to make friends with her. Along the way she learns some things about herself.
July 24, 2020
Loved that Lupica shared the definition of empathy versus sympathy along with teaching how to be empathetic.
Great read for anyone who has ever been alienated and those who alienate.
Lupica is a modern day Aesop.
Great read for anyone who has ever been alienated and those who alienate.
Lupica is a modern day Aesop.
May 11, 2020
Sweet story with a powerful message about friendship and acceptance. Beautiful
May 23, 2020
Good book for kiddos in sports.
April 18, 2022
It was a very great book if you like baseball and lots of surprising events, but if you don't like baseball, the book is not for you.
October 9, 2023
This book was aimed towards a younger audience but it has really good lessons in it. It's a really heartwarming book and sometimes it caught be off guard. I really enjoyed it.
October 14, 2024
This books was ok. I love the relationship in the friend group.
September 29, 2025
YA book. I liked the softball aspect had a few things young players can relate to but kind of boring at times. Wish it was more about softball and not baseball as well.
December 1, 2021
"I feel like I've been in one of those shows this season ... The Real Softball Girls of Walton."
Cassie has never been a fan of girl drama. Most of the time, Cassie has been able to separate herself from that drama, because when she's playing sports ... they're teammates. And teammates don't create drama, do they? But this year, things have been different from the start. Those teammates are expecting more from Cassie in the friend department and Cassie isn't quite sure how to handle it. And then, when they get a new teammate, things change even more.
Sarah has never played softball before, but she's "mad good" ... she's very focused. Sarah also has Asperger's syndrome, which is something that Cassie and the other girls on the team don't have a lot of experience with. Cassie's dad, Coach Bennett, asks Cassie to take the lead in helping Sarah adjust to playing softball and helping her teammates adjust to Sarah. And Cassie, always up for a challenge, jumps right in ... except maybe she's overstepping her bounds with Sarah, a bit. As best friend Jack Callahan tells her: "... no matter what you do, and how easy you try to make things for her, you can only play your own game. You can't play hers."
Cassie has to realize that Sarah isn't a problem "to fix." She's a person who doesn't need Cassie interfering all the time. And that's hard for Cassie, because she wants to fix everything. But when an unfortunate incident happens during their first game of the season that pits Sarah against Kathleen, the team splits in two: those who believe Sarah and those who believe Kathleen. Cassie speaks up in favor of Sarah at a team meeting and suddenly, over half the team is no longer speaking to Cassie. How can you be a team when people are acting like that?
As always, Cassie turns to Jack, Teddy and Gus for support and advice, but they are having their own problems with a new coach with a quick temper and a son who's there to pitch, but maybe really doesn't want to be. Is anyone going to have a good season?
Cassie makes an interesting journey of discovery throughout this book. The highlight of this series to me has always been the friendship between Cassie and Jack, their mutual support and respect. It makes it a good sports novel for both boys and girls. This is a solid addition to the series.
Cassie has never been a fan of girl drama. Most of the time, Cassie has been able to separate herself from that drama, because when she's playing sports ... they're teammates. And teammates don't create drama, do they? But this year, things have been different from the start. Those teammates are expecting more from Cassie in the friend department and Cassie isn't quite sure how to handle it. And then, when they get a new teammate, things change even more.
Sarah has never played softball before, but she's "mad good" ... she's very focused. Sarah also has Asperger's syndrome, which is something that Cassie and the other girls on the team don't have a lot of experience with. Cassie's dad, Coach Bennett, asks Cassie to take the lead in helping Sarah adjust to playing softball and helping her teammates adjust to Sarah. And Cassie, always up for a challenge, jumps right in ... except maybe she's overstepping her bounds with Sarah, a bit. As best friend Jack Callahan tells her: "... no matter what you do, and how easy you try to make things for her, you can only play your own game. You can't play hers."
Cassie has to realize that Sarah isn't a problem "to fix." She's a person who doesn't need Cassie interfering all the time. And that's hard for Cassie, because she wants to fix everything. But when an unfortunate incident happens during their first game of the season that pits Sarah against Kathleen, the team splits in two: those who believe Sarah and those who believe Kathleen. Cassie speaks up in favor of Sarah at a team meeting and suddenly, over half the team is no longer speaking to Cassie. How can you be a team when people are acting like that?
As always, Cassie turns to Jack, Teddy and Gus for support and advice, but they are having their own problems with a new coach with a quick temper and a son who's there to pitch, but maybe really doesn't want to be. Is anyone going to have a good season?
Cassie makes an interesting journey of discovery throughout this book. The highlight of this series to me has always been the friendship between Cassie and Jack, their mutual support and respect. It makes it a good sports novel for both boys and girls. This is a solid addition to the series.
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