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The Hurricanes of Weakerville: A Humorous Middle Grade Baseball Novel for Kids
Middle grade star author Chris Rylander brings his signature sense of humor, a compelling and original baseball story, and tons of heart to the story of the Hurricanes of Weakerville. All his life, Alex Weakerman has had one baseball. Specifically, the Hurricanes of Weakerville, Iowa—the scrappy independent-league team owned by his Grandpa Ira. Even as team and the town have fallen on tough times, there's no place Alex would rather be than at the ballpark—a hot dog in one hand, a pencil and scorebook in the other, keeping track of each and every statistic. Alex has never been all that great at playing baseball, but that doesn’t matter. For someone as painfully awkward as Alex, being a fan—and a wiz with baseball stats—is all he needs. When Grandpa Ira passes away, though, Alex is crushed. He's lost his best friend, and he doesn’t see any way that the team will survive. But Ira, it seems, has one last trick up his his will names Alex the new manager of the Hurricanes. Alex is as excited as he is terrified at the chance to finally put some of his fantasy baseball genius to use. But as he sets to work trying to win over the players, he soon learns that leading them to victory is about more than just stats. Will he be able to save his team, his hometown, and his family legacy? From the author of The Fourth Stall , a SCBWI Sid Fleischman Humor Award winner and multiple state-award favorite, The Hurricanes of Weakerville is sure to appeal to middle grade readers looking for a funny book about real kids.
432 pages, Hardcover
Published June 28, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 6, 2022
Alex Weakerman is an almost eighth grader who loves baseball, especially the Hurricanes of Weakerville, Iowa, an independent league professional baseball team owned by his Grandpa Ira. Alex's talents don't lie in actually playing the game--he once struck out at tee-ball--but he is a whiz at statistics, and he knows everything about every player and every at-bat the Hurricanes have ever had. But the Hurricanes are a shadow of what they once were, and are losing money. And Alex has other problems--his lack of confidence is legendary. When his Grandpa Ira passes away, Alex is crushed, but Ira eaves him a legacy that can change everything. He becomes the manager of the Hurricanes.
This is a hilarious middle-grade story with a great cast of characters who will keep you laughing. Although it is about baseball, it's also about the wonderful relationship between a boy and his grandfather, and a bequest that will turn out to be much bigger than it appears. It is about the magic that happens when you step out of your comfort zone and trust others, and about the gift of good friends. This book was enjoyable from beginning to end. It had me laughing out loud in some places and misting up in others. It was a pleasure to read. Fans of fiction about sports and family will love this lively tale of a thirteen-year-old professional baseball manager, his amazing grandpa, and his group of friends.
I received a free copy of this book from Walden Pond Press via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
This is a hilarious middle-grade story with a great cast of characters who will keep you laughing. Although it is about baseball, it's also about the wonderful relationship between a boy and his grandfather, and a bequest that will turn out to be much bigger than it appears. It is about the magic that happens when you step out of your comfort zone and trust others, and about the gift of good friends. This book was enjoyable from beginning to end. It had me laughing out loud in some places and misting up in others. It was a pleasure to read. Fans of fiction about sports and family will love this lively tale of a thirteen-year-old professional baseball manager, his amazing grandpa, and his group of friends.
I received a free copy of this book from Walden Pond Press via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
October 27, 2022
Loved this so much!! Moneyball for middle-schoolers. Excellent.
May 21, 2024
Loved this story! Not just bc it takes place in Iowa, but great characters that make big changes and grow throughout. One of the best baseball stories I’ve read!
September 9, 2024
Great kids’ read-aloud book for a baseball family!
May 1, 2022
*This is a GoodReads First Reads Giveaway*
A story about sports that I hope my students will enjoy, as it touches upon many themes they struggle with.
A story about sports that I hope my students will enjoy, as it touches upon many themes they struggle with.
November 7, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Alex Weakerman loves his hometown in Iowa, and has deep family roots there. Not only did his family found the town, but his elderly grandfather "owns half of it", including the baseball team that is part of an independent league. He also owns Mustard Park, where they train. Even into his 80s, Ira has been taking care of the team along with a coach, but when his cancer advances and he passes away, Alex and his parents are dismayed to find out that the team has been losing money for years and his grandfather has gone into debt supporting the team. Not only that, but the team is now owned by his brother-in-law, Tex, who makes Alex the manager and says that he might be able to save the team if they can make the championships. Looking to his friend, Slips, for help, and recruiting Aliyah, the best baseball player in town who is also a rather cute classmate, Alex sets out to bring more people to the games, increase revenue, and win games. Alex loves baseball, and is great with statistics, even though he doesn't play well himself. Alex is overweight and unsure of himself, and experiences daily, small catastrophes of social interaction caused by what he calls "Flumpo". Grieving his grandfather in his own way and not wanting to lose Mustard Park (which Tex plans to sell) and his way of life in Weakerville, Alex battles to keep players, recruit new ones, and help the team get better at the game. There are plenty of obstacles in his way, including the problems a phenomenal player, Carla, has with her family's past, which may include local colorful personality, Gloves. Using his grandfather's notes, and trying to coach the team bring Alex closer to his grandfather. Will he be able to make his biggest fan proud of him?
Stregnths: I loved the Iowa setting, since I have family in towns about the size of Weakerville (Hello, Denison, Iowa!), and the depiction was spot on with chain stores taking local business and economic downturns affecting the population. While it was a bit of a stretch to put Alex in charge, it was done realistically, and he does have support, and Tex oversees things a bit. His friend Slips, who is from Poland, doesn't much care for baseball but does an excellent job supporting his friend, and it's good to see Aliyah bringing her skills to help as well. There's lots of baseball for those who want play-by-plays, and just enough history to add depth to the story. Alex's father's love of barbecue is a running joke, and it's interesting that he wasn't as interested in baseball. Ira's death is handled in a middle grade appropriate way, and Alex's handling of it seemed realistic. Slips is worried that Alex is bottling things up, but he's really just channeling his grief into the Hurricanes. This was a humorous and innovative baseball story.
Weaknesses: There were a lot of things going on, many of which had to do with facets of baseball that I didn't understand. Are there independent leagues? What does this even mean? Had some of the tangential baseball information been replaced by some more inclusion of the more humorous elements, like Alex's father's love of barbecue, this would have wider appeal. I really thought the team and the town would be saved by the family recipe for mustard. That was a missed opportunity.
What I really think: This reminded me, oddly, of Paolo Bacigalupi's 2013 Zombie Baseball Beatdown or Will Weaver's 1995 Billy Baggs series, maybe because of the small town Iowa setting. Rylander is very popular in my library, so I will go ahead and purchase this. My question is always "To which students will I hand this book?" If I can't think of any current students, why am I purchasing the book? I can think of at least a dozen who would enjoy this, including one I wish I could hand it to right now!
Alex Weakerman loves his hometown in Iowa, and has deep family roots there. Not only did his family found the town, but his elderly grandfather "owns half of it", including the baseball team that is part of an independent league. He also owns Mustard Park, where they train. Even into his 80s, Ira has been taking care of the team along with a coach, but when his cancer advances and he passes away, Alex and his parents are dismayed to find out that the team has been losing money for years and his grandfather has gone into debt supporting the team. Not only that, but the team is now owned by his brother-in-law, Tex, who makes Alex the manager and says that he might be able to save the team if they can make the championships. Looking to his friend, Slips, for help, and recruiting Aliyah, the best baseball player in town who is also a rather cute classmate, Alex sets out to bring more people to the games, increase revenue, and win games. Alex loves baseball, and is great with statistics, even though he doesn't play well himself. Alex is overweight and unsure of himself, and experiences daily, small catastrophes of social interaction caused by what he calls "Flumpo". Grieving his grandfather in his own way and not wanting to lose Mustard Park (which Tex plans to sell) and his way of life in Weakerville, Alex battles to keep players, recruit new ones, and help the team get better at the game. There are plenty of obstacles in his way, including the problems a phenomenal player, Carla, has with her family's past, which may include local colorful personality, Gloves. Using his grandfather's notes, and trying to coach the team bring Alex closer to his grandfather. Will he be able to make his biggest fan proud of him?
Stregnths: I loved the Iowa setting, since I have family in towns about the size of Weakerville (Hello, Denison, Iowa!), and the depiction was spot on with chain stores taking local business and economic downturns affecting the population. While it was a bit of a stretch to put Alex in charge, it was done realistically, and he does have support, and Tex oversees things a bit. His friend Slips, who is from Poland, doesn't much care for baseball but does an excellent job supporting his friend, and it's good to see Aliyah bringing her skills to help as well. There's lots of baseball for those who want play-by-plays, and just enough history to add depth to the story. Alex's father's love of barbecue is a running joke, and it's interesting that he wasn't as interested in baseball. Ira's death is handled in a middle grade appropriate way, and Alex's handling of it seemed realistic. Slips is worried that Alex is bottling things up, but he's really just channeling his grief into the Hurricanes. This was a humorous and innovative baseball story.
Weaknesses: There were a lot of things going on, many of which had to do with facets of baseball that I didn't understand. Are there independent leagues? What does this even mean? Had some of the tangential baseball information been replaced by some more inclusion of the more humorous elements, like Alex's father's love of barbecue, this would have wider appeal. I really thought the team and the town would be saved by the family recipe for mustard. That was a missed opportunity.
What I really think: This reminded me, oddly, of Paolo Bacigalupi's 2013 Zombie Baseball Beatdown or Will Weaver's 1995 Billy Baggs series, maybe because of the small town Iowa setting. Rylander is very popular in my library, so I will go ahead and purchase this. My question is always "To which students will I hand this book?" If I can't think of any current students, why am I purchasing the book? I can think of at least a dozen who would enjoy this, including one I wish I could hand it to right now!
January 25, 2022
What worked:
The plot explores how people deal with grief when Alex’s grandfather dies after battling cancer. Alex doesn’t display much sadness, but the assumption is he’s been dealing with the expectation of death since the diagnosis. Alex and Grandpa Ira share a passion for baseball, and they both love the Weakerville Hurricanes. Their family has owned the team for over a hundred years. Ira’s death leaves Alex confused and missing his grandfather, but Alex inherits all of Ira’s old scorecards. In addition to game information, the cards include notes and comments that keep the memory of Grandpa Ira alive. Alex learns more about Ira’s heart and generosity and gets some unexpected insight into how he ran the team. The notes also reveal a mystery regarding the whereabouts of a Dream Team player from the past. Grandpa Ira’s controversial decisions from the past are often rooted in empathy for others.
The book feels like a blend of two baseball movies, “Little Big League” and “Major League”. In the first, a young boy becomes the owner and manager for a major league baseball team. In the second, the new owner of a struggling baseball team will leave Cleveland if the misfit players can’t win the pennant. Alex discovers the Hurricanes are actually owned by a rich relative named Tex who intends to disband the team and tear down the stadium for development. The only thing that can save the team is Alex figuring out a way to lead the team into the playoffs. That becomes more challenging when Alex realizes most of the players quit when they learn he becomes the new manager. The tension builds as the number of games left in the season ticks away.
Alex gets anxious when speaking to most people, and he even creates a name for it, Flumpo. The book shares what his mind is thinking of saying, so it’s fun to contrast that with what actually comes out of his mouth. It’s usually a mixture of sounds and out-of-order words that are sure to confuse the person he’s speaking to. His best friend Slips is aware of the problem and knows when to speak up and interpret what Alex means to say. However, Flumpo still makes it much more difficult to coach a team of grown men who have no confidence in their new 7th-grade manager. Alex’s worries are exasperated since he isn’t telling the players the team will no longer exist if they miss the playoffs.
What didn’t work as well:
The main conflict surrounds saving an independent-league baseball team, and Alex shares his knowledge of baseball strategy. There is a great deal of thinking and planning behind the scenes of baseball operations, and readers should have a tolerance for sports. Alex’s determination to not let his grandfather down provides the context and determination for the plot’s focus. I happen to appreciate the knowledge and logic underlying baseball, so I love the story.
The Final Verdict:
Saving Weakerville with Baseball Zazzle. The author skillfully weaves a story of Alex’s battle to overcome his anxiety and lack of confidence while internally struggling with the death of his grandfather. The story using a baseball team to save a depressed town evokes a wide range of emotions. I recommend you give it a shot!
The plot explores how people deal with grief when Alex’s grandfather dies after battling cancer. Alex doesn’t display much sadness, but the assumption is he’s been dealing with the expectation of death since the diagnosis. Alex and Grandpa Ira share a passion for baseball, and they both love the Weakerville Hurricanes. Their family has owned the team for over a hundred years. Ira’s death leaves Alex confused and missing his grandfather, but Alex inherits all of Ira’s old scorecards. In addition to game information, the cards include notes and comments that keep the memory of Grandpa Ira alive. Alex learns more about Ira’s heart and generosity and gets some unexpected insight into how he ran the team. The notes also reveal a mystery regarding the whereabouts of a Dream Team player from the past. Grandpa Ira’s controversial decisions from the past are often rooted in empathy for others.
The book feels like a blend of two baseball movies, “Little Big League” and “Major League”. In the first, a young boy becomes the owner and manager for a major league baseball team. In the second, the new owner of a struggling baseball team will leave Cleveland if the misfit players can’t win the pennant. Alex discovers the Hurricanes are actually owned by a rich relative named Tex who intends to disband the team and tear down the stadium for development. The only thing that can save the team is Alex figuring out a way to lead the team into the playoffs. That becomes more challenging when Alex realizes most of the players quit when they learn he becomes the new manager. The tension builds as the number of games left in the season ticks away.
Alex gets anxious when speaking to most people, and he even creates a name for it, Flumpo. The book shares what his mind is thinking of saying, so it’s fun to contrast that with what actually comes out of his mouth. It’s usually a mixture of sounds and out-of-order words that are sure to confuse the person he’s speaking to. His best friend Slips is aware of the problem and knows when to speak up and interpret what Alex means to say. However, Flumpo still makes it much more difficult to coach a team of grown men who have no confidence in their new 7th-grade manager. Alex’s worries are exasperated since he isn’t telling the players the team will no longer exist if they miss the playoffs.
What didn’t work as well:
The main conflict surrounds saving an independent-league baseball team, and Alex shares his knowledge of baseball strategy. There is a great deal of thinking and planning behind the scenes of baseball operations, and readers should have a tolerance for sports. Alex’s determination to not let his grandfather down provides the context and determination for the plot’s focus. I happen to appreciate the knowledge and logic underlying baseball, so I love the story.
The Final Verdict:
Saving Weakerville with Baseball Zazzle. The author skillfully weaves a story of Alex’s battle to overcome his anxiety and lack of confidence while internally struggling with the death of his grandfather. The story using a baseball team to save a depressed town evokes a wide range of emotions. I recommend you give it a shot!
December 16, 2022
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Chris Rylander delivers a compelling and original baseball story. The plot explores how people deal with grief when Alex’s grandfather dies after battling cancer. Alex doesn’t display much sadness, but the assumption is he’s been dealing with the expectation of death since the diagnosis. Alex and Grandpa Ira share a passion for baseball, and they both love the Weakerville Hurricanes. Their family has owned the team for over a hundred years.
The main conflict surrounds saving an independent-league baseball team, and Alex shares his knowledge of baseball strategy. There is a great deal of thinking and planning behind the scenes of baseball operations, and readers should have a tolerance for sports. Alex’s determination to not let his grandfather down provides the context and determination for the plot’s focus. I happen to appreciate the knowledge and logic underlying baseball, so I like the story. There is well written in-game action that makes this a fast-paced book. Alex also undergoes character development as he learns what it means to be a friend and teammate and learns to have more confidence in himself.
The main conflict surrounds saving an independent-league baseball team, and Alex shares his knowledge of baseball strategy. There is a great deal of thinking and planning behind the scenes of baseball operations, and readers should have a tolerance for sports. Alex’s determination to not let his grandfather down provides the context and determination for the plot’s focus. I happen to appreciate the knowledge and logic underlying baseball, so I like the story. There is well written in-game action that makes this a fast-paced book. Alex also undergoes character development as he learns what it means to be a friend and teammate and learns to have more confidence in himself.
January 14, 2025
i think what makes a good sports book for any age is making it interesting for all readers--not just readers invested in the specific sport. i don't read many sports MG, but adult examples that pop into my head are hockey in beartown by fredrik backman or tennis in carrie soto is back by taylor jenkins reid. i didn't give a hoot about either sport before, but those books had me enthralled.
this one didn't quite make baseball interesting enough and used too complicated verbiage for lil-old-baseball-ignorant me. it's for kids, yet every time they described the games, i found myself zoning out because it just didn't capture my attention.
but in general, a fun book that i will recommend to my library kiddos lol (also i love slips he is the best)
this one didn't quite make baseball interesting enough and used too complicated verbiage for lil-old-baseball-ignorant me. it's for kids, yet every time they described the games, i found myself zoning out because it just didn't capture my attention.
but in general, a fun book that i will recommend to my library kiddos lol (also i love slips he is the best)
April 8, 2024
This is the movie Major League...but if the manager was a kid and the team was minor league. It's a fun little story with some baseball action and some excellent non-sports themes (grief, friendship, family).
The story takes place in my home state (Iowa) and is about a sport I love (baseball), so those were definite pluses. The pacing was a bit off for me, though. Tex's weird stories seemed unnecessary, and once the ragtag team was formed there isn't as much baseball as I was hoping for.
Overall, though, a fun little sports read.
The story takes place in my home state (Iowa) and is about a sport I love (baseball), so those were definite pluses. The pacing was a bit off for me, though. Tex's weird stories seemed unnecessary, and once the ragtag team was formed there isn't as much baseball as I was hoping for.
Overall, though, a fun little sports read.
September 28, 2024
I didn't expect to like this book, but it has a lot going for it.
1. Set in Iowa
2. Really goofy humor while still being appropriate for kids. I actually laughed out loud several times.
3. Sports underdog story with a few twists.
4. Zany small town characters.
5. Touching family story without being overly sappy or getting too sad.
It was a really long book though for the 5th-8th grade range and baseball does kinda make my eyes glaze over, but my son is enjoying it and trucking through.
1. Set in Iowa
2. Really goofy humor while still being appropriate for kids. I actually laughed out loud several times.
3. Sports underdog story with a few twists.
4. Zany small town characters.
5. Touching family story without being overly sappy or getting too sad.
It was a really long book though for the 5th-8th grade range and baseball does kinda make my eyes glaze over, but my son is enjoying it and trucking through.
October 16, 2022
I love the heart of the book, but I wish there was just more to the events of the story. The book seemed longer than was needed, I wish they could have used the length to build out the characters. Reminded me a lot of The Desperado Who Stole Baseball. Not a bad book by any means, but I don’t think it’s as memorable as I was led to believe.
October 24, 2022
A GREAT book for kids who love baseball! Teachers and parents can also have fun with this as a read aloud! Rylander has included plenty of humor, excellent baseball play descriptions, (a cool recipe??!!), and solid kid interactions. Add a little hold-your-breath for “what’s coming next” scenarios and I think it may just end up as a winning season!
Read
February 10, 2024Okay, I guess. Had some glaring issues. Don't know if that's because it's an advance reader's edition or not.
This book was the first in my mission to read all the books we own in an effort to clear some of them out. It came to us free from some library event. And since none of my kids would care for it, off it goes.
This book was the first in my mission to read all the books we own in an effort to clear some of them out. It came to us free from some library event. And since none of my kids would care for it, off it goes.
Read
March 2, 2025Awesome a kid with his made up social disability he calls ‘flumpo’. His best friend is from Poland and he loves baseball, but he is horrible at all athletics. When his grandfather dies, his will leaves the baseball team (he technically did not own) to him. He needs to get over his ‘flumpo’,save the team and his only friendship.
September 13, 2022
This book was a home-run for me! It was full of heart, humor and friendship. I laughed at some of the phrases used by the one of the most colorful characters written in the book. I will most use this one in an upcoming book talk.
April 1, 2023
This is a wonderful story. It's written for kids, but not in a childish way like many kids' books Anyone who knows baseball or small towns or any combination thereof can enjoy this one. Glad I randomly grabbed it off a library cart. 🙂
September 6, 2024
I really dislike baseball, don't understand it and think its incredibly boring. However, this book is so much more than a book about baseball and stats and a team. It is a heartfelt book full of love, lessons, growing and navigating life. I absolutely loved this story so much!
November 23, 2024
This was a pretty decent book. It kind of got boring in some parts of the book and some things were hard to understand but otherwise it was a pretty good book. I also think it was weird that Alex was not even emotional when his Grandpa Ira died that he was so close to.
May 30, 2022
Funny and heartwarming story
January 18, 2023
Lite and fun, with a good message.
January 16, 2025
It was okay. It's had a good (but predictable) story plot. I enjoyed some of the characters. Pretty slow book and lots of baseball acronyms to try and remember..... Or forget and be confused.
February 6, 2025
The book started slowly but then it was hard to put down. So if you're reading this book don't give up on it keep going!
September 22, 2022
So much fun. If you love baseball, and even if you don't, read this book.
September 4, 2023
"We're supposed to take care of one another. That's what it means to be a Hurricane. To be in Weakerville."
Alex Weakerman's great, great, great grandfather built the town of Weakerville, IA. He also started the semi-professional baseball team known as the Weaverville Hurricanes. Now Alex's grandfather Ira owns the team, which has a rich in tradition but is now becoming obsolete. Alex still loves to go to games and keep the statistics, but he's not sure how much longer his grandfather will be able to keep the team. They don't really make much money. That's not Alex's only concern. Alex has what he calls Flumpo. "It's that thing inside some of us that makes us stutter around classmates instead of cracking witty jokes."
His only real friend is Slips, who is originally from Poland. He'll go to the Hurricane games with Alex, but he doesn't much like baseball. But all that is about to change. When Grandpa Ira dies, he leaves it in his will that Alex become the manager of the Hurricanes. How can a kid who can barely talk to other kids manage a group of adult baseball players? And what is Alex going to do when his two best players get called to play for a major league team? Things are looking pretty bleak, but there is a ray of sunshine in Aliyah, a classmate who is a lights out pitcher for her Little League team, leading them to the Little League World Series. With Aliyah to help with the pitchers and Slips to do the talking for him, can Alex manage this team and keep them from going bankrupt?
A fun story for sports fans.
Alex Weakerman's great, great, great grandfather built the town of Weakerville, IA. He also started the semi-professional baseball team known as the Weaverville Hurricanes. Now Alex's grandfather Ira owns the team, which has a rich in tradition but is now becoming obsolete. Alex still loves to go to games and keep the statistics, but he's not sure how much longer his grandfather will be able to keep the team. They don't really make much money. That's not Alex's only concern. Alex has what he calls Flumpo. "It's that thing inside some of us that makes us stutter around classmates instead of cracking witty jokes."
His only real friend is Slips, who is originally from Poland. He'll go to the Hurricane games with Alex, but he doesn't much like baseball. But all that is about to change. When Grandpa Ira dies, he leaves it in his will that Alex become the manager of the Hurricanes. How can a kid who can barely talk to other kids manage a group of adult baseball players? And what is Alex going to do when his two best players get called to play for a major league team? Things are looking pretty bleak, but there is a ray of sunshine in Aliyah, a classmate who is a lights out pitcher for her Little League team, leading them to the Little League World Series. With Aliyah to help with the pitchers and Slips to do the talking for him, can Alex manage this team and keep them from going bankrupt?
A fun story for sports fans.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews