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Three Strike Summer
Sandlot meets Esperanza Rising in this “vividly rendered, emotionally vulnerable” ( Publishers Weekly , starred review) middle grade historical novel about a strong-willed girl who finds her voice in a tale of moxie, peaches, and determination to thrive despite the odds.
When the skies dried up, Gloria thought it was temporary. When the dust storms rolled in, she thought they would pass. But now the bank man’s come to take the family farm, and Pa’s decided to up and move to California in search of work. They’ll pick fruit, he says, until they can save up enough money to buy land of their own again.
There are only three rules at the Santa Ana Holdsten Peach
No stealing product.
No drunkenness or gambling.
And absolutely no organizing.
Well, Gloria Mae Willard isn’t about to organize any peaches, no ma’am. She’s got more on her mind than that. Like the secret, all-boys baseball team she’s desperate to play for, if only they’d give her a chance. Or the way that wages keep going down. The way their company lodgings are dirty and smelly, and everyone seems intent on leaving her out of everything.
But Gloria has never been the type to wait around for permission. If the boys won’t let her play, she’ll find a way to make them. If the people around her are keeping secrets, then she’ll keep a few of her own. And if the boss men at the Santa Ana Holdsten Peach Orchard say she can’t organize peaches, then by golly she’ll organize a whole ball game.
When the skies dried up, Gloria thought it was temporary. When the dust storms rolled in, she thought they would pass. But now the bank man’s come to take the family farm, and Pa’s decided to up and move to California in search of work. They’ll pick fruit, he says, until they can save up enough money to buy land of their own again.
There are only three rules at the Santa Ana Holdsten Peach
No stealing product.
No drunkenness or gambling.
And absolutely no organizing.
Well, Gloria Mae Willard isn’t about to organize any peaches, no ma’am. She’s got more on her mind than that. Like the secret, all-boys baseball team she’s desperate to play for, if only they’d give her a chance. Or the way that wages keep going down. The way their company lodgings are dirty and smelly, and everyone seems intent on leaving her out of everything.
But Gloria has never been the type to wait around for permission. If the boys won’t let her play, she’ll find a way to make them. If the people around her are keeping secrets, then she’ll keep a few of her own. And if the boss men at the Santa Ana Holdsten Peach Orchard say she can’t organize peaches, then by golly she’ll organize a whole ball game.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2022
47 people are currently reading
883 people want to read
About the author
Skyler Schrempp
1 book30 followersSkyler Schrempp writes books and makes theatre in her hometown, Chicago. She lives in an old drafty house with her husband, Kyle, her daughters Elowen and Rosie, and a black cat named Masha. She got her undergrad at Hampshire College and has an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. When she’s not writing you can find her making jam from the berries that grow in her backyard or building a fire in her fireplace (depending on the season).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
November 10, 2022
The gutsy girl is a conundrum in children’s books. She seems so easy to conjure up. Writing a bit of historical fiction? Surely all you have to do is just give your heroine some feisty comebacks and historically accurate inequities and the audience will be on her/your side, right? It’s not so simple. There’s a book for adults I love called How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely that is a biting takedown of the adult bestsellers. It pauses, however, at one point to eviscerate precisely the kind of book I’m talking about here today. At one point the main character’s aunt is writing a historical novel about a girl in Revolutionary Era American who wants to become a cooper (a barrel maker). I cringed with delight at the familiar tropes Hely was able to conjure. They were painful and true. There are thousands of awful books in which “girl power” has been shoehorned into a specific moment in history. They don’t feel historical after that happens. They feel like they contain contemporary characters in a historical reenactment. Now connect all that to what Skyler Schrempp is doing with her middle grade novel Three Strike Summer:. Headstrong girl? Check. Rubbing up against the prejudices and sexism of the time? Check. Contains a storyline with familiar tropes? . . . No check. No, Ms. Schrempp isn’t one of those authors that phones in her history. Her writing has bite. Her characters erupt from their era, rather than feeling like they were dropped in. And her heroine? Character development and a hero’s journey go hand in hand with this stunning tale.
The day that Gloria “Glo” Mae Willard throws a stone through a bank man’s car window (a mean fastball) is the day she and her family leave their home in Oklahoma. The Dust Bowl is in full swing and Glo is determined to someday actually get to play on a real baseball team like she’s always dreamed. They’re headed to California, a land of sun and fruit trees that need picking. But living in the Santa Ana Holdsten Peach Orchard isn’t one grand sweet song. The guys who run it want everyone to buy everything from the company store and any hint of organizing at all meets with swift and pure fury. At first Glo doesn’t care. All she wants is to join the local boys in their baseball game against the Michelson’s Apricot Grove boys. But the longer she and her sister spend in the peach grove, the more they realize that there’s something rotten at the heart of this orchard, and it has nothing to do with the fruit. Will Glo be able to convince the boys to let her play? And even if she does, will she be around long enough to win a game? Things are heating up, and it turns out that Glo, for all her faults, is a force to be reckoned with.
One of the descriptions I saw of this book labeled it “ The Sandlot meets Esperanza Rising.” Doggone it, that’s better than what I came up with. When I try describing it to folks, I usually end up saying something along the lines of “It’s Grapes of Wrath meets The Great Escape meets The Natural.” Too wordy. The Sandlot and Esperanza Rising? Accurate and succinct and not too far off. You’ve got the humor and sports of The Sandlot. You’ve the union organizing of Esperanza Rising. But getting either of those elements right requires quite a lot of work. So let's break down each element.
A relatively recent middle grade novel which shall remain nameless at this time (buy me a drink and I’ll spill all) set in Cuba attempted to work union organizing into its plot. Alas, the book made the mistake of many of a fine novel of making it seem like (A) union organizing is super duper simple and easy and (B) bosses tend to be just one big bad main boss who will usually crumple in the face of any organized resistance. I think we need only look to the tactics of Amazon today to know that these lies to our children aren’t helping anyone. So what to do? If you want to write a book in which organizing is key, but you want to be honest with kids about the fact that there are times that it seemingly leads nowhere, how do you balance harsh reality with hope? Schrempp’s solution in this book is marvelous. At no point did I feel she strained against the tender strands of my (or a skeptical 11-year-old’s) credulity. She manages a marvelous tightrope walk between honesty and a (relatively) happy ending. By the end of this book, Glo doesn’t have that Hollywood happy ending she might have wanted, but she sure feels like she won in some way. Anyone with an appreciation of children's literature will walk away impressed.
Now every year the library workers in my library attempt to come up with 101 Great Books for Kids published in the current year. All year we pass around and read different books for children. Some will have received stars from professional review journals. Some will be complete surprises. All are noteworthy, but very few involve sports. Turns out, we all have our blind spots. When I worked for New York Public Library I was on a similar committee and year after year I couldn’t get anyone to read the horsey books. These days, sports books are the titles I have to beg others to consider. Depending on the output from publishers, it can occasionally feel like pulling teeth, getting a grown person to read a book they just don’t wanna. Three Strike Summer? The pun in the name is the name of the game. This here’s a baseball book, loud and proud. You’re fairly sure of the fact when, in Chapter One, Glo uses her golden pitching arm to nail a rock through that car window of the bank man repossessing their house. But the sports hardly end there, and as the title went on I was reminded of the fact that baseball, more than any other sport, is made for narrative. I don’t know it for a fact, but suspect a person wholly unaware of the rules of the game would still get swept up in Schrempp’s storytelling.
And I was never bored. That’s saying something when you're discussing a historical novel where the heroine is picking fruit half the time, but I never found myself bored while reading this novel. You can chalk that up to any number of things, but for me it was Schrempp’s writing. She’s got a golden pen, putting together thoughts and feelings and sentences that’ll just take your breath away. Considering how much happens in this book, you wouldn’t blame her a jot if she gave all the interior complexity and development to the kids and left the adults out of it. But even though Glo’s ma and pa are left on the periphery of Glo’s own story, they too get their moments to shine. For me, one of the best parts of the book was an almost off-handed comment from Glo’s ma late in the story. At the beginning of the book Glo is furious and baffled by her mother’s willingness to just pick up and leave the family farm without so much as a blink. When at last Glo is able to ask her about it, almost at the end of the book, her ma says honestly, “Aw, Gloria… You couldn’t have paid me a million dollars to keep on living in a house that my baby died in.” Glo’s little brother died, probably because of the Dust Bowl, in that home. It’s so simple and so human and so understandable. Plus, I love children’s books where kids get this sudden clarifying instant where they can see everything adults have to go through and try to hide.
I listened to the audiobook of Three Strike Summer which had the double benefit of being exceedingly well penned and performed with aplomb . . . by the author. Turns out, if your writer also happens to have a degree from the School at Steppenwolf, you may end up with a better narrator than some random audiobook actress. Now I listen to a LOT of audiobooks of children’s literature in a given day. I know a good one when I hear one. And Skyler Schrempp is an exceptional reader. But even the world’s best reader can’t make a bad book good. It’s just a simple coincidence that Ms. Schrempp just happens to simultaneously talented at reading as well as writing. Little wonder that “Three Strike Summer” delivers on all counts. It’s the sports book/ escape narrative / union organizing novel you wish every kid had the chance to read. Starts bleak. Ends triumphant. Never cheats on either count. It’s raw and honest and funny and exciting. In short, the perfect novel to draw kids in and keep them enthralled.
On shelves now.
The day that Gloria “Glo” Mae Willard throws a stone through a bank man’s car window (a mean fastball) is the day she and her family leave their home in Oklahoma. The Dust Bowl is in full swing and Glo is determined to someday actually get to play on a real baseball team like she’s always dreamed. They’re headed to California, a land of sun and fruit trees that need picking. But living in the Santa Ana Holdsten Peach Orchard isn’t one grand sweet song. The guys who run it want everyone to buy everything from the company store and any hint of organizing at all meets with swift and pure fury. At first Glo doesn’t care. All she wants is to join the local boys in their baseball game against the Michelson’s Apricot Grove boys. But the longer she and her sister spend in the peach grove, the more they realize that there’s something rotten at the heart of this orchard, and it has nothing to do with the fruit. Will Glo be able to convince the boys to let her play? And even if she does, will she be around long enough to win a game? Things are heating up, and it turns out that Glo, for all her faults, is a force to be reckoned with.
One of the descriptions I saw of this book labeled it “ The Sandlot meets Esperanza Rising.” Doggone it, that’s better than what I came up with. When I try describing it to folks, I usually end up saying something along the lines of “It’s Grapes of Wrath meets The Great Escape meets The Natural.” Too wordy. The Sandlot and Esperanza Rising? Accurate and succinct and not too far off. You’ve got the humor and sports of The Sandlot. You’ve the union organizing of Esperanza Rising. But getting either of those elements right requires quite a lot of work. So let's break down each element.
A relatively recent middle grade novel which shall remain nameless at this time (buy me a drink and I’ll spill all) set in Cuba attempted to work union organizing into its plot. Alas, the book made the mistake of many of a fine novel of making it seem like (A) union organizing is super duper simple and easy and (B) bosses tend to be just one big bad main boss who will usually crumple in the face of any organized resistance. I think we need only look to the tactics of Amazon today to know that these lies to our children aren’t helping anyone. So what to do? If you want to write a book in which organizing is key, but you want to be honest with kids about the fact that there are times that it seemingly leads nowhere, how do you balance harsh reality with hope? Schrempp’s solution in this book is marvelous. At no point did I feel she strained against the tender strands of my (or a skeptical 11-year-old’s) credulity. She manages a marvelous tightrope walk between honesty and a (relatively) happy ending. By the end of this book, Glo doesn’t have that Hollywood happy ending she might have wanted, but she sure feels like she won in some way. Anyone with an appreciation of children's literature will walk away impressed.
Now every year the library workers in my library attempt to come up with 101 Great Books for Kids published in the current year. All year we pass around and read different books for children. Some will have received stars from professional review journals. Some will be complete surprises. All are noteworthy, but very few involve sports. Turns out, we all have our blind spots. When I worked for New York Public Library I was on a similar committee and year after year I couldn’t get anyone to read the horsey books. These days, sports books are the titles I have to beg others to consider. Depending on the output from publishers, it can occasionally feel like pulling teeth, getting a grown person to read a book they just don’t wanna. Three Strike Summer? The pun in the name is the name of the game. This here’s a baseball book, loud and proud. You’re fairly sure of the fact when, in Chapter One, Glo uses her golden pitching arm to nail a rock through that car window of the bank man repossessing their house. But the sports hardly end there, and as the title went on I was reminded of the fact that baseball, more than any other sport, is made for narrative. I don’t know it for a fact, but suspect a person wholly unaware of the rules of the game would still get swept up in Schrempp’s storytelling.
And I was never bored. That’s saying something when you're discussing a historical novel where the heroine is picking fruit half the time, but I never found myself bored while reading this novel. You can chalk that up to any number of things, but for me it was Schrempp’s writing. She’s got a golden pen, putting together thoughts and feelings and sentences that’ll just take your breath away. Considering how much happens in this book, you wouldn’t blame her a jot if she gave all the interior complexity and development to the kids and left the adults out of it. But even though Glo’s ma and pa are left on the periphery of Glo’s own story, they too get their moments to shine. For me, one of the best parts of the book was an almost off-handed comment from Glo’s ma late in the story. At the beginning of the book Glo is furious and baffled by her mother’s willingness to just pick up and leave the family farm without so much as a blink. When at last Glo is able to ask her about it, almost at the end of the book, her ma says honestly, “Aw, Gloria… You couldn’t have paid me a million dollars to keep on living in a house that my baby died in.” Glo’s little brother died, probably because of the Dust Bowl, in that home. It’s so simple and so human and so understandable. Plus, I love children’s books where kids get this sudden clarifying instant where they can see everything adults have to go through and try to hide.
I listened to the audiobook of Three Strike Summer which had the double benefit of being exceedingly well penned and performed with aplomb . . . by the author. Turns out, if your writer also happens to have a degree from the School at Steppenwolf, you may end up with a better narrator than some random audiobook actress. Now I listen to a LOT of audiobooks of children’s literature in a given day. I know a good one when I hear one. And Skyler Schrempp is an exceptional reader. But even the world’s best reader can’t make a bad book good. It’s just a simple coincidence that Ms. Schrempp just happens to simultaneously talented at reading as well as writing. Little wonder that “Three Strike Summer” delivers on all counts. It’s the sports book/ escape narrative / union organizing novel you wish every kid had the chance to read. Starts bleak. Ends triumphant. Never cheats on either count. It’s raw and honest and funny and exciting. In short, the perfect novel to draw kids in and keep them enthralled.
On shelves now.
August 3, 2022
A brave, plucky ballplayer fights for herself and others in this searing Depression-Era novel. Here are just three things I loved about this powerful and important story:
Gloria Mae Willard
Fierce, outspoken, brave, and overflowing with grief and righteous indignation, this girl stole my heart. Gloria doesn’t always make the best choices—the bank man’s cracked windshield proves that—making her an entertaining, perfectly human protagonist young readers will root for.
The supporting cast is well-crafted, too. I particularly enjoyed Gloria’s relationship with her older sister, Jessamyn.
Setting
Evocative, sensory details, lyrical writing and Gloria’s powerful voice render the 1930s Dust Bowl and Depression era in startling clarity. When Gloria’s family loses their Oklahoma farm to the aforementioned bank man, they land at a California peach farm with other migrant workers. Everyone—Pa, Ma, Gloria, and Jess—spends long hours in the orchard picking peaches or working in the canning operation. The pay is low and shrinking, and the conditions are brutal and dehumanizing—exhausting, dangerous work; outrageous costs to rent a shack and pay for company-store necessities; ever-present hunger; and the constant threat of violence for anyone who speaks up and tries to change things.
Themes of Equality and Justice
After the boys back home excluded Gloria from playing baseball, she’s determined to win—or fight—her way onto the secret peach-farm team. With dogged tenacity, quick-witted bravado, and a tricky curveball, Gloria overcomes gender stereotypes and earns her place among the boys. The ballplayers, including the team’s stoic captain, are wonderfully individualized. These scenes ratchet up story tension and contribute to Gloria’s growth.
This novel shines a light on a difficult period of American history, and would be a great supplement for student learning. (An Author’s Note adds context.) But, like the best historical fiction, it also highlights our time. Look at the headlines: catastrophic flooding, wildfires and drought from climate change; corporations blocking unions; historic income inequality; and schemes and lies threatening our democracy. The questions raised in this book—including who stands up to tyranny, and at what cost?—are chillingly relevant.
Disclaimer: I received a digital copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I only post about books I finished and enjoyed.
Gloria Mae Willard
Fierce, outspoken, brave, and overflowing with grief and righteous indignation, this girl stole my heart. Gloria doesn’t always make the best choices—the bank man’s cracked windshield proves that—making her an entertaining, perfectly human protagonist young readers will root for.
The supporting cast is well-crafted, too. I particularly enjoyed Gloria’s relationship with her older sister, Jessamyn.
Setting
Evocative, sensory details, lyrical writing and Gloria’s powerful voice render the 1930s Dust Bowl and Depression era in startling clarity. When Gloria’s family loses their Oklahoma farm to the aforementioned bank man, they land at a California peach farm with other migrant workers. Everyone—Pa, Ma, Gloria, and Jess—spends long hours in the orchard picking peaches or working in the canning operation. The pay is low and shrinking, and the conditions are brutal and dehumanizing—exhausting, dangerous work; outrageous costs to rent a shack and pay for company-store necessities; ever-present hunger; and the constant threat of violence for anyone who speaks up and tries to change things.
Themes of Equality and Justice
After the boys back home excluded Gloria from playing baseball, she’s determined to win—or fight—her way onto the secret peach-farm team. With dogged tenacity, quick-witted bravado, and a tricky curveball, Gloria overcomes gender stereotypes and earns her place among the boys. The ballplayers, including the team’s stoic captain, are wonderfully individualized. These scenes ratchet up story tension and contribute to Gloria’s growth.
This novel shines a light on a difficult period of American history, and would be a great supplement for student learning. (An Author’s Note adds context.) But, like the best historical fiction, it also highlights our time. Look at the headlines: catastrophic flooding, wildfires and drought from climate change; corporations blocking unions; historic income inequality; and schemes and lies threatening our democracy. The questions raised in this book—including who stands up to tyranny, and at what cost?—are chillingly relevant.
Disclaimer: I received a digital copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I only post about books I finished and enjoyed.
July 28, 2022
Believe me when I say you NEED to meet Gloria Mae.
September 1, 2022
Such a wholesome, charming, story. This was also such a vividly told story in every way. The dialogue was so on point, & I could hear that 1930s Oklahoma twang clear as day. I ate that up let me tell you. I could feel the dust & dirt on my skin(& in my eyes & nose lol), smell the peaches, see the shanties..just all of it. Superb. This has the Sandlot movie vibes, but isn’t like it. The vibes were good enough for me though, with a tough as nails girl the MC too. Always being told no-no she can’t play, no she can’t know what’s going on, no she can’t speak her mind, etc. Amazing themes in here, some hard hitting. Such as workers rights, women’s rights(in a way, because the very idea of Gloria playing baseball is laughable to boys at this time), poverty(losing your home & everything but your truck), child loss, grief, & anger. Gloria has so much anger. Anger at losing her farm, & feeling like her pa didn’t fight for their home or them. Anger at her ma for the same reasons, & more. Anger at probably even God Himself, since her baby brother was taken along with everything else. All apart of grief & loss. She & her family have lost so much, & are also still grieving. Now anger at the Peach orchard men, & how they run things there, & treat everyone. & anger at a boy there trying to keep her from playing ball when she’s the closest she’s been to being able to. Yes, Gloria has a chip on her shoulder, but I’d say she’s earned it. 1 tough cookie. This has depression era issues, worker’s rights(union type talk, strikes, etc). The authors note even explains what is real vs not in the book, which was so fascinating to read itself. I learned so much. She discusses the “Dust Bowl refugees”, factory farms, the affect both had on immigrants in the area, “organizing” workers, & more. This just came out the other day, & I highly recommend. BEAUTIFUL cover by Sas Milledge too.💜
September 10, 2022
Well, writing this review because I can. Hope you all enjoy. Speak up and play ball!
August 30, 2022
Skyler Schrempp has done a wonderful job of taking a dire, emotional time in our history -the Dust Bowl and the Depression- and presenting it in a way the middle grade students can understand. Readers experience the trauma of migration and poverty through the eyes of a peer. Gloria Mae Willard is a feisty main character who relates better to boys than girls. She is so confident of her throwing arm, but no boys will allow her to play on their baseball team. Gloria’s relationship with her parents and sister is deep and detailed. She has to grow up fast. Her voice is remarkably real. Obviously I thoroughly enjoyed this story, but not without tears.
This book is a must have for my middle school library. I am so grateful to author Skyler Schrempp for the arc. I’m already anticipating her next book.
This book is a must have for my middle school library. I am so grateful to author Skyler Schrempp for the arc. I’m already anticipating her next book.
September 12, 2022
A gem of a book! Gloria is easy to fall for, spunky, proud, & in love with baseball. The story is gorgeous & real, funny & poignant. LOVED!
February 28, 2024
3.5 stars
Good historical fiction about life during the Great Depression, geared toward middle-grade readers. This would be a great tool to have in classrooms. It would especially appeal to readers who are into baseball!
Good historical fiction about life during the Great Depression, geared toward middle-grade readers. This would be a great tool to have in classrooms. It would especially appeal to readers who are into baseball!
September 6, 2022
Three Strike Summer is a book that both kids and adults need to read! Gloria is a strong and beautifully vulnerable heroine who narrates the story with a voice you won't forget thanks to Schrempp's stunning, authentic prose. Gloria's fight to play ball is woven into a historical background of the dust bowl, and the novel expertly illuminates this difficult time in American history while keeping each essential detail rooted in the story. A truly engaging read cover to cover - I can't recommend this book enough!
September 11, 2022
Gloria Mae Willard is a spirited girl who just wants to play baseball with the boys. But everything gets in her way, especially when her 1930s family loses their farm and becomes migrant workers picking peaches. In the hands of this talented writer, you will be transported into Gloria's world with humor, honesty, and heart. A writer to watch!
Also check out the audio book – wonderfully read by the author.
Also check out the audio book – wonderfully read by the author.
September 9, 2022
Gloria grabs you from the get-go and doesn't stop in this great baseball/dust bowl story. I love how she grapples with when to use her anger for good, and not for just wounded pride. The family moves from Oklahoma to work in the California peach orchards, and Schrempp piles in a lot of history into her subplots. Best of all, is a girl proving to the boys she can play ball!
September 13, 2022
I really appreciated this great middle grade. I think in particular this is a different focus than a lot of books that I've read that handle the 30s and the look at organizing and working conditions on a factory farm was really well done. I also appreciated the moment between Gloria and her dad towards the end of the book.
September 15, 2022
The terrific voice hooks you straight away, and you’ll soon fall for Gloria, baseball-mad and forever saying the wrong thing. The story is compelling, and the historical era convincing and interesting. A real home run.
September 17, 2022
This is the story of a young girl and her family who have to leave Oklahoma and move to California during the Dust Bowl. She loves baseball and is always trying to find a game while also trying to adjust with all that is going around because of the move.
February 8, 2023
I LOVE this book. It was read by the author on audio and it was a fabulous performance. I cannot believe this book is historical fiction and sports and in my personal top 10 kids books published in 2022.
September 1, 2022
As someone who was decidedly not a fan of The Grapes of Wrath, I’m now wondering if maybe it just needed a little baseball?!
I’m kidding (kind of), but I really enjoyed Three Strike Summer despite not being a particular enthusiast of Dust Bowl era fiction.
This is a lovely children’s novel about the Dust Bowl and migrant workers in the 1930s with just enough baseball to lighten the subject and make the material enjoyable and relatable for kids. As an adult reader, I enjoyed it as well, and loved the way the author wove baseball into the story.
It’s tough to read about this stuff and not become righteously angry about the treatment of migrant workers, and that’s no different here despite the baseball sideline. And the baseball component of the book is absolutely a side plot rather than the focus, but it’s masterfully woven into the greater narrative.
For young readers: There are some sophisticated and unsettling themes here that may require some adult explanation, but the author tempers the material to suit the intended audience. In other words, it’s thought-provoking for kids without being excessively upsetting, and the tone of the story is hopeful to the end.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I’m kidding (kind of), but I really enjoyed Three Strike Summer despite not being a particular enthusiast of Dust Bowl era fiction.
This is a lovely children’s novel about the Dust Bowl and migrant workers in the 1930s with just enough baseball to lighten the subject and make the material enjoyable and relatable for kids. As an adult reader, I enjoyed it as well, and loved the way the author wove baseball into the story.
It’s tough to read about this stuff and not become righteously angry about the treatment of migrant workers, and that’s no different here despite the baseball sideline. And the baseball component of the book is absolutely a side plot rather than the focus, but it’s masterfully woven into the greater narrative.
For young readers: There are some sophisticated and unsettling themes here that may require some adult explanation, but the author tempers the material to suit the intended audience. In other words, it’s thought-provoking for kids without being excessively upsetting, and the tone of the story is hopeful to the end.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
September 20, 2022
Fabulous voice, well paced action and superb research brings this story to life offering a deep dive into Depression Era poverty. Characters are so well developed that I thought I could look up and see them standing right next to me. Plan to enjoy a reread by listening to the audio performed by the author herself. Also plan to add this to our 8th grade Social Studies curriculum that studies the Depression, the Dust Bowl and economics. Set aside some time because this is easily a One Gulp Read if sleep were not a necessity. You need to meet Gloria Mae!
March 1, 2023
Three Strike Summer is a punchy, inspiring historical middle grade book about family, baseball, and life on farms during the Great Depression. Featuring a spunky female protagonist who won’t take no for an answer, this book explores a wide range of themes from gender inequality to poor worker compensation and dealing with death and grief. I enjoyed this one and would also recommend the audiobook for readers who enjoy the format.
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/three-...
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/three-...
October 22, 2022
From start to finish, this historical fiction debut from the amazingly talented Skyler Schrempp is a winning home run. The main character, Gloria, is fierce, fiery and so fun to witness on the page. Her determination and desire to fight for what's right, in the orchard and on the field, is nothing short of inspiring. The writing is masterful; a definitive lesson in voice. On top of all that, this novel is so well-researched. I learned so much about the Dust Bowl era, and the author's note is an exceptional resource. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages.
October 1, 2022
The atmospheric details in this book!!! I've never been so invested in a baseball game in my life
August 28, 2022
“We were standing together… We were fighting back without fighting. Holding on by holding together.”
Three Strike Summer is #mglit for those who love history, sports, & the strength of a team.
Three Strike Summer is #mglit for those who love history, sports, & the strength of a team.
September 20, 2022
This is such a fascinating time in American history and told with such care and courage. And Gloria is one of the best plucky heroines ever!
May 8, 2024
The Joad’s find diversion with America’s pastime.
I have this shelved with my sports books, rather than historical fiction. While baseball is Gloria’s passion this story dwells more on the deplorable working conditions in the agricultural fields of California during the depression. It’s been some time since I read THE GRAPES OF WRATH back in high school and proceeded to go on and read every Steinbeck book I could get my hands on. I had a college roommate tell me I must be a communist since I liked to read his books. I was very confused. This book shows how the term ‘RED” was weaponized against anyone who wanted decent working conditions. I did find Gloria’s voice overly folksy for my taste and much too self aware for her age.
Popsugar24: #7 - A book about women's sports and/or by a woman athlete
RATL24: Sport’s Fiction Genre
I have this shelved with my sports books, rather than historical fiction. While baseball is Gloria’s passion this story dwells more on the deplorable working conditions in the agricultural fields of California during the depression. It’s been some time since I read THE GRAPES OF WRATH back in high school and proceeded to go on and read every Steinbeck book I could get my hands on. I had a college roommate tell me I must be a communist since I liked to read his books. I was very confused. This book shows how the term ‘RED” was weaponized against anyone who wanted decent working conditions. I did find Gloria’s voice overly folksy for my taste and much too self aware for her age.
Popsugar24: #7 - A book about women's sports and/or by a woman athlete
RATL24: Sport’s Fiction Genre
June 6, 2025
This middle grades historical fiction novel has received numerous honors, including California Young Reader Medal Nominee, Horn Book Fanfare, Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best, an Oklahoma Book Award Finalist, and an ALA Notable Children's Recording. Gloria Mae Willard, the young narrator, tells the story of her family in colorful and thoughtful language, beginning in 1930s Oklahoma and moving to California. Gloria's family loses their farm and heads west to find migrant field work. They settle during harvest time at the Santa Ana Holdsten Peach Orchard, where the working conditions are terrible and organizing is forbidden. Gloria describes the experience of climbing rickety ladders to pick peaches at the tops of trees, her disbelief at her family's acceptance of their current circumstances, and her longing to pitch with a real baseball team - a baseball team of boys. On her first day at the orchard Gloria finds a team that's looking for a player, and Gloria fights her way onto the team through stubbornness and courage and a good bit of what her family calls her "wild child" ways. Tensions on the orchard rise after a child falls 15 feet from a poorly-maintained ladder and is knocked unconscious. While Gloria's father quietly organizes for a strike among the workers, Gloria organizes one last ball game against the apricot boys next door. The last few chapters depict Gloria's courage and grit on the field as well as her indomitable spirit and love for her family.
I read about tw0-thirds of the book via hard copy and listened to about a third of the book on audio. I really enjoyed the audio version; the narrator had a soft Oklahoma drawl - or , not being from Oklahoma, what I imagine is one - and changed her voice seamlessly for the numerous characters. The hard copy included historical information in the end matter, including an author's note on which elements of Gloria's story were true and which were fiction. While Gloria starts off very brash - to the point of being selfish and destructive - over time I came to see that so much of her big feelings came from a deep sense of grief over losing her home, her baby brother, and her old life in general. Additionally, by the end of the novel Gloria matures and comes to see her family and herself in new ways. I also appreciated that her family comes to understand her better, as well, and the author depicts how a family can lose themselves to grief for a time, but find their way back to each other in the end.
This would be a great book to read with middle grades students, fourth to sixth or even seventh grade, particularly if students are studying the Dust Bowl and/or Great Depression, migration, or worker's rights. Students can use the novel as a way to further understand how people affected by the droughts during the Depression made changes to survive and how they suffered at the hands of landowners. They can also discuss how girls were seen and treated at the time, as well as how children were treated as workers, and how workers overall were treated before workers unionized. There are many layers of cause and effect in the novel, as well as rich opportunities for reflection and class discussion about Gloria's choices and the choices her family makes in the face of tragedy.
I read about tw0-thirds of the book via hard copy and listened to about a third of the book on audio. I really enjoyed the audio version; the narrator had a soft Oklahoma drawl - or , not being from Oklahoma, what I imagine is one - and changed her voice seamlessly for the numerous characters. The hard copy included historical information in the end matter, including an author's note on which elements of Gloria's story were true and which were fiction. While Gloria starts off very brash - to the point of being selfish and destructive - over time I came to see that so much of her big feelings came from a deep sense of grief over losing her home, her baby brother, and her old life in general. Additionally, by the end of the novel Gloria matures and comes to see her family and herself in new ways. I also appreciated that her family comes to understand her better, as well, and the author depicts how a family can lose themselves to grief for a time, but find their way back to each other in the end.
This would be a great book to read with middle grades students, fourth to sixth or even seventh grade, particularly if students are studying the Dust Bowl and/or Great Depression, migration, or worker's rights. Students can use the novel as a way to further understand how people affected by the droughts during the Depression made changes to survive and how they suffered at the hands of landowners. They can also discuss how girls were seen and treated at the time, as well as how children were treated as workers, and how workers overall were treated before workers unionized. There are many layers of cause and effect in the novel, as well as rich opportunities for reflection and class discussion about Gloria's choices and the choices her family makes in the face of tragedy.
September 13, 2022
A dust bowl/great depression/migrant worker story for the modern kid. Relatable characters and a great Author's note in the end.
January 14, 2023
I love this historical time setting- Dust Bowl. The opening scene has a strong hook and gives us an immediate deep look into the protagonist and her plight. It was smart to weave in her love of baseball to perhaps bring in some reluctant readers into the historical fiction genre. Readers will learn quite a bit about the plight and lifestyle of migrant workers of the time. There were some missed opportunities to dive deeper into some other historical background. With history backgrounds so weak in our current generations of young readers, I’d like it more if author’s would incorporate that more history into plots and back matter of books. Chapter 19 was the best part- the discussion between Gloria and her mother. It had a very strong ending.
January 16, 2023
Yet another book I read because Betsy Bird said it was special. I hate baseball so was not touching this with a ten foot pole. Hey, guess what? It was special. Transported me completely in a way that very few historical fiction books do. I loved it.
November 11, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
When Gloria's family loses their farm in Balko, Oklahoma, she doesn't take it well. It's not fair that the crops failed; it's the weather's fault, and on top of that, doesn't the man from the bank know that they just lost her baby brother two months ago? Her sister Jessamyn tries to keep her from speaking her mind, but Gloria yells at the man and later throws a rock and breaks his car windshield. Luckily for the family, the man doesn't believe that Gloria, who is an excellent baseball player with a strong pitching arm, could throw that far and doesn't believe she is responsible. Soon, the family on their way to California to find work, with everything they own in their car. They end up at a peach farm, where they are forced to pay for a shack and electricity even though they would rather sleep in their car, since the man running the hiring process claims it is for sanitation purposes and obviously thinks that Okies are "dirty". Settling in, Gloria meets Quentin, who plays baseball and has organized some covert teams who practice when they should be working. He is okay with Gloria playing, but faces opposition from the other boys. The boys have a system to avoid detection, and a secret location, but run into problems with being found out. Gloria helps them, and they grudgingly let her play, especially since they have an upcoming game against a nearby apricot farm. The family struggles with having to buy food from the orchard store, which is more expensive than the one in town, but the orchard's curfew makes it impossible for them to get there are back in time after their long day of work. The father isn't happy with the working conditions, but tries to keep his head down and out of trouble, since the management has violently attacked organizers before and forced them to leave. When Gloria escapes injury when she lets a boy go ahead of her to do a job, her father decides it is time to act. What will this mean for her struggling family?
Strengths: The details of every day life during this difficult period of history are well told, in lyrical and descriptive language. Gloria's family's experiences echoed that of so many families at the time. Sadly, losing a child was much more common as well. The details of living conditions at the peach farm will shed light on how people had to live, and will appall modern readers. Including baseball gives Glori's tale even more appeal. I love the 1930s color pallette and illustration style of the cover.
Weaknesses: Gloria's prickliness and outspoken actions seemed at odds with the way children would have acted during this time, although it is always interesting to see how more modern feeling actions would have been received.
What I really think: Van Draanen's The Peach Rebellion has some similar themes, although set after the Depression. I have a large number of books about this era, which I find fascinating, that don't circulate well. I may stick to Sanchez's The Wind Called My NameDaley's If the Fire Comes, Meltzer's Tough Times, Dallas' Someplace to Call Home, and the 32 other titles (oops!) I have on this fascinating period of time, including a fresher copy of Gates' 1940 phenomenal, almost primary source, Blue Willow.
When Gloria's family loses their farm in Balko, Oklahoma, she doesn't take it well. It's not fair that the crops failed; it's the weather's fault, and on top of that, doesn't the man from the bank know that they just lost her baby brother two months ago? Her sister Jessamyn tries to keep her from speaking her mind, but Gloria yells at the man and later throws a rock and breaks his car windshield. Luckily for the family, the man doesn't believe that Gloria, who is an excellent baseball player with a strong pitching arm, could throw that far and doesn't believe she is responsible. Soon, the family on their way to California to find work, with everything they own in their car. They end up at a peach farm, where they are forced to pay for a shack and electricity even though they would rather sleep in their car, since the man running the hiring process claims it is for sanitation purposes and obviously thinks that Okies are "dirty". Settling in, Gloria meets Quentin, who plays baseball and has organized some covert teams who practice when they should be working. He is okay with Gloria playing, but faces opposition from the other boys. The boys have a system to avoid detection, and a secret location, but run into problems with being found out. Gloria helps them, and they grudgingly let her play, especially since they have an upcoming game against a nearby apricot farm. The family struggles with having to buy food from the orchard store, which is more expensive than the one in town, but the orchard's curfew makes it impossible for them to get there are back in time after their long day of work. The father isn't happy with the working conditions, but tries to keep his head down and out of trouble, since the management has violently attacked organizers before and forced them to leave. When Gloria escapes injury when she lets a boy go ahead of her to do a job, her father decides it is time to act. What will this mean for her struggling family?
Strengths: The details of every day life during this difficult period of history are well told, in lyrical and descriptive language. Gloria's family's experiences echoed that of so many families at the time. Sadly, losing a child was much more common as well. The details of living conditions at the peach farm will shed light on how people had to live, and will appall modern readers. Including baseball gives Glori's tale even more appeal. I love the 1930s color pallette and illustration style of the cover.
Weaknesses: Gloria's prickliness and outspoken actions seemed at odds with the way children would have acted during this time, although it is always interesting to see how more modern feeling actions would have been received.
What I really think: Van Draanen's The Peach Rebellion has some similar themes, although set after the Depression. I have a large number of books about this era, which I find fascinating, that don't circulate well. I may stick to Sanchez's The Wind Called My NameDaley's If the Fire Comes, Meltzer's Tough Times, Dallas' Someplace to Call Home, and the 32 other titles (oops!) I have on this fascinating period of time, including a fresher copy of Gates' 1940 phenomenal, almost primary source, Blue Willow.
July 10, 2023
Pro: the baseball aspect was adorable.
Con: there was quite a bit of swearing for a middle grade. I also felt like there was a depressing undertone throughout. If I were still a teacher I would struggle recommending this to my students or using this book as a read aloud.
Maybe better for junior high/high school age. Not elementary.
Con: there was quite a bit of swearing for a middle grade. I also felt like there was a depressing undertone throughout. If I were still a teacher I would struggle recommending this to my students or using this book as a read aloud.
Maybe better for junior high/high school age. Not elementary.
March 11, 2023
From the second I started on the opening chapter, there was something about the writing style and Gloria's voice that just drew me in like so few MG's have in recent years. All the recently published MG has felt just 'meh' to me, but this book gave me hope that people are still writing good, great, and heartwarming stories. This was the type of book my middle school self would have DEVOURED - realistically done tomboy (who isn't 'questioning' her identity!)? Check. Historical fiction? Check. Insults and banter? Check. It fit my reading taste like a well worn baseball glove <3 I'm looking forward to what the author comes up with next!
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