Playing the Field

by Phil Bildner

The principal at Darcy's school gives her permission to play on the boys' baseball team but only under the condition that she proclaims herself a lesbian and joins the Gay/Straight Alliance, yet confused by his strange rationale, Darcy figures she has no choice, does what he asked, and faces the consequences in the process.

Genres: Banned Books, Young Adult, Sports

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Phil Bildner is the New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-five books for young people including the NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Honor-winning middle grade novel, A High Five for Glenn Burke, the inaugural Margaret Wise Brown Prize-winning Marvelous Cornelius, and the Lambda Literary Award-winning, Glenn Burke, Game Changer. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed middle grade Rip & Red series as well as the picture books Twenty-One Elephants and The Soccer Fence. His latest book is the much-anticipated, mixed format upper middle grade novel, Too Big to Say, co-created by Mike Curato.

Phil grew up on Long Island, earned his undergraduate degree in political science at Johns Hopkins University, and earned his law degree at New York University School of Law. After passing the bar in New York and New Jersey and working for a short time as an associate at a large Manhattan law firm, Phil went back to school and earned his master’s degree in early childhood and elementary education at Long Island University.

For eleven years, Phil taught in the New York City Public Schools. He taught fifth and sixth grade in the Tremont section of the Bronx in the 1990s and middle school Language Arts and American History in Manhattan in the 2000s.
After leaving the classroom to write full time, Phil began chaperoning student-volunteer trips to New Orleans to help in the post-Hurricane Katrina recovery effort. He founded The NOLA Tree, a non-profit youth service organization and served as the co-Executive Director for several years.

In 2017, Phil founded The Author Village, the premier speakers’ bureau for book creators for young people, educators, and librarians. He is also a leading activist in the fight against censorship and book bans.

These days, Phil lives in Newburgh, New York with his husband in a two-hundred-year-old farmhouse. Most of the time, you’ll find him out playing in the yard, hanging with his cats, Primrose and Rue, or working on the back porch (aka, his office) overlooking the Hudson River.

Reviews

[Allie Bayer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book mostly sucked. And I hate to say that, because it was the author’s first novel and he’s a teacher so I was really rooting for this one. But he wrote it in first person female narration which I can’t stand and…it wasn’t good. It had some redeeming qualities! (But overall was messy and weird). A lot of the conflicts between characters made no sense to me because they were way under developed and were irrational. Plus, there were too many of them. I couldn’t tell who was friends when and who was fighting and who sucked vs who didn’t. At any point. I had no clue what was going on. And the romantic relationship made NO sense to me because there was *very* little development, a weird “conflict” and “resolution” and then…there is that whole detail about their parents dating seriously (…that we’re just supposed to, ignore?) I don’t know. *Some* realistic dialogue, and I really, really enjoyed the fact that NONE of Darcy’s conflict or hesitancy had to do with her talent as a ballplayer. I loved that she was awesome and confident and delivered every time she was on the field. But the entire concept of the story (a girl gets permission to play on the boys team because the principal is mistakenly told she’s a lesbian?!!?) makes NO sense and it definitely had no closure at the end. Nooo attempt to save it. He literally never even addressed that lie again after she was put on the team…even after it’s confirmed she’s going to date his son….(What.the.ffffff?!?)

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

An easy read, author writes in a great voice, laugh out loud funny at points. The book leaves an awful lot to be desired, though. I had this in my classroom because I purchased it at a KC Public Library book sale in the teen fiction section. Not anymore! I could see having this in the high school classroom, but not middle school. The content is a little mature and the language is really mature, but the reality is it's probably the way teens talk to one another.

Basic premise is this senior girl (Darcy) wants to play baseball for her high school. Darcy's mother dates the principal and she has a crush on said principal's son. The principal's son convinces his dad that that Darcy is a lesbian. The principal caves from his own fears and allows the girl to play baseball. The main theme of the book is how we often treat gay individuals as a culture. I think this is a pertinent topic, but the plot ends up too fake and mainly created to make the theme function. At times it's too much, Darcy is this superstar baseball player who never commits an error. I fully accept that a girl could play high school ball, I don't accept the idea that she is super-baseball player who is flawless.

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[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good. It shows that people can do anything weather they are a boy or a girl. It also shows what one girl will do to play the sport she loves.

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Playing the Field by Phil Bildner was a excellent book. It had many thing that surprising events that I didn't thing that Darcy would do. If you like baseball this is a very good book for you. If you are a high schooler this is stood book for you. And if you are interested in high school relationships you will definitely like this book. I thought that it was very interesting that Darcy would do everything just to insure that she would play baseball on a boys team. I would never pretend to be something that I'm not to make sure I play a sports. Sports are just not that important to do everything that she did. I couldn't imagine going to my principal and convincing him that I'm gay just to play a girl sport on a girls team. I also could not imagine going to a club for gay people just to convince people that she is indeed gay. I also support Darcy backseat I feel she deserves to be on the team. If someone is really good at a sport and they tryout that should get a spot on the team. This book really is showing that girls can play boys sports also and that not only boys can play a sport. Darcy also had to go through a lot when going to school. She had to deal with the humiliation of having a mom that is dating the principal. It is also humiliating having the principals son be in the same school. I could not imagine the awkwardness when they were around each other at school or at the baseball field. I also think josh is a jerk to threaten Darcy about spilling out her secret to the principal. I really like this book and I give it 4 stars out of 5 for that reason.

[Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read. Seriously. I think I knocked it out in a couple of hours. This is, I think, due to a very good narrative voice. Pacing is good.

However, there is a lot to be desired with this book. I really like the premise, which is why I picked up the book in the first place. But I think it's fairly obvious that this is the author's first novel. He generally skips over all the tension that should actually develop the plot. So this then is not a gay book, nor is it a sport book. (Though the character rambles on and on and on about how to play baseball ala an instruction manual.) And the penultimate scene in the novel is essentially a Lesson on the Importance of GSAs. (Which I'm not going to refute either.)

I just walked away at the end of the book rather frustrated that what could have been a great plot with lots of tension and drama and resolution and what not was ultimately not realized. The characters in the book are great and bound to create sparks when placed together, but the author doesn't let them do that.

So I have to give this book a big Meh. I will, however, read the author's next novel because I do like his writing style. I'm just hoping that next time he'll allow for tension in the plot.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Meet Darcy. She is a senior and a star softball player. Her dream has always been to play baseball. That dream is about to come true, but there is a catch.

Darcy's life is far from easy. Her high school principal is currently dating and yuck! sleeping with her mother. Attempts by her mother to convince Principal Basset that her daughter should be part of the boys' baseball team have fallen short. That is, until someone tells the principal that Darcy is gay.

Upon hearing this shocking news, Darcy's first reaction is to hastily explain the truth and even admit her crush on his son, Brandon. But after the initial shock of the announcement, Darcy realizes that her dream could come true if she is willing to participate in a small game of sexual deception. What's wrong with pretending to be gay? Who could it hurt?

Phil Bildner uses terrific humor and a fair amount of baseball action to create a fast-paced tale of Darcy's life spinning out of control. Readers will be entertained by Darcy's love life, an improving season for the baseball team, and some crazy meetings of the school's GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) organization. PLAYING THE FIELD has a little something for everyone.

[Jennifer W · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the premise of this book. A straight young woman has to pretend to be a lesbian to join the baseball team. The book touched on high school politics, both from the administrators as well as from the students and student clubs. The main character had a good sense of humor and I found myself chuckling throughout the book. However, I don't think the author really delved deep enough into what it was like to be assumed gay even when Darcy and the reader knew she wasn't. I also think the author ended the book too soon. What was prom like? What was graduation? Did she reveal she wasn't a lesbian after the baseball season? Did someone accidentally blow her cover? There was a lot more that could have been covered. There were times in the book where the author had a point to make and stopped the story in order to make the point, most obviously at the end of the book when he throws all those stats into the story. Still, I'm glad someone is writing about this subject.

[Cheyanne Malenke · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a good book. there are some weird additions to this book but if you like funny sport books. I recommend this book. youll never guess what happens. in the book a huge event happens and it is different her best friend ACTS GAY FOR HER. this is crazy she is a girly girl so it will go together just fine but she is super happy to be able to act like her best friends girlfriend!!!!! and they go through the book hoping her mom doesn't find out im almost done with the book but the hints they are throwing show that her mom finds out and she tells her mom that its a lie and she loses her chance to play in state.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seemed like there was an awful lot of dread and anticipation for not a lot of actual action. Probably a pretty accurate portrayal of the average high school experience these days. But I'll not be encouraging my kids to read it as I didn't like the language and drug references. Otherwise, cute story and good writing.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Go to http://curiouserwonderlandchick.blogs... for my review.

[Jaylen Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good book. This book deals with high school relationships. If you like baseball you'll love to read this book. This book is perfect for any high schooler to read.

[Shani · Rating 2 out of 5]

interesting

[Jala Crayton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Great book.