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Beanball: A Young Adult Novel in Verse About High School Baseball and One Life-Changing Pitch
It’s the worst sound I’ve ever heard in all my years of umping.
Oh, I’ve heard plenty of pitches hit a helmet.
But this . . . this fastball, up and in.
This one hit bone, right in the face.
Not even a scream or grunt from the kid.
He went down like he was shot. In the bottom of the last inning against their biggest rival, Oak Grove High has two men on base and the score is tied. Luke “Wizard” Wallace is at bat, and he knows what he needs to drive in the winning run, save the game, and be a hero.
Luke has everything under control, except the pitch.
Oh, I’ve heard plenty of pitches hit a helmet.
But this . . . this fastball, up and in.
This one hit bone, right in the face.
Not even a scream or grunt from the kid.
He went down like he was shot. In the bottom of the last inning against their biggest rival, Oak Grove High has two men on base and the score is tied. Luke “Wizard” Wallace is at bat, and he knows what he needs to drive in the winning run, save the game, and be a hero.
Luke has everything under control, except the pitch.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
January 5, 2009
"It was the worst sound I've ever heard
in all my years of umping.
Oh, I've heard plenty of pitches hit a helmet.
But this... this fastball, up and in.
This one hit bone, right in the face.
Not even a scream or grunt from the kid.
He went down like he was shot."
-Tim Burchard, Umpire.
Set in free verse from the perspective of 28 different narrators including: players, coaches, the boy who was hit, spectators, family members, even the pitcher who threw the pitch, Beanball tells the story of Oak Grove star player Luke "Wizard" Wallace, who was hit in the face by a wild pitch, had his skull shattered and completely lost the vision in his left eye. Gripping and extremely fast-paced.
in all my years of umping.
Oh, I've heard plenty of pitches hit a helmet.
But this... this fastball, up and in.
This one hit bone, right in the face.
Not even a scream or grunt from the kid.
He went down like he was shot."
-Tim Burchard, Umpire.
Set in free verse from the perspective of 28 different narrators including: players, coaches, the boy who was hit, spectators, family members, even the pitcher who threw the pitch, Beanball tells the story of Oak Grove star player Luke "Wizard" Wallace, who was hit in the face by a wild pitch, had his skull shattered and completely lost the vision in his left eye. Gripping and extremely fast-paced.
September 3, 2015
Beanball was a very great book. If you really enjoy sports boooks your gonna like this one. It was a very suspenseful book at certain points. Main character Luke "Wizard" Wallace is the best player on the Oak Grove baseball team! I highly recommend this book to others it is a great book.
November 15, 2018
It was on my middle schoolers book club list so I picked it up and couldn't put it down. Tore threw it in a day. Since I'm a baseball mom, I related to a lot of it. Loved that we got in the heads of a lot of different characters to tell the story from a lot of different perspectives
March 4, 2009
Gene Fehler used conversations to carry the story of about "Beanball".
Luke the Wizard was an outstanding player for his High School Team.
"Beanball" takes a single event on the baseball field and takes various players, coaches and others and weaves the threads of the lives of those surrounding Luke and his injury around the event.
I really enjoyed this book.
Luke the Wizard was an outstanding player for his High School Team.
"Beanball" takes a single event on the baseball field and takes various players, coaches and others and weaves the threads of the lives of those surrounding Luke and his injury around the event.
I really enjoyed this book.
January 25, 2021
I read this book in one sitting because I was captivated by the perspectives of all the different characters. It was interesting to see how they all reacted differently to the tough situation presented in this story. I would recommend this book to not only baseball fans but anyone who likes realistic fiction.
June 11, 2019
I just finished reading the book, Beanball, by Gene Fehler. To understand my review, you need to know a little about the book. In this book, there is this star high school baseball player, Luke "Wizard" Wallace who is up to bat against their rival school Oak Grove. Luke has the chance to drive in the winning run but he is instead hit in the face by a fastball and the pitch shatters his skull and he loses vision in his left eye. In this novel, the events are described through 28 narrators with its multiple voices and fast paced plot.
I gave this book a 5 out of 5 stars. Through out this whole book, I was never bored and I wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. Through out the whole book, The author was very descriptive with what he wrote. "It's the worst sound I've ever heard in all my years of umping. Oh, I've heard plenty of pitches hit a helmet. But this . . . this fastball, up and in. This one hit bone, right in the face. Not even a scream or grunt from this kid. He went down like he was shot. The screams come from everywhere: bleachers, dugouts, infield, mound. Even from me. Blood. Lots of it. It looks like Luke's dead." This is a small portion of the story, but from this, the reader can tell how much detail the author goes into when explaining details of certain situations to keep the story interesting and to emphasize what was happening to add effect. From this portion of the book, you can tell how badly Luke was hit and the reactions of the people on the field and in the stands were like.
The reason I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars was because this book is on a topic I can relate to. This books has drama and describes graphic scenes about the incident and this is what kept me reading the book. If you are a person who likes sports, especially baseball, and are into books that will leave you with a graphic image, this book is a must read on your list.
I gave this book a 5 out of 5 stars. Through out this whole book, I was never bored and I wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. Through out the whole book, The author was very descriptive with what he wrote. "It's the worst sound I've ever heard in all my years of umping. Oh, I've heard plenty of pitches hit a helmet. But this . . . this fastball, up and in. This one hit bone, right in the face. Not even a scream or grunt from this kid. He went down like he was shot. The screams come from everywhere: bleachers, dugouts, infield, mound. Even from me. Blood. Lots of it. It looks like Luke's dead." This is a small portion of the story, but from this, the reader can tell how much detail the author goes into when explaining details of certain situations to keep the story interesting and to emphasize what was happening to add effect. From this portion of the book, you can tell how badly Luke was hit and the reactions of the people on the field and in the stands were like.
The reason I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars was because this book is on a topic I can relate to. This books has drama and describes graphic scenes about the incident and this is what kept me reading the book. If you are a person who likes sports, especially baseball, and are into books that will leave you with a graphic image, this book is a must read on your list.
April 19, 2018
Don't have your budding baseball player read this. It's scary how one pitch can change a life of a young person.
I read this because I like books in verse and thought maybe I could recommend it to my grandson or a teacher's students. I don't think so. It was interesting how the author developed the characters and made you intensely interested in how this young player was going to deal with his injury. But just maybe not worth the pain and the horror of reading about a young person going through such trauma for a sport.
I read this because I like books in verse and thought maybe I could recommend it to my grandson or a teacher's students. I don't think so. It was interesting how the author developed the characters and made you intensely interested in how this young player was going to deal with his injury. But just maybe not worth the pain and the horror of reading about a young person going through such trauma for a sport.
January 31, 2021
Welllll, if you are a parent of a child who plays baseball, STAY AWAY FROM THIS BOOK. It is the story of a high school who is hit with a wild pitch during a baseball game and winds up permanently injured. Now. This book is also written in verse from a variety of perspectives, none of them particularly well. The writing is clunky. There was little indirect characterization or development. It was as if the verse part were the gimmicky thing this author was trying to do to make this book different. To be fair, I am not a sports book fan, but this was not good.
January 11, 2019
Beanball is a fiction book wrote by Gene Fehler. Beanball is about the friends Luke Wallace and Andy Keller. They both play on their school baseball team. They have a game against their rival Compton High school. It’s was a close game, and Luke was up to bat. Kyle Dawkins pitched the baseball right into Luke’s face. This book it about Lucas's recovery and shows all his friends and families point of view during this tragedy.
February 12, 2020
Simple storyline of losing your dream of being an athlete forever. But a complex interweaving of characters, character development, and their relationships within a single community surrounding a single event.
October 3, 2017
Good book, takes you into the action right off the bat. Loved it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2018
I’m not a fan of baseball and yet I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A well done story.
April 24, 2018
I liked that the ending wasn't wrapped up perfectly with a "happily ever after," but there was hope. That's realistic.
December 17, 2020
This was surprisingly affecting, especially given the page count. While the characters are simply presented, the core message comes through clearly. An easy recommendation.
Read
March 3, 20218/10
May 5, 2020
Total shit
October 7, 2017
A chronicle of terrible tragedy and how different people view their responsibility in the wake. Some show an inability to cope, others only see how it effects them, and those wonderful few who bring comfort and hope.
April 23, 2014
Beanball by Gene Fehler is about a high school student named Luke Wallace, and his recovery from being hit in the face by a pitch while batting for his school's baseball team. I came about this book when my English teacher recommended it to me and I'm glad she did. It's a very short book but it is filled with a lot of quality writing. By the time I finished, I was wishing it was longer.
Up until that game, Luke and his bestfriend, Andy Keller, were just normal highschool jocks with only tryouts, grades, and girls to worry about, but when that pitch was delivered their lives were going to be changed forever. Luke went up to the plate already knowing that his school's rival's star pitcher, Kyle Dawkins, was a wild pitcher at times but he didn't know it would be enough to almost claim his life. I think the part that best sums it up was when the umpire, Tim Burchard, says, "It's the worst sound I've ever heard in all my years of umping. Oh, I've heard plenty of pitches hit a helmet. But this... this fastball, up and in. This one hit bone, right in the face. Not even a scream or grunt from the kid. He went down like he was shot."
With the main event reached early in the book, the real theme is revealed later when Luke tries to think about whether or not he can play or not with his newly acquired blind left eye. While hospitalized for a long period of time, Luke has a lot to think about with all of the visits he gets from people in his family, from school, and most surprisingly, Kyle Dawkins himself. It is evident what Fehler tries to instill when he chooses to write out the scene and have Luke ultimately forgive Kyle, even though his pitch cost him half of his vision.
Like I said before, I wish there was more of this book but for what it did have, it was a spectacular book in my opinion. This isn't because of the detail or the climax, but because of the overall quality of it and the lessons it illustrates. This is one of those books that you can recommend to just about anyone. Even if they don't know much about baseball they will be attracted to the style of writing and the storyline in general. But basically, I think anyone who reads this book will like it, period.
Up until that game, Luke and his bestfriend, Andy Keller, were just normal highschool jocks with only tryouts, grades, and girls to worry about, but when that pitch was delivered their lives were going to be changed forever. Luke went up to the plate already knowing that his school's rival's star pitcher, Kyle Dawkins, was a wild pitcher at times but he didn't know it would be enough to almost claim his life. I think the part that best sums it up was when the umpire, Tim Burchard, says, "It's the worst sound I've ever heard in all my years of umping. Oh, I've heard plenty of pitches hit a helmet. But this... this fastball, up and in. This one hit bone, right in the face. Not even a scream or grunt from the kid. He went down like he was shot."
With the main event reached early in the book, the real theme is revealed later when Luke tries to think about whether or not he can play or not with his newly acquired blind left eye. While hospitalized for a long period of time, Luke has a lot to think about with all of the visits he gets from people in his family, from school, and most surprisingly, Kyle Dawkins himself. It is evident what Fehler tries to instill when he chooses to write out the scene and have Luke ultimately forgive Kyle, even though his pitch cost him half of his vision.
Like I said before, I wish there was more of this book but for what it did have, it was a spectacular book in my opinion. This isn't because of the detail or the climax, but because of the overall quality of it and the lessons it illustrates. This is one of those books that you can recommend to just about anyone. Even if they don't know much about baseball they will be attracted to the style of writing and the storyline in general. But basically, I think anyone who reads this book will like it, period.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2009
Relates, from diverse points of view, events surrounding the critical injury of popular and talented high school athlete, Luke "Wizard" Wallace, when he is hit in the face by a fastball. - Book summary from library record
This book is being considered for the Gateway Award list. Although it is written in free verse and is about baseball and has a male protagonist (all good things!), I didn't really like it too much. I think maybe there are too many voices/characters. Also, it feels like it is written for a younger, less mature reader (even thought the main characters are in high school or older). It might be attractive to a reluctant reader, but I would be more likely to point them in another direction.
Review from Publisher's Weekly:
Poet and baseball enthusiast Fehler should attract a crowd with his first YA novel, related by 28 narrators in free-verse monologues. When high school star athlete Luke "Wizard" Wallace gets hit in the head by a wild pitch, he falls into a three-day coma, from which he emerges blind in one eye. The author raises the stakes for the other characters, sometimes a little too much: the rival team's pitcher hangs up his uniform (even though he's being scouted by the major leagues), infuriating his unrepentant coach (who ends up blaming Luke: "If he'd just gotten out of the way..../ he ruined our whole damn season"). Luke's selfish semi-girlfriend visits him only once ("When I saw his face.../ I thought I'd barf right there"). What makes this brief novel believable and rewarding are Fehler's clear grasp of the dedicated athlete's mind and his ability to imagine what it feels like to be suddenly and seemingly permanently sidelined. Fehler does an excellent job in pacing his shifts of perspective, and the central story, of Luke's friendships and eventual recovery, comes through with drama and clarity.
This book is being considered for the Gateway Award list. Although it is written in free verse and is about baseball and has a male protagonist (all good things!), I didn't really like it too much. I think maybe there are too many voices/characters. Also, it feels like it is written for a younger, less mature reader (even thought the main characters are in high school or older). It might be attractive to a reluctant reader, but I would be more likely to point them in another direction.
Review from Publisher's Weekly:
Poet and baseball enthusiast Fehler should attract a crowd with his first YA novel, related by 28 narrators in free-verse monologues. When high school star athlete Luke "Wizard" Wallace gets hit in the head by a wild pitch, he falls into a three-day coma, from which he emerges blind in one eye. The author raises the stakes for the other characters, sometimes a little too much: the rival team's pitcher hangs up his uniform (even though he's being scouted by the major leagues), infuriating his unrepentant coach (who ends up blaming Luke: "If he'd just gotten out of the way..../ he ruined our whole damn season"). Luke's selfish semi-girlfriend visits him only once ("When I saw his face.../ I thought I'd barf right there"). What makes this brief novel believable and rewarding are Fehler's clear grasp of the dedicated athlete's mind and his ability to imagine what it feels like to be suddenly and seemingly permanently sidelined. Fehler does an excellent job in pacing his shifts of perspective, and the central story, of Luke's friendships and eventual recovery, comes through with drama and clarity.
November 10, 2012
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
BEANBALL by Gene Fehler will not be gathering any dust on library or classroom shelves. As soon as the first sports fan has read it, the line of readers will be forming right out the door.
Luke Wallace is known as "Wizard." Star baseball, football, and basketball player by his junior year in high school, he already has college and pro scouts showing up at his games. But if any scouts showed up at the game against Oak Grove's rival school Compton, they probably left shaking their heads.
Compton's top-notch pitcher, instructed to throw an inside pitch, loses control and hits Luke right in the face. He goes down, as the umpire describes, "like he was shot." The players, the fans, his parents, and friends are stunned. The ambulance arrives and transports Luke to the ICU at the local hospital.
Now, instead of facing a brilliant sports career, Luke is facing several surgeries and a prolonged recovery. Knowledge that he has lost the sight in his left eye has Luke fighting to find a reason to get better and get on with his life. The tragedy of Luke's accident is felt throughout his community.
BEANBALL is written in verse with a wide cast of characters telling Luke's story from a variety of view points. Although I assigned a grade-level of 9+, this could easily be an acceptable read for 7th- and 8th-graders, as well. Reluctant readers with an interest in sports will be wanting more when they finish BEANBALL.
BEANBALL by Gene Fehler will not be gathering any dust on library or classroom shelves. As soon as the first sports fan has read it, the line of readers will be forming right out the door.
Luke Wallace is known as "Wizard." Star baseball, football, and basketball player by his junior year in high school, he already has college and pro scouts showing up at his games. But if any scouts showed up at the game against Oak Grove's rival school Compton, they probably left shaking their heads.
Compton's top-notch pitcher, instructed to throw an inside pitch, loses control and hits Luke right in the face. He goes down, as the umpire describes, "like he was shot." The players, the fans, his parents, and friends are stunned. The ambulance arrives and transports Luke to the ICU at the local hospital.
Now, instead of facing a brilliant sports career, Luke is facing several surgeries and a prolonged recovery. Knowledge that he has lost the sight in his left eye has Luke fighting to find a reason to get better and get on with his life. The tragedy of Luke's accident is felt throughout his community.
BEANBALL is written in verse with a wide cast of characters telling Luke's story from a variety of view points. Although I assigned a grade-level of 9+, this could easily be an acceptable read for 7th- and 8th-graders, as well. Reluctant readers with an interest in sports will be wanting more when they finish BEANBALL.
May 24, 2010
I know Brandon doesn't believe me, but I love baseball, I really do, even though I haven't paid much attention to games in the past few years.
There are many people in the world who just don't like baseball. But baseball isn't just like any other sport...there's a depth to it that you could miss if you took it at a merely superficial level...Baseball is about the pauses in the insanity, the myriad of choices to make, the individualism that must co-exist with teamwork, the balance between poise and aggression… I realize it's not for everyone, but baseball is an art, as well as a sport, and you can take it or leave it for what it is.
Anyway, that’s why I think it’s absolutely perfect to meld baseball with free-verse monologue, because you have room to feel and breathe and think in baseball. In the same way that people don’t always “get” poetry and would rather read fast-paced action novels, I think baseball can be misunderstood. And I like the way the free-verse came across: it was believable, as far as people’s thoughts go. (Some parts felt a bit cliché, but that was alright.) I mean, when people go through tragedy, they don’t just snap through a lot of angst and misery: people are stunned and numb and confused, and I really felt that come across in this book.
And there were moments to smile at, just like there are in life.
A lot of the monologues come from high school boys, so the free-verse has a foundation of grit to it. I love that.
There are many people in the world who just don't like baseball. But baseball isn't just like any other sport...there's a depth to it that you could miss if you took it at a merely superficial level...Baseball is about the pauses in the insanity, the myriad of choices to make, the individualism that must co-exist with teamwork, the balance between poise and aggression… I realize it's not for everyone, but baseball is an art, as well as a sport, and you can take it or leave it for what it is.
Anyway, that’s why I think it’s absolutely perfect to meld baseball with free-verse monologue, because you have room to feel and breathe and think in baseball. In the same way that people don’t always “get” poetry and would rather read fast-paced action novels, I think baseball can be misunderstood. And I like the way the free-verse came across: it was believable, as far as people’s thoughts go. (Some parts felt a bit cliché, but that was alright.) I mean, when people go through tragedy, they don’t just snap through a lot of angst and misery: people are stunned and numb and confused, and I really felt that come across in this book.
And there were moments to smile at, just like there are in life.
A lot of the monologues come from high school boys, so the free-verse has a foundation of grit to it. I love that.
January 20, 2014
I loved this book and I hated it all at the same time. I hated this book because it was written in logs, but I loved it because of the plot and the theme. The plot I enjoyed the most because it is very interesting,very explosive, and it hits you all at once. The conflict of the story was amazing yet very brief. Luke deals with his problem to quickly and he wants to put it behind him like it never happened. The resolution of the conflict is great and very inspiring, he gets back out on the field and does what he loves most, play baseball. The conflict was very interesting and held my attention for the entire book, over all the conflict of the book is brilliant. The part of the book that was incredible shocking to me was the climax because it comes out of no where and hit you like a truck. Also there is one quote that is very amazing for the climax. "The kid went down with out a sound, not even a wimpier." This book really reminds me of the MLB because people get injured and still play in the MLB every day. Just like how Luke deals with his injury and keeps on playing. The theme of the book is very brilliant. The theme of the book is just because your down doesn't mean your out. I think the author wanted to inspire the reader to never give up no matter what.
June 2, 2015
Originally Rated G by Shawna Bayat
Beanball is poet, Gene Fuller's first YA novel. Written in verse, Beanball tells the story to Luke Wallace star baseball player and the tragedy of getting hit by a fast-pitch and loosing any hope of ever playing sports again. The story is told from the standpoint of 28 different characters and the dramatic impact that this accident has on each one of them. The story is compelling and Fuller does an excellent job of describing the events of the story, as well as the feelings and emotions of the characters. What I did find to be a bit of a problem is the sheer number of characters. I could see how this would get confusing to the reader. A few of them only make cameo appearances in the while others are far more important to the overall story. It would have been a more solid novel if Fuller would have downsized to characters that were essential to the story. The juggling of the characters is further complicated with the use of verse, which did not add to the appeal of the story. This is a good example novel for teaching narratives told from different points of view.
Beanball is poet, Gene Fuller's first YA novel. Written in verse, Beanball tells the story to Luke Wallace star baseball player and the tragedy of getting hit by a fast-pitch and loosing any hope of ever playing sports again. The story is told from the standpoint of 28 different characters and the dramatic impact that this accident has on each one of them. The story is compelling and Fuller does an excellent job of describing the events of the story, as well as the feelings and emotions of the characters. What I did find to be a bit of a problem is the sheer number of characters. I could see how this would get confusing to the reader. A few of them only make cameo appearances in the while others are far more important to the overall story. It would have been a more solid novel if Fuller would have downsized to characters that were essential to the story. The juggling of the characters is further complicated with the use of verse, which did not add to the appeal of the story. This is a good example novel for teaching narratives told from different points of view.
December 12, 2008
I really liked this book. It would be a great choice for reluctant reader boys - it reads fast, has a great cover, and has a sports theme. Since this is a novel in verse, I wonder if just the look of poetry might be an immediate turn-off. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives (it would be great for a Reader's Theatre piece in Acting class or Speech class), though I felt some of the characters stretched the realms of plausibility. For instance, are there really girls as shallow and unfeeling as Melody Mercer? Are there really coaches so hell-bent on winning that, rather than be concerned about a seriously injured player, all they care about is how the team is impacted - well...I guess that isn't really a big stretch.
Themes of anger, the importance of hope, questioning God's motives, winning at all costs, etc. are all relevant. There is some great figurative language! Although there is some technical language, anyone with even a basic knowledge of baseball, should be fine.
Themes of anger, the importance of hope, questioning God's motives, winning at all costs, etc. are all relevant. There is some great figurative language! Although there is some technical language, anyone with even a basic knowledge of baseball, should be fine.
November 30, 2012
This book really relates to me because I, myself am a pitcher and love the game of baseball. But I thought this book was not the best it could be because it was a little hard to follow and was formatted differently which is not a bad thing if you like different. It gives you an angle of different perspectives from different people. The main character is Luke "the wizard" Wallace. What happens in the book is Luke gets hit with a beanball in the face and shatters his face. He ends up losing his sight in the end and can never be an athlete for the rest of his life. In the end Luke finds out who his real friends are and who are not. He finds out that one of his new classmates care about him more than his girlfriend. This book teaches you life lessons like don't take what you have for granite. Also it teaches you about friendship and about loss. It is a sad book. It is very easy to read and if you like baseball books you should read this book.
February 27, 2014
I thought that Bean Ball was a really good book because I didn't want to put the book down and stop reading, it was surprising like I didn't know what was going to happen next, and I understood what was happening. Know i'm going to tell you about the three reasons I gave you.
My first reason is I didn't want to put the book down and stop reading because I always wanted to know what was going to happen next because I hate it when I have to stop to go do something else, but be at a spot where I want to know what happens.
My second reason is the book was surprising, like when someone got hit in the head with a ball and he cracked his skull and lost eyesight in one of his eyes.
My third reason is I understood the book and what was happening, sometimes the writer gave enough detail that I could picture what was happening in my head.
That is why I liked Bean Ball, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes sport books. I rate this book four stars.
My first reason is I didn't want to put the book down and stop reading because I always wanted to know what was going to happen next because I hate it when I have to stop to go do something else, but be at a spot where I want to know what happens.
My second reason is the book was surprising, like when someone got hit in the head with a ball and he cracked his skull and lost eyesight in one of his eyes.
My third reason is I understood the book and what was happening, sometimes the writer gave enough detail that I could picture what was happening in my head.
That is why I liked Bean Ball, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes sport books. I rate this book four stars.
March 5, 2009
Fehler, Gene Beanball pgs. 128 Clarion Books Language~PG, Sexual Content~G; Violence~PG
How fast does a baseball travel when thrown by a high school pitcher? Do you know? The average speed is between 65-70 mph. Now imagine a ball coming at your face at that speed! One fateful day Luke ‘Wizard’ Wallace is struck in the face by a beanball(a wild pitch.) Beanball is the story of this accident and what happened after not only to Luke but everyone that was there that day. Told in free verse, the story is told from the perspectives of 28 different narrators all who were affected in some way by the accident. This is a fast paced read that will have readers cringing at times, but on the edge of their seat to the end.
MS/HS –ADVISABLE. Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Library
How fast does a baseball travel when thrown by a high school pitcher? Do you know? The average speed is between 65-70 mph. Now imagine a ball coming at your face at that speed! One fateful day Luke ‘Wizard’ Wallace is struck in the face by a beanball(a wild pitch.) Beanball is the story of this accident and what happened after not only to Luke but everyone that was there that day. Told in free verse, the story is told from the perspectives of 28 different narrators all who were affected in some way by the accident. This is a fast paced read that will have readers cringing at times, but on the edge of their seat to the end.
MS/HS –ADVISABLE. Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Library
September 7, 2011
Luke "Wizard" Wallace is the star of his high school baseball team until he gets hit in the face with a baseball while at bat. Beanball tells the events leading up to the accident and the those that follow from various people's perspectives: coaches, Luke's friends, his family, other students and Luke himself.
This book was just OK. I plan on booktalking it to some reluctant readers as it was definitely short and would appeal to baseball lovers. Although I appreciated the author's attempt at presenting the same story from different perspecitves, I feel like there was too much jumping around from character to character. I never really got a chance to care about anyone or get to know them. I think the overall idea for the book was great but it either needed to be longer or from just one person's perspective to really get to the heart of what Luke is going through.
This book was just OK. I plan on booktalking it to some reluctant readers as it was definitely short and would appeal to baseball lovers. Although I appreciated the author's attempt at presenting the same story from different perspecitves, I feel like there was too much jumping around from character to character. I never really got a chance to care about anyone or get to know them. I think the overall idea for the book was great but it either needed to be longer or from just one person's perspective to really get to the heart of what Luke is going through.
January 14, 2009
I loved this book! It's one of my favorite sports books.
Luke is awesome at all sports but during a baseball game, he is hit by a beanball or wild pitch and his face is shattered. He almost dies. In the end, though, he loses his sight in one eye which is still devastating because he will never be the athlete that he once was. It's a book about friendship, about loss, about recovering from broken dreams and tragic accidents.
It's a good hi-low level book that has an interest level of middle school/high school but I think around a fourth grade reading level.It's a fast read too because it's told through free-verse monologues. The interesting part about the book is that 28 different people tell the story. I like being able to find out everyone's different perspective.
Luke is awesome at all sports but during a baseball game, he is hit by a beanball or wild pitch and his face is shattered. He almost dies. In the end, though, he loses his sight in one eye which is still devastating because he will never be the athlete that he once was. It's a book about friendship, about loss, about recovering from broken dreams and tragic accidents.
It's a good hi-low level book that has an interest level of middle school/high school but I think around a fourth grade reading level.It's a fast read too because it's told through free-verse monologues. The interesting part about the book is that 28 different people tell the story. I like being able to find out everyone's different perspective.
August 21, 2008
Cerita tentang baseball seputar kecelakaan yang dialami atlet baseball berbakat, Luke 'Wizard' Wallace, sewaktu bertanding melawan sekolah lain. Luke terkena bola diwajahnya dan menyebabkan dia harus kehilangan penglihatan di mata kirinya.
Kejadian ini membuat trauma si pelempar bola dan Luke sendiri merasa down karena dia sangat mencintai olah raga Baseball.
Cukup menarik, mengingat saya sebenernya bukan penggemar olah raga yang satu ini. Tapi cara bertutur penulisnya yang menggunakan point of view dari banyak karakter membuat buku ini sulit dilepas dari genggaman dan bikin penasaran membaca kisah selanjutnya.
Seru!
Kejadian ini membuat trauma si pelempar bola dan Luke sendiri merasa down karena dia sangat mencintai olah raga Baseball.
Cukup menarik, mengingat saya sebenernya bukan penggemar olah raga yang satu ini. Tapi cara bertutur penulisnya yang menggunakan point of view dari banyak karakter membuat buku ini sulit dilepas dari genggaman dan bikin penasaran membaca kisah selanjutnya.
Seru!
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