Change Up
-
- $9.99
Publisher Description
In the third book in the New York Times bestselling middle grade series inspired by the life of iconic New York Yankee Derek Jeter, Derek’s father keeps his promise to coach his son’s youth baseball team.
Derek is sure this will be the best season yet! He has it all planned—his dad will have him start at shortstop, and the team will cruise to a championship. But sometimes life doesn’t go according to plan. Change Up focuses on a key life lesson of Derek Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation—Deal with Growing Pains—in the series companion to Hit & Miss and The Contract, about which The Wall Street Journal said, “the play by play action is exciting and the lessons many.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Jeter follows The Contract and Hit & Miss with a third baseball book based on his own childhood, using straightforward storytelling to explore another one of his "10 Life Lessons" (in this case, "Deal with Growing Pains"). Derek, now 10, can't wait for this year's Little League season; his father has finally agreed to coach him and his two best friends will be his teammates. But when Gary, Derek's nemesis from school, shows up on the same team determined to prove that sports are "a complete waste of time," Derek sees his championship dreams vanishing. Insult is added to injury when Derek's father ignores Gary's antics and bad attitude while penalizing Derek for not being a better teammate. Derek's "do the right thing" can be grating, and the overall focus on teaching readers a principle to live by feels preachy. Jeter is at his best when he focuses on baseball action, the camaraderie of kids who live and breathe to play the game, and the magic of being part of a team. In that regard, loyal readers of this series will not be disappointed. Ages 8 12.
