So let's be completely fair: I'm not a big fan of baseball. So I had trouble getting into this book. Like I said before, the main character's voice didn't feel very authentic either, so combining that with all the baseball terminology, and I got bored with this book. I made it halfway through, then decided I didn't feel like finishing it.That being said, I think that middle school boys who like baseball and humor will probably love this book, and I'll be recommending it to them to see what they think. I read this book aloud to my 8 year old son. My son loves to play baseball. This book is about a kid who gets hit by a pitch during his baseball game and what he mentally has to go through to be brave enough to step up to the plate again. This book showed my son that other kids are scared of batting, of not making the team, and of having to ride the bench sometimes. Sometimes kids don't want to hear advice from their parents about such things. This would be a great book for a kid to read to learn ways to handle these situations. My son has already had a "Plunked" moment. It was such a joy to hear him say, "Hey Mom, that was just like Plunked!".
What do You think about Plunked (2012)?
Upper elementary sports fiction. A fast-paced story with lots of game scenes.
—vince
YHBA nominee for 2014-15. Too much baseball for me but well written.
—amber
