The Right Call by Tommy Greenwood

 

Cal is a 15-year-old pitcher who already has college scouts looking at him play. He's a great ball player, but the tension and stress put on him at such a young age is making baseball a lot less fun than it used to be. In addition to coaches and scouts putting pressure on him, Cal's dad has gotten invested in the game to the point of arguing and even yelling at the umpires. It all comes to a head in a heated game when an older umpire makes a call that Cal's dad doesn't like. There is an argument in the parking lot and the umpire is badly injured. Cal's dad is accused of a crime, leaving Cal to wrestle with his feelings about the game, his dad's behavior, and his future plans. The format of this book is unique--it is entirely told in transcripts of conversations, news articles, text messages, and even poems that Cal writes. It's part of the Game Changer series, and all of these books are great picks for middle schoolers who love sports. Thank you to author Tommy Greenwald for writing books for and about young teens! #youngteenlit