From School Library Journal
Gr 5–8—After hitting a two-run homer in the third inning that ties the championship game, Tommy Rust finds himself at bat, poised to bring in the game-winning run. Then his dad shows up and Tommy knows he's not there to watch the big game. It's time to run. For as long as Tommy can remember, this is how they live- going from town to town, always under a different name. By the time Tommy and his dad reach their destination, a little town in Upstate New York, he has memorized his new name, Brock Nickerson, and managed to push down his anger at being uprooted yet again. In an attempt to fit in at his new school, Brock accepts a dare and throws a rock through Coach Hudgens's window. The Coach, admiring Brock's throwing arm, offers a ticket out of trouble: he wants Brock to join the travel team. Brock and the Coach are compelling and sympathetically drawn characters. Brock's dad is not as fleshed out and comes across as inconsistent. While the baseball action is engaging, the mystery surrounding the father and what he does for a living is never fully explained. This lack of resolution may hint at future installments.—Brenda Kahn, Tenakill Middle School, Closter, NJ
From the Back Cover
It's hard being the new kid, both on and off the field.
It's bases loaded, bottom of the last inning, and Tommy Rust is up at bat in the championship game. This is the moment he's been waiting for. But then his father barges onto the field, and Tommy knows what will happen next. They will be leaving immediately—again—because Tommy and his dad are on the run.
Now Tommy is in a new school, in a new town, and he is no longer known as Tommy. Brock Nickerson is the name of the new kid, and finding a place for himself is proving to be a challenge, especially when his new friend is the bully from the wrong side of the tracks. Things aren't looking good for Brock, so to fit in, he accepts a dare to throw a rock at the travel-team coach's window.
Coach Hudgens has demons of his own, and many say he's "washed up." The travel team he's been running has lost every ball game in the last year. However, when Coach catches Brock in the act, he's more impressed by his pitching arm than angry at the prank. But can Brock save Coach's team . . . and maybe Coach himself? Or will Brock's father make him be the new kid in yet another town?
New York Times bestselling author and former NFL defensive end Tim Green delivers another baseball tale with sports action and emotional heart that will keep kids on the edges of their seats.
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