Plunked

Sixth grader Jack Mogens has it all figured out: he's got his batting routine down, and his outfielding earns him a starting spot alongside his best friend Andy on their Little League team, the Tall Pines Braves. He even manages to have a not-totally-embarrassing conversation with Katie, the team's killer shortstop. But in the first game of the season, a powerful stray pitch brings everything Jack's worked so hard for crashing down around his ears. How can he explain to his parents and friends why he WON'T be playing?

About the Author :
Michael Northrop is the "New York Times" bestselling author of TombQuest, an epic book and game adventure series featuring the magic of ancient Egypt. He is also the author of "Trapped," an Indie Next List Selection, and "Plunked," a New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Selection and an NPR Backseat Book Club Pick. An editor at "Sports Illustrated Kids" for many years, he now writes full-time from his home in New York City. Learn more at www.michaelnorthrop.net.

Review :
What Northrop does particularly well here is to dig into the deep, complex psychology of an at-bat, where there s so much more going on than a simple meeting or missing of a ball and bat. Booklist" "What Northrop does particularly well here is to dig into the deep, complex psychology of an at-bat, where there's so much more going on than a simple meeting or missing of a ball and bat." --Booklist A well-crafted story and fun read. The sharp dialogue, the characters and, yes, maybe even a little bit of [Jack s] anxiety will resonate with young readers. Tom Verducci, senior writer, Sports Illustrated " Plunked gives a marvelous degree of attention to the second-to-second details of youth baseball. Any kid who has ever loved a sport to the point of obsession will feel the fastball screaming into Jack s batting helmet. Gordon Korman, author of Swindle " Praise for "Plunked " [A] kid-smart novel . . . Northrop, a former reporter and editor at "Sports Illustrated KIds," knows baseball and kids. He weaves an entertaining story about how the games we play can be mental as well as physical. -- "USA Today" A well-crafted story and fun read. The sharp dialogue, the characters and, yes, maybe even a little bit of [Jack's] anxiety will resonate with young readers. --Tom Verducci, senior writer, "Sports Illustrated" "Plunked" gives a marvelous degree of attention to the second-to-second details of youth baseball. Any kid who has ever loved a sport to the point of obsession will feel the fastball screaming into Jack's batting helmet. --Gordon Korman, author of "Swindle" Well-developed characters and a strong narrative voice make this novel about much more than baseball. . . . Pitch-perfect. --"School Library Journal" Well-written . . . An uncommonly thoughtful baseball novel. --"Publishers Weekly" Readers will appreciate this down-to-earth sports story that stays within its game, offering . . . a realistic story rooted in the writer's knowledge of the game and what it means to its young players. --"Kirkus Reviews" What Northrop does particularly well here is to dig into the deep, complex psychology of an at-bat, where there's so much more going on than a simple meeting or missing of a ball and bat. --"Booklist" " Readers will appreciate this down-to-earth sports story that stays within its game, offering . . . a realistic story rooted in the writer s knowledge of the game and what it means to its young players. Kirkus Reviews " Well-developed characters and a strong narrative voice make this novel about much more than baseball. . . . Pitch-perfect. School Library Journal " Well-written . . . An uncommonly thoughtful baseball novel. Publishers Weekly " Praise for "Plunked " "[A] kid-smart novel . . . Northrop, a former reporter and editor at "Sports Illustrated KIds," knows baseball and kids. He weaves an entertaining story about how the games we play can be mental as well as physical." -- "USA Today" "A well-crafted story and fun read. The sharp dialogue, the characters and, yes, maybe even a little bit of [Jack's] anxiety will resonate with young readers." --Tom Verducci, senior writer, "Sports Illustrated" ""Plunked" gives a marvelous degree of attention to the second-to-second details of youth baseball. Any kid who has ever loved a sport to the point of obsession will feel the fastball screaming into Jack's batting helmet." --Gordon Korman, author of "Swindle" "Well-developed characters and a strong narrative voice make this novel about much more than baseball. . . . Pitch-perfect." --"School Library Journal" "Well-written . . . An uncommonly thoughtful baseball novel." --"Publishers Weekly" "Readers will appreciate this down-to-earth sports story that stays within its game, offering . . . a realistic story rooted in the writer's knowledge of the game and what it means to its young players." --"Kirkus Reviews" "What Northrop does particularly well here is to dig into the deep, complex psychology of an at-bat, where there's so much more going on than a simple meeting or missing of a ball and bat." --"Booklist" Praise for PLUNKED "[A] kid-smart novel . . . Northrop, a former reporter and editor at SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS, knows baseball and kids. He weaves an entertaining story about how the games we play can be mental as well as physical." --USA TODAY "A well-crafted story and fun read. The sharp dialogue, the characters and, yes, maybe even a little bit of [Jack's] anxiety will resonate with young readers." --Tom Verducci, senior writer, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED "PLUNKED gives a marvelous degree of attention to the second-to-second details of youth baseball. Any kid who has ever loved a sport to the point of obsession will feel the fastball screaming into Jack's batting helmet." --Gordon Korman, author of SWINDLE "Well-developed characters and a strong narrative voice make this novel about much more than baseball. . . . Pitch-perfect." --SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL "Well-written . . . An uncommonly thoughtful baseball novel." --PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "Readers will appreciate this down-to-earth sports story that stays within its game, offering . . . a realistic story rooted in the writer's knowledge of the game and what it means to its young players." --KIRKUS REVIEWS "What Northrop does particularly well here is to dig into the deep, complex psychology of an at-bat, where there's so much more going on than a simple meeting or missing of a ball and bat." --BOOKLIST Praise for PLUNKED "[A] kid-smart novel . . . Northrop, a former reporter and editor at SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS, knows baseball and kids. He weaves an entertaining story about how the games we play can be mental as well as physical." --USA TODAY "A well-crafted story and fun read. The sharp dialogue, the characters and, yes, maybe even a little bit of [Jack's] anxiety will resonate with young readers." --Tom Verducci, senior writer, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED "PLUNKED gives a marvelous degree of attention to the second-to-second details of youth baseball. Any kid who has ever loved a sport to the point of obsession will feel the fastball screaming into Jack's batting helmet." --Gordon Korman, author of SWINDLE "Well-developed characters and a strong narrative voice make this novel about much more than baseball. . . . Pitch-perfect." --SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL "Well-written . . . An uncommonly thoughtful baseball novel." --PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "Readers will appreciate this down-to-earth sports story that stays within its game, offering . . . a realistic story rooted in the writer's knowledge of the game and what it means to its young players." --KIRKUS REVIEWS "What Northrop does particularly well here is to dig into the deep, complex psychology of an at-bat, where there's so much more going on than a simple meeting or missing of a ball and bat." --BOOKLIST "[A] kid-smart novel . . . Northrop, a former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated Kids, knows baseball and kids. He weaves an entertaining story about how the games we play can be mental as well as physical." --USA Today "A well-crafted story and fun read. The sharp dialogue, the characters and, yes, maybe even a little bit of [Jack's] anxiety will resonate with young readers." --Tom Verducci, senior writer, Sports Illustrated "Plunked gives a marvelous degree of attention to the second-to-second details of youth baseball. Any kid who has ever loved a sport to the point of obsession will feel the fastball screaming into Jack's batting helmet." --Gordon Korman, author of Swindle "Readers will appreciate this down-to-earth sports story that stays within its game, offering . . . a realistic story rooted in the writer's knowledge of the game and what it means to its young players." --Kirkus Reviews "Well-developed characters and a strong narrative voice make this novel about much more than baseball. . . . Pitch-perfect." --School Library Journal "Well-written . . . An uncommonly thoughtful baseball novel." --Publishers Weekly Praise for GENTLEMEN"Northrop's first novel is creepy, yet it has what can pass for a happy-or at least satisfying-ending." -The New York Times Book Review "A riveting thriller...This is a rare sort of book that may work just as well for reluctant readers as it will avid ones." -Booklist "Taut as a high-tension wire in execution...Northrop's first novel should have YA readers monitoring Amazon.com for his future works."-The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Praise for TRAPPED "Compelling...Michael Northrop deftly describes teens who are tested by the endless snow." -USA Today "A gripping disaster story...Northrop's solid storytelling should keep readers rapt." -Publishers Weekly "An edge-of-your-seat experience...Just as he did in GENTLEMEN, Northrop gets at the core of human nature through masterful pacing." -Kirkus Reviews