The Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles
House Jackson, age 12, is a regular kid who respects his dad, takes care of his little sister, and loves to play baseball. House Jackson is also a kid who has a secret that not even his best friend, Cleebo, knows about...yet. When everyone learns House's secret, that he has been spending time reading books to a reclusive elderly man that the kids in town have nicknamed "Mean-Man- Boyd," he comes to understand that standing up for someone takes courage and strength, traits he didn't know he had until he was put to the test.
Another great book by Deborah Wiles! The lazy days of a small town summer where baseball and 4th of July pageants take center field transport the reader to a nostalgic place in time when neighbors looked out for one another and life was enjoyed outdoors. Wiles creates characters with whom the reader can relate and masterfully includes the return of a favorite character from an earlier book as Ruby Lavender (from With Love, Ruby Lavender) staunchly claims her spot on the boys-only baseball team. Additionally, through the incorporation of Walt Whitman's poetry, Wiles brings a deeper level of appreciation to this story.
The topics within this story such as: baseball, community, girls v. boys, celebrating historical roots, friendship, and poetry make this a book that appeals to a variety of readers.
KEYWORDS: baseball, poetry, friendship, family, community, history
Online Connections:
Author website:
http://www.deborahwiles.com/index2.html
Take Me Out to the Ballgame:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGws1yR0tg8
MLB Kids' Games:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/kids/games.jsp
The Walt Whitman Homepage:
http://waltwhitman.org/
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