Nick is the kind of kid that leaves a sharp impression with almost everybody he meets.  He’s a detail-oriented person who loves his family, loves to write, and has a passion for baseball. Unfortunately, he’s a big time worrier, but, he has reason for concern.  His family isn’t in the best of situations and Nick wishes he could change that.  Regrettably, at 12-years-old, there’s not much he can do and keeping his family’s secrets is taking its toll on him.  Meanwhile, he has Ben, Diego, and baseball as diversions.  Ben and Diego are his best friends and they have his back in life–on and off the field.  They are basically the Three Amigos.  Nick also looks up to a famous baseball player who is a great role model to him.

The author, Mike Lupica, has written a book that shows the love of family and the love of baseball.  It’s written in a way that even a non-baseball person can thoroughly enjoy this story.  In the midst of family, baseball, and the joy of summer, this book deals extensively with immigration issues that illegal immigrants face.  It was a little disappointing to see how the author seemed to make police officers and immigration officials out to be the bad guys.  It was impressive, however, to see that the author made Nick’s Dad to be a model citizen who taught his children to love America and to work hard.  In the end, it gave the impression that this book was more about the plight and politics of illegal immigration and baseball was the side story that keeps the reader interested.  Mike Lupica has written about fifty books and is a prominent sports writer.   

Review of an Advance Reading Copy

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Philomel

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: 1 religious exclamation. 

Violence/Gore:  A man’s father previously passed away when he was around 12-year- old; 2 men arrested by ICE agents; a minor accident on the baseball field, no permanent physical damage; a man instiigated a fight with another man, both taken to jail.

Sex/Nudity:  A 12-year-old boy and girl like each other and hang-out often.

Mature Subject Matter:

Social conflicts, immigration issues, illegal immigration, death of a parent, ICE – Immigration Customs Enforcement Agents, court system, attorneys, police, imprisonment of a parent, teen with Lupus.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None