At 13 and in 7th grade, Gemma is over 6 feet tall and stands out like a sore thumb at her middle school. She loves baseball, but she lives in the shadow of her brother Teddy, an 8th grader with a golden arm who's already talked about being a top prospect in the majors. Her friends only want to hang out with her so they can talk with Teddy. Their mother has left the family, and their father works three jobs to make ends meet. Gemma has become the caretaker for the family, cooking meals, doing laundry, and making sure that everyone, including her younger twin brothers, are taken cared of. On the rare occasions her father's home, he's only interested in Teddy.
Through all of this, Gemma does not have time to play baseball. Teddy is under pressure, as he's preparing to go away for months at a training camp for prodigious athletes. He needs the practice time, and Gemma ends up pitching for him over and over. Folks come to watch Teddy hit balls one after another. But Gemma is under pressure too. She has a big fight with her best friend, and she's tired of playing second fiddle with Teddy.
So when Teddy brings up the intriguing possibility that maybe Gemma should try out for the same team Teddy will be playing with, Gemma is intrigued. How could she possibly abandon her family to pursue the opportunity to play baseball? But with a video going viral, and with the stars aligning, Gemma might manage to pursue her dream after all!
Beautifully illustrated, Gemma's trials and tribulations show her resilience and her grit as she aims to find her own way in the world. Fans of graphic novels will love this story, and those who enjoy a good sports story should absolutely check it out!
No comments:
Post a Comment