Sara Griffiths, Thrown a Curve

Thrown a Curve

Sara Griffiths

Bancroft, May 2007, $2.95

ISBN: 1890862495

In New Jersey, her mother deserted her father, her two brothers, and her when Taylor Dresden was a baby; she has no memories of the woman that she can say are her own. When Taylor was seven, her dad would rotate taking her brothers to Yankee Stadium, but never her. When she was eight, her brothers played little league and she decided she wanted to do so too. Taylor became a pitcher, but the only female player. Her father watched her siblings play, but never her. When she overhears him mention that he is embarrassed that his daughter is a better thrower than the boys, Taylor quits.

Now fourteen, her only friend Justin gets her to show off her pitching arm at a carnival. Later she gets drunk for the first time in her life and throws a brick through the school window. Guidance counselor Mr. Sacamore saw her and gives her an ultimatum. She tries out for the all-boys baseball team or he goes to the cops. She makes the team die to her wicked curveball, but no one except Sacamore and Justin wants her on the team and her dad especially wants her off the team. Still, as she shows grit and talent, the softball team girls adopt her as one of them and her teammates, except for superstar Rick, realize she can make them a winning team. Can Taylor adjust to success and friendships, both new in her life even as her only pal wants to be more than just friends?

This is a fabulous, young-adult character study starring a teenager who believes life has thrown plenty of curves at her and a few beanballs in the mix. Baseball is her confidence builder as she learns that the strong don't just survive, they thrive. A secondary message involving her dad's failure to communicate that he loves and is proud of his daughter makes her assume he hates her, adding to a fine character study.

Harriet Klausner