The Only Game

Publisher Marketing: Can a young baseball star maintain his love of the game after the loss of his brother? Find out in this start to the Home Team series about a small town with high hopes, from "New York Times "bestselling author and sportswriting legend Mike Lupica. Jack Callahan is the star of his baseball team and sixth grade is supposed to be his year. Undefeated season. Records shattered. Little League World Series. The works. That is, until he up and quits. Jack's best friend Gus can't understand how Jack could leave a game that means more to them than anything else. But Jack is done. It's a year of change. Jack's brother has passed away, and though his family and friends and the whole town of Walton thinks baseball is just the thing he needs to move on, Jack feels it's anything but. In comes Cassie Bennett, star softball player, and the only person who seems to think Jack shouldn't play if he doesn't want to. As Jack and Cassie's friendship deepens, their circle expands to include Teddy, a guy who's been picked on because of his weight. Time spent with these new friends unlocks something within Jack, and with their help and the support of his family and his old friends, Jack discovers sometimes it's more than just the love of the game that keeps us moving--and he might just be able to find his way back to "The Only Game." Review Citations: School Library Journal 12/01/2014 pg. 124 (EAN 9781481409957, Hardcover) Kirkus Reviews 12/15/2014 (EAN 9781481409957, Hardcover) Publishers Weekly 02/09/2015 (EAN 9781481409957, Hardcover) Contributor Bio:  Lupica, Mike Mike Lupica is the author of multiple bestselling books for young readers, including "QB 1", "Heat", "Travel Team", "Million-Dollar Throw", and "The Underdogs". He has carved out a niche as the sporting world's finest storyteller. Mike lives in Connecticut with his wife and their four children. When not writing novels, he writes "for New York's Daily News", appears on ESPN's "The Sports Reporters" and hosts "The Mike Lupica Show" on ESPN Radio. You can visit Mike Lupica at MikeLupicaBooks.com. Contributor Bio:  Nobbs, Keith Keith Nobbs has appeared on Broadway in "The Lion In Winter" and off-Broadway in "Dog Sees God", " Romance", "The Hasty Heart", "Bye Bye Birdie", "Dublin Carol", and "Four" (Lucille Lortel Award, Drama Desk Nomination). His film credits include "Phone Booth", "Double Whammy", and "25th Hour". Television credits include "The Black Donnellys" (series regular), "Law and Order: Criminal Intent", and "The Sopranos".