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Title: The Kid Coach (AllStar SportStory Series) by Fred Bowen, Anne Barrow, Ann Barrow ISBN: 1-56145-140-1 Publisher: Peachtree Publishers Pub. Date: March, 1997 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 (2 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Young Scott finds out there is more to coaching than lineups
Comment: I can remember tactfully explaining to the coach of my freshman baseball team in high school that who covers second base on steal plays is usually dependent on which side of the plate the batter is swinging from, so I have no problem with the idea that a kid might be able to do a better job of coaching that some adults. However, the problem faced by Scott and his teammates in "The Kid Coach" is that just as the baseball season is beginning their coach has to quit because of his new business and there is not another adult, parent or otherwise, who can take the job. But then the team comes up with the idea that Scott could be the coach and to his surprised the adults on the board agree because of the efforts of Benny. Known as the "Brain," Benny is the worst player on the team, but he knows his baseball history and can cite the precedent of major league baseball players who also coached or managed their teams, from Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby and Lou Boudreau to Frank Robinson and Pete Rose.
In this instructive AllStar SportStory the fact Scott to manage his team does not produce a championship season. This is more "Rocky" than "Major League." The Tigers get off to a lead in their first game but their pitcher gets shelled in the later innings. When the team has lost its first five games and the players are starting to revolt, Scott begins to learn the real lesson of "The Kid Coach." It seems that all the time Benny has been sitting on the bench the notes he has been scribbling in his notebook have been to compile statistics on the game.
What Scott and the readers of "The Kid Coach" learn about is the strategy of statistics. Benny is able to show that the Tigers only gave up 6 runs in the first three innings versus 22 in the last three. Therefore, the team's pitchers tire after three innings and should not still be pitching. Max might have more hits than Maggie, but he never walks while she has more than twice as many as anybody else on the team. Therefore, having a leadoff hitter with a .625 on base percentage is a lot better than somebody who is only at .250. Then there is one of the strategies Benny learned from baseball history regarding a little something known as "The Williams Shift."
The instructive weaving of baseball history into the plot of his juvenile baseball stories is both a distinguishing feature and a major strength of Fred Bowen's books. I can certainly appreciate the way in which he uses his narratives to instruct his young readers. A great example of how he elevates his topic is provided on page 50, where one of the illustrations by Ann Barrow shows that Bowen likes to turn stereotypes on their head, not be telling, but by showing. The end result is that Fred Bowen sets the standard for what can be done in sports books for young kids, and he sets that standard high.
Rating: 4
Summary: It's Your Turn to be the Coach
Comment: I am a big fan of Fred Bowen's sports books. I love to play many different sports and his stories really keep my interest. The Kid Coach is a great story because most kids on a team would like to be the coach from time to time. When Scott actually had to become the coach it was a lot harder than it seemed. Real team work became necessary if they were going to win. Read to see how kids cope with the struggles and joys of leading. Go Team!
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Title: Playoff Dreams (AllStar SportStory Series) by Fred Bowen, Ann Barrow ISBN: 156145155X Publisher: Peachtree Publishers Pub. Date: September, 1997 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
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Title: T.J.'s Secret Pitch (AllStar SportStory Series) by Fred Bowen, Jim Thorpe ISBN: 1561451193 Publisher: Peachtree Publishers Pub. Date: March, 1996 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
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Title: On the Line (AllStar SportStory Series) by Fred Bowen, Ann Barrow ISBN: 1561451991 Publisher: Peachtree Publishers Pub. Date: October, 1999 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
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Title: Winners Take All by Fred Bowen, Paul Casale ISBN: 1561452297 Publisher: Peachtree Publishers, Ltd. Pub. Date: September, 2000 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
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Title: Off the Rim (AllStar SportStory Series) by Fred Bowen, Ann Barrow ISBN: 1561451614 Publisher: Peachtree Publishers Pub. Date: September, 1998 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
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