rwarner's review
4.0
I mentor a young man going into 7th grade, and his class was assigned this book as summer reading. I read it so I could discuss with him. It's decidedly for young readers, though it tackles some very mature (in the sense of grownup, not pornographic) topics. The treatment of these topics is aimed at younger minds, though, so feels somewhat incomplete. Nonetheless, it's a good introduction for young people to a world where things go wrong all the time, and sometimes good happens and sometimes bad happens, and it's up to you to choose your attitude.
The story is fun and moves along well, with diverse characters, twists, intrigue, kindness, deceit, anger, and forgiveness.
The story is fun and moves along well, with diverse characters, twists, intrigue, kindness, deceit, anger, and forgiveness.
book_nut's review
It was okay -- the half that I read -- as far as baseball books go. But I wasn't that into it, so I bailed.
curiouslibrarian's review
4.0
It's been 4 months since I read this one, so it's hard to do a good review. But I really enjoyed reading this one. The baseball was exciting and the larger story was compelling and interesting.
Recommended. Grade 4-8.
Recommended. Grade 4-8.
lindzee's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty predictable and the main character was annoying most of the time.
toryhallelujah's review against another edition
3.0
Not great, but not terrible. A good baseball story (very heavy on the baseball, if you aren't a fan), but with a predictable realization at the end.
devafagan's review against another edition
I love books where all sorts of little elements are set in place, and then they all come together and everything fits and you just sit back and admire it. For me, Mudville was one of those books. It's got a town where it never stops raining, curses, a dad who can't cook, old rivalries, and lots and lots of baseball. And it all melds together into an engaging and surprisingly (for me) exciting story. I say surprisingly because I personally am not the world's biggest baseball fan. But because of the contagious enthusiasm of the characters, I loved it along with them in MUDVILLE. I am so glad I had the chance to read this book!
library_brandy's review against another edition
4.0
It's a rare book that makes me want to play baseball. This book really captures everything about the game--the author (hi Kurtis) clearly loves the game, and it infuses every bit of every character. The rivalries, the importance of the game to this sodden town, the cultural and personal heritages caught up with baseball... every page of this book is a mash note to the sport, and I mean that in a good way.
It's not all baseball, though--there's a family story here, brotherhood and parents and general familial relationships to each other. It could be very sappy, but none of the characters are perfect--they're all flawed in their individual ways, giving even the characters with little screen time or deep importance to the plot dimension and earning them sympathy. It would be easy to give some of these characters no redeeming qualities, but Scaletta tempers the bad and/or neglectful behaviors with hints that these parents do love their children--they just can't be good parents, for whatever reason. Their flaws make them human.
Full disclosure: Kurtis is someone I'm proud and honored to call my friend, but I'd say these things even if he weren't. Because this is a sports book that interested me, even though I, the terminally graceless and uncoordinated, have no interest in sports, particularly baseball. I still don't fully understand in words what makes the game so great--but on a gut level, I think I understand it perfectly.
It's not all baseball, though--there's a family story here, brotherhood and parents and general familial relationships to each other. It could be very sappy, but none of the characters are perfect--they're all flawed in their individual ways, giving even the characters with little screen time or deep importance to the plot dimension and earning them sympathy. It would be easy to give some of these characters no redeeming qualities, but Scaletta tempers the bad and/or neglectful behaviors with hints that these parents do love their children--they just can't be good parents, for whatever reason. Their flaws make them human.
Full disclosure: Kurtis is someone I'm proud and honored to call my friend, but I'd say these things even if he weren't. Because this is a sports book that interested me, even though I, the terminally graceless and uncoordinated, have no interest in sports, particularly baseball. I still don't fully understand in words what makes the game so great--but on a gut level, I think I understand it perfectly.
rjandersonwriter's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book.
This is amazing because the plot revolves around baseball, and what I know about the game you could write down on one side of a single sheet of paper using large print and have plenty of room left over -- and frankly, I don't care about baseball as a rule either. So if I'd seen this book in the store, I would have skimmed right past it without giving it a second thought, dismissing it as One of Those Books for Boys Who Love Sports.
I would have been wrong. And I would have missed out on a wonderful book with engaging characters, a compelling story, intriguing hints of mystery, believable human relationships, dynamic prose, and yes, interesting descriptions of baseball.
This is amazing because the plot revolves around baseball, and what I know about the game you could write down on one side of a single sheet of paper using large print and have plenty of room left over -- and frankly, I don't care about baseball as a rule either. So if I'd seen this book in the store, I would have skimmed right past it without giving it a second thought, dismissing it as One of Those Books for Boys Who Love Sports.
I would have been wrong. And I would have missed out on a wonderful book with engaging characters, a compelling story, intriguing hints of mystery, believable human relationships, dynamic prose, and yes, interesting descriptions of baseball.