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Title details for Hothead by Cal Ripken, Jr. - Available

Hothead

Hothead

#1 in series

by Cal Ripken, Jr.
Kevin Cowherd
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available
Connor Sullivan is too humble to admit it, but he’s the Orioles’ best player: an all-star shortstop and a beast of a cleanup hitter. The Orioles are thankful to have someone with his skill, dedication, and good nature on their Babe Ruth League team. Lately, though, Connor hasn’t been so good-natured. Maybe he’s worried about things at home, or maybe he’s just been working too hard—whatever the reason, his anger is out of control. When he strikes out or makes an error, he’s a walking Mount Vesuvius, slamming his batting helmet and throwing his glove. His opponents dub him “Psycho Sully.” Even his best friend, Jordy, starts to avoid him. Coach Hammond is ready to bench him indefinitely.
Then the sports editor of the school paper threatens to do a big story on Connor’s tantrums—complete with embarrassing photos. Will Connor be able to get his act together in time to help the team win the championship, or is he destined to become a champion chump on YouTube?
This story, loosely based on a challenge Cal Ripken, Jr. once faced, is filled with plenty of play-by-play action to keep baseball fans riveted.

  • Creators

  • Series

    Cal Ripken, Jr.'s All-Stars

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 8, 2011

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780307916471
      • File size: 82007 KB
      • Duration: 02:50:50

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 810
    • Text Difficulty: 3-4

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      January 3, 2011
      In a surprisingly bland story given the title, retired Baltimore Orioles star and first-time children's book author Ripken and coauthor Cowherd introduce seventh-grader Connor Sullivan, a baseball phenom with a killer swing but an ever-mounting temper. Connor's team is headed for the Babe Ruth League championship, until his game-time outbursts jeopardize the team's success. Suddenly Connor's life is on a downward spiral: his best friend balks at his poor behavior, his coach threatens to kick him off the team, financial pressures mount at home (his father has been out of work for months), and an annoying but cute classmate insists on documenting his demise for the school newspaper. A pep talk from his coach gets Connor back on track, and—no surprise—Connor rebounds to lead his team to victory. Ripken and Cowherd's characters are empathetic (the economic stresses weighing on Connor add to his relatability and to the book's timeliness), and baseball fans should find the action on the diamond enjoyable if not nail-biting. Still, the plot is a little too familiar, and Connor's "all is lost" moment is mild. Ages 8–12.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:810
  • Text Difficulty:3-4

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