This is a plain but moving short novel. As a sports fan, I applaud how the author shows both the upsides and downsides of sport. The characters are relatable and the plot is engaging.

The tempo is pretty basic: no twists or turns, no flashbacks. But what it lacks in structure it makes up for in plot. I am sure readers will agree it is very authentic, the message and intent clear throughout the story.

I’d recommend it not just for sports fans but for all middle grade readers. Here is a glimpse of what is in store:

I never told Will how much that bugged me. It wouldn’t have mattered if I did. Will’s baseball season couldn’t have gone any better, really. He ended up being named All-State, and his team won the state championship. If he wasn’t a superstar in town before that, he definitely was after.

He ended up getting listed on some big-time recruiting lists as a top prospect. Some people even thought he might get in the Major League Baseball draft the next year, because he was turning eighteen soon and would be eligible. It was crazy.

The more fame Will got, the harder he worked. That summer, with everything he had going on, he had almost no time for me. Dad and I kept going to the ball field to practice, but Will almost never came with. If he wasn’t off at one of the top football camps in the country, he was traveling for a basketball tournament or playing on his baseball team.

That is, until that one Saturday morning that I’ll never forget.

I didn't know what to expect from this short book, but I was thoroughly impressed. Aimed at young readers, The Slugger's Shadow details a young boy, Aaron, recalling the effect his father and older brother have had on his life - particularly when it comes to sports.

The setting is a little league baseball game, where Aaron has a shot at winning the game with the final at-bat. But the story is really about family, and misunderstandings, and the damage that comes with suppressing your emotions. Highly recommended.