I expected The Rule of Three to focus more on baseball, and I definitely expected a lighter read. But I was fascinated by The Rule of Three all the same. It doesn't shy away from hard topics like bullying, racism, and trauma. It blends a bit of magic with a touch of science and psychology to create an interesting read that's a perfect starting point for discussion of heavy topics with kids.

This one would be wonderful for classrooms and middle and elementary school libraries!

It is a wonderful stepping stone from a picture book to a small chapter book

It addresses someone sensitive topics that kids deal with every day, but is done in an age appropriate way.

It allows kids to deal with age, race and differences among their peers in a healthy way

On the surface, this book looked like it would be a sports book. But it really a novel that explores prejudice, microaggressions and reactions to that behavior. The main character pins all his dreams on getting onto the school baseball team, but he finds that the coach and his friends and the coach are using hurtful terms, the white kid is getting away with poor behavior and he gets called out. He internalizes his anger and that is when the book gets truly interesting. When he gets angry he gets smoking angry- literally. This reaction of bringing forth smoke when angry is genetic, he gets it from his father. The book explores modern day prejudice by reflecting on historical events and early childhood experiences that his father and grandfather experienced. In the book the main character tries to ignore all the slights but learns that holding everything in doesn't work. This would be a great book for parent and child to buddy read, for it raises a lot of discussion points about dealing with prejudice and aggression. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher, but all opinions expressed are entirely my own. In this diverse world, it is important for kids to learn that words can hurt and that little slights can add up into true pain.

I have to say, I was draw to this book because of the baseball cover. My son is always looking for more baseball chapter books. The overall plot was really good but I was surprised at how many deep topics were discussed: racism, aggressions, generational trauma, violence, emotions, counseling, family, friendships, and healing.

Because I have a sensitive kiddo, this is a book I'd only recommend if you plan to read along with your child to discuss the heavier themes as they come up.

Wow! This book dealt with some truly heavy themes, but in an honest way that kids will be able to understand. In this story, Wyatt a biracial student and athlete, keeps putting up with lots of micro-aggressions and some not so micro aggressions. As things get worse and the more stressed he feels, his body begins to react in an odd way. He begins producing smoke from his hands and feet. Of course, that is something not possible to do. However, it was a good vehicle to show how trauma can impact the body. In therapy, Wyatt and his dad learn about epigenetics and how trauma responses can be passed down through our genes. The smoke made a tangible example of the trauma response Wyatt and his dad faced and how they learned to harness their own power to deal with their responses differently. We hear about Wyatt’s dad’s experience with a bombing in Philadelphia in 1985. I had not heard of this event, but it did actually happen, and children and adults died that day. It was good to learn about this horrific event that most of have never heard of. I liked how the book handled everything. I’d definitely recommend it to my students who want to learn more about racism.

Wyatt, a biracial seventh grader in a mostly white town, feels like an outsider when he's not on the baseball field. After a series of an incidents at the baseball team tryouts and school, Wyatt starts to produce smoke through his body. In his search for the cause and solution to this situation, Wyatt uncovers a painful and traumatic family history.

I have to admit I fell in love with this books cover. I also have to admit that, while it's description is accurate, I wasn't expecting the depth, seriousness, and care of the topics it covers: racism, microaggressions, generational trauma, violence, emotions, counseling, family, friends, healing, among others.

I would recommend for parents to read the book with their children and discuss these matters. There a real events covered in the book, but anyone could find themselves in the situation Wyatt and his father went through.

I loved this book. I grabbed it because it's a middle grade book with baseball on the cover and I fell in love because of the depth of human emotion, the upheaval of social life among middle schoolers, the exploration of generational trauma, the beautiful, normalizing representation of therapy, and a history lesson about something I never knew happened (that happened during my lifetime...).
Great work!

“You have it within you to take control of a situation instead of letting it take control of you. Instead of letting anger speak for you, you speak for yourself.”

“We could break the cycle. We could be more than our trauma….I was done being held hostage by smoke. Be the bat, not the ball.”

WOW—this book covers so much ground with such care. It’s really powerful how it shows these racist line-crossing, not-ok incidents kids like Wyatt experience but how messy they are to actually do something about sometimes. I felt his stress so viscerally. I love the use of magical realism, magical embodiment of trauma, and having to hide that. So relatable, so inventive. I love the model of family therapy, and the way the story through Wyatt, Dominic and even Asher ask what we inherit from family—and even more so, what we’re going to do with our inheritance. I felt he was a bit too harsh on Dallas and maybe didn’t have fair expectations on her to always agree with him, but appreciated how he acknowledged his own imperfections by the end of the book. I had never heard about MOVE or the bombing (which is wild, btw) and got messy feelings about their approach, but appreciate the complexity to which Capps captures this movement, and ultimately lifts up their humanness and the injustice in the extreme way they were treated by police.

An incredible, haunting book that will stick with me for a long time.

This book was unique for me by mixing a magical element in with a realistic story. Wyatt's smoke was a great "visual" for how he was affected by others' words and actions. I really enjoyed the friendship that Wyatt and Dallas enjoyed with all of its imperfections. I also appreciated learning about the MOVE home and the real history the story was built around.

Wyatt is a dedicated baseball player who feels that his whole future hinges on making the local Tornadoes team. Trying out along with his are Dallas, who is a spirited girl and his best friend, and Cabot, who is usually his friend. During some of the practices, Wyatt gets upset, and Coach B tells him that he has a reputation as a "hothead" and might not be a good fit for the team. Fellow classmate Asher, however, exhibits some of the same behavior, but the coach looks the other way. Wyatt thinks this is because Asher is white and Wyatt is biracial. Wyatt's parents are both lawyers, and very understanding of both him and his sister Ruby, but Wyatt doesn't want to bother them, especially since he has recently been exhibiting an odd symptom with his anger. It's something he's seen with his father; if his father gets angry, smoke emanates from his body! There are other microaggressions eating at Wyatt; the coach suggests that his braids won't fit well under a batting helmet, and Asher makes fun of Wyatt's blue eyes. When Cabot defends Asher's actions, this drives a wedge between the two, and even Dallas says Wyatt should ignore the behavior. This intensifies the smoke, and Wyatt soon learns the reason for it. When his father was his age, in 1985, he lived with his family in Philadelphia in the MOVE community. The events of the father's life are told in flashback. This event, which really happened, involved the police descending on the community because neighbors didn't like the group's lifestyle, and eventually lead to the house being bombed. When Wyatt finally tells his parents about how he is being treated, they take him to a therapist who says that the smoke reaction might be caused by epigenetics. This phenomenon causes trauma to be passed down in the way that genes work in the body, and is responsible to generational trauma. Working with Ms. Beauclair, and talking to his friends, also helps Wyatt to get a little relief.
Strengths: This is an interesting blend of history and fantasy. I don't remember the MOVE bombing (I was in college, and it wasn't as easy to get news as it is now), so information about that event was fascinating. There is enough baseball to draw in fans of the sport, and plenty of middle school friction with friends. Dallas is an intriguing character, and Cabot's dealings with Asher are unfortunately realistic.
Weaknesses: Because I had not heard of epigenetics, and had to do some research into what they entail, I am concerned that the fantasy element of Wyatt and his father emitting smoke might make my readers think that epigenetics isn't real. Young readers might need a little support in clarifying this.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like sports books that also address racial discrimination, like Lynch's Gold Dust or Wes Tooke's King of the Mound : My Summer with Satchel Paige. Stroman's The Grip series involves baseball and addresses some psychological issues as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

I might be a 25 year old woman, but I absolutely love baseball! It's just a super fun and invigorating game -- especially when you see it live! This was a delightful children's book about baseball - perfect for both young boys and girls! Loved this one.

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Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

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String and thoughtful storytelling from Heather Murphy Capps. I appreciate what this author brings to youth lit space and would gladly add this book to my classroom or school library.

I read this with my son, who is 9 and plays travel baseball. I’ll insert his feedback at the end of this review, for other kids who might be interested in his take.

I’d originally sought this book out because my kid wanted to read more baseball books. We read the description together and thought it was right up his alley.

On a surface level, this book follows a biracial boy called Wyatt as he’s trying out for a travel baseball team. However three chapters in, it’s clear that what the story really is depicting is a series of micro (and some not so micro) aggressions Wyatt experiences daily from teammates, coaches, teachers and even friends, and the way that that results in repressed anger for him. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that Wyatt’s father Dominic also began exhibiting this physical embodiment of repressed anger after experiencing a trauma (taken from the real event in 1985 of the bombing of a row house in Philidelphia, of John Africa’s MOVE group). The pair go to family therapy where they learn about epigenetics, and learn ways to diffuse their anger through a series of exercises that they go on to practice together.

The book raised important conversations, and to be clear these are continuing conversations in my household (we discuss racial equity frequently). I didn’t know about the bombing so after the Author’s note at the end of the book, I spent a while reading up on the real event.

Please be aware that if your child is at all sensitive, that Dominic flashes back on his childhood friend being killed in that bombing by police. While it was absolutely in place with the rest of the book, I did not go into this book, having read this description, thinking that it would be as violent as it was. Please use your judgement about how your kid will react.

If they’re able to read it, they’ll be rewarded with an exploration of how small affronts add up, an initial intro to the idea of epigenetics, a wonderful example of working through anger, a deeply supportive friendship for the main character that he actively works on, all wrapped up in a fun baseball exterior. There is a watershed moment when the coach of the team realizes that the racism Wyatt described is actually real, and the community pushes back on the loudest progenitors of that violence.

The story is moving and important— it sparked good conversations and my kid came away from it with a deeper empathy around micro aggressions and a better idea of how to stand up for his own teammates and friends. I recommend that this book be read together with your kid, almost regardless of age, so you can help them through those difficult pieces and be available to process it with them.


An insert from my 9 year old, travel baseball playing kid, with whom I buddy read this book:

"This book was really fun to read. I thought the baseball was a little odd sometimes (like when the bases are loaded with two outs and Wyatt and his dad are yelling that the play is at home, when really the play would be at any base. If Asher was in right field, he'd normally try to make the play at first or second, but not third or home), but in general I think the book was really good. I didn't like Asher, but I really liked the friendship between Wyatt and Dallas. I'm not really a big fan of the smoke element. It's a cool plot but it just felt odd to me. I just wish we were talking about Wyatt's anger in a different way. It was really cool to have the flashbacks throughout the book, because it helped me understand Wyatt's dad a lot more. I learned about epigenetics and what happened at the MOVE house in 1985 from this book. I like history a lot, so that was cool. I think people who like baseball, sports, and are interested in learning more about microaggressions would enjoy this book."

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy and the opportunity to discuss these important topics with my kid.

What worked:
The story is told through the eyes of Wyatt which helps readers experience his frustrations, determination, and anger. Unfairness and racism are large issues and he has a difficult time dealing with them. However, the coach constantly criticizes Wyatt and singles him out for doing things that other players get away with. Then, another student makes racial comments that demean Wyatt’s heritage and are reminiscent of bigots from decades ago. He tries to handle the insults but his best friend Dallas talks him out of making rash decisions. Being inside Wyatt’s mind allows readers to see the challenges faced by the targets of prejudice. Wyatt is the target of hurtful, cruel comments but society probably won’t understand if he acts on his furious feelings. He doesn’t tell his parents the full story of what’s happening to him and he slowly withdraws into his own misery. His father has issues from his childhood that still haunt him, but like Wyatt, he keeps painful memories locked up inside him.
The Rule of Three. Wyatt has a three-part plan for success and it begins with playing for the only traveling baseball team in town. Also, he faces tricky decisions throughout the book and the author shares three different scenarios he might face depending on what he chooses. Usually, one is ignoring the situation, two is what he wants to do, and three is what might be socially “acceptable”. The narrator describes Wyatt’s three different levels of anger with level three being when he loses control of his emotions. Needless to say, he reaches this level a few times which results in his body emitting clouds of smoke. This family curse is embarrassing and Wyatt can’t figure out any way to calm his emotions. The author includes another three-part plan to help Wyatt and his father control their reactions to stress.
Wyatt’s relationship with his best friend Dallas presents a curious situation. Dallas is an excellent pitcher and she also wants to make the travel team. She’s a descendant of indigenous people who had their land taken away so is hurt by racism too. Dallas can empathize with Wyatt’s troubles and offers him support and advice. However, Wyatt gets upset when she won’t go along with his ideas which she thinks will only make matters worse. Wyatt begins to push her away as his emotions spiral out of control and readers will hope for a reconciliation. It takes him a while to realize he needs help and support to begin rebuilding his life.
What didn’t work as well:
It’s clear that Dallas is Wyatt’s best friend but his relationships with Asher and Cabot aren’t as well defined. Cabot is supposed to be a good friend too but that isn’t developed as well. Asher is more of an annoying acquaintance who provides conflict in Wyatt’s life. It’s not clear why he’s tolerated.
The final verdict:
This book offers an innovative scenario concerning racism and the conflicting feelings it creates. The inclusion of a strange, humiliating reaction to emotional trauma adds a fascinating subplot. Overall, I recommend you give this thought-provoking book a shot.

When I began reading Wyatt's story in The Rule of Three, I was transported back to my middle school years and some of the bullying I endured. I almost quit reading when some of the upsetting incidents were described, but I kept reading hoping that all would be better by the end of the story. Thankfully, Heather Murphy Capps does a wonderful job with Wyatt's character arc through some pretty tough bullying, and Wyatt's best friend Dallas doesn't disappoint either. This will be a great addition to our middle school collection. I'm curious to see how the readers will respond.

Insanely creative take on a timeless tale of feeling like an outcast for reasons outside your control. Deals with sensitive topics in an age appropriate but no less powerful way. Will encourage kids to approach race, class, difference in general through a new lens.

I will be encouraging the educators I work with to order this book for their classrooms.