In this middle grade novel by Newbery AwardтАУwinning author Patricia MacLachlan in her тАЬsignature lyric language delivered in spare but satisfying proseтАЭ (Booklist), a young girl tries to untangle her love of baseball from her complicated relationship with her professional pitcher father.
LucyтАЩs father is a minor league baseball player, a professional pitcher hoping to get called up to the majors, and Lucy inherited his passion for the game. But sheтАЩs never played pitcher. She worries her skills would be compared to her dadтАЩs and sheтАЩd never measure up. And his pitching may mean big things for his career and their family, but itтАЩs also what keeps him away from home so much of the year. Sometimes, Lucy isnтАЩt sure what would be worse: being bad at pitching or being great.
Still, this summer, Lucy wants to learn to throw the perfect knuckleball. She wakes up at the crack of dawn to practice in secret, without her friends Tex and RobinтАФor even the goats who watch them play. Even as she trains relentlessly, Lucy wonders if sheтАЩll ever feel brave enough to share her progress with her mom or dad. Can she prove to them, and herself, that she has what it takes?