The Aurora County All-Stars

My favorite of the group of Wiles' books - I was happy to see old friends in the pages and happier still about the winding plot and laughing one minute, sniffling the next experience of walking through life with House Jackson for a little while.

Little bit of baseball and guy stuff for the boys, little bit of girl power from Ruby Lavender and "Finesse" - lotta heart, mix in some mystery and suspense and I think students will take a bite.

Audio review: Too much Walt Whitman and baseball action for me, but Kate Jackson's narration (yes, Kate Jackson of Charlie's Angels!) gives the story a warm, Southern small-town folksiness.

House Jackson and his pals are readying for their one baseball game of the year against the Red Bugs. Unfortunately, the Aurora County 100th birthday pageant may supplant the ball game with the support of the mothers who have sworn their kids will participate. House finds a way to a “true symphony,” a way for both events to be held, thanks to the words of Walt Whitman, the memory of his late mother, and the reclusive Mr. Boyd, to whom he had been secretly reading aloud until the man’s death.

For most boys in a small town, the biggest concern is whether their annual July 4th baseball game will be cancelled due to their county's anniversary pageant. But after the death of the old man, to whom twelve-year-old star pitcher House Jackson has been secretly reading for a year, House uncovers secrets about the man and the history of baseball in Aurora County that could fix everything.
This is a great book that ties in mystery, betrayal, poetry, friendship, family, community, a fancy pageant, and of course, baseball! The characters in this book are rich and multi-faceted and the plot keeps you on your toes. There is something for everyone to connect with in this book! I will read this to my kids next year as a read aloud becasue it show more has a little of something for everyone. It will keep my third grade students engaged throughout the entire book. What a fun read! show less

The book gets off to a bit of a slow start but then the mystery begins to build and it suddenly became a page turner. The plot is different and clever where a small community is having a celebration involving the town children in a play that conflicts with the one and only baseball game played annually. So how can both happen and make everyone happy.

For most boys in a small Mississippi town, the biggest concern one hot summer is whether their annual July 4th baseball game will be cancelled due to their county's anniversary pageant, but after the death of the old man to whom twelve-year-old star pitcher House Jackson has been secretly reading for a year, House uncovers secrets about the man and the history of baseball in Aurora County that could fix everything.

Deborah Wiles is a master of capturing small town life. I tend to read a lot of books about small towns since I grew up in one. This book is not just about baseball, it's a story about growing up and learning about people who you never stopped to take time to get to know.

This is a great book that ties in mystery, betrayal, poetry, friendship, family, community, a fancy pageant, and of course, baseball! The characters in this book are rich and multi-faceted and the plot keeps you on your toes. There is something for everyone to connect with in this book!