Rivals (Baseball Great)

I downloaded this ebook from the library because my five year old wanted me to read him a story about baseball. He ended up not liking it due to the protagonists doing things they shouldn't do, but I think an older child around 8 to 12 would really enjoy it. The story is about the great 12 y.o. baseball player Josh, his goofy sidekick Benji, and their friend Jaden (who is a reporter) discovering corruption at a baseball tournament in Cooperstown that may possibly lead to a former star baseball player-turned-actor who has a son in the tournament. The in-game action scenes are great and the mystery has some interesting twists. Overall it's formulaic, but I think this is an enjoyable story for kids about sports, fairplay, and friendship. show more It's part of a series of books called Baseball Great. show less

Josh LeBlanc is back, and he's playing to win, even after getting hit in the head with an intentional beanball and having to have eye surgery. His team makes it into the Hall of Fame Championships tournament, and Josh discovers that a former major league player is doing everything he can to ensure that his son's California team wins it all... everything including paying off the head umpire who is absolutely NOT interested in fairness on or off the field. Josh has a couple daring escapes from the nasty umpire and the California thugs! Great baseball gameplay, hilariously funny conversations with his best frind Benji, and some problems with his oughta-be girlfriend Jaden keep the action moving. Anyone who enjoys baseball will get a kick show more out of this one! Reading the other Baseball Great book first is fun, but not necessary. 6th grade and up. show less

another great baseball book by tim green. full of action and a little bit of mystery. the only thing i don't like is the main character's best friend. he's supposed to be the funny sidekick but instead he's just obnoxious. but overall the book is good.

This sports mystery definitely shared some similarities with the Stevie and Susan books by John Feinstein. Josh, a baseball star, Jaden, a young reporter, and Benji, work to uncover a scandal at the National Baseball Hall of Fame Tournament in Cooperstown.