Those missing 19 seconds have seriously derailed the universe; pterodactyls are the least of it. So Oscar has to somehow figure out how to set things right again...and he does.
In the meantime, he's making friends with his new team-mate Lourdes, going back in time to see Babe Ruth be struck out by another 12 year old girl (Oscar's octogenarian friend in the present, and the one who gave him the watch), and worrying about the precarious state of his mother's finances....and in the meantime there are rouge waves, a double sun, trees with tentacles, and 19 second flashes of other phenomena bursting out of their own time and into his....
It is fun and warm and a little silly but not too much so (and I'm very sensitive to too much silliness so you can trust me on this). Oscar, benchwarmer and tireless team morale booster, is really a good person, and sort of infuses the book with his personality. And if you like baseball, you'll enjoy it even more than I did! It's the sort of book where you feel the author's really enjoying telling you the story--here, have 19 seconds of Carolina Parakeets! sort of fun. And Oscar's struggle to redeem himself after cheating, and the rather melancholy passing of his elderly friend, adds emotional weight that gives the story point.
Kirkus and I are completely in agreement. From their starred review: "Teague weaves the tale with gentle expressions of teamwork, friendship, honesty, and compassion. Fantasy feels real, and it all works beautifully."
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I'm hearing a lot about this book and it's all good. I will have to check it out. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome; hope you enjoy it!
DeleteI could really use 19 seconds of Carolina Parakeets. This one sounds awesome!
ReplyDeleteI know, so much better than passenger pigeons!
DeleteThis sounds totally crazy! I'm kind of interested, though, even though a basketball book wouldn't normally be my thing.
ReplyDeleteThe sports part doesn't take over the story, so don't let that deter you!
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