Mop/Buckies/Moondan/

Myers combines wit, sensitivity and insight to create this funny, fast-paced story about three orphaned children and the Elks, a Little League baseball team. T.J., his brother Moondance and their best friend Mop had all lived with the nuns in the Dominican Academy until the two brothers were adopted. Now Mop is convinced that the coaches of their baseball team, Marla and Jim Kennedy, want to adopt her, provided that she is a worthy child. What better way to prove her worth than to be the star of the Elks? But she has to work fast, because the Academy is being closed. Carmelita, an accident-prone nun, Taffy the llama and a killer cat are among the humorous characters that complicate the children's lives. While T.J. and Moondance are adapting to their new home, the excitement of the baseball season is mounting, as are Mop's hopes to be adopted. Myers's keen sense of humor, quick, natural dialogue and irresistible protagonists make this novel a winner. Ages 8-12. (Nov.)