The Contract

Eight-year-old Derek Jeter dreams of becoming a shortstop for the New York Yankees. His parents respect his dreams and develop a contract with him to help him get there with strong moral grounding. But before Jeter can make it to the Yankees, he has to survive a season with the Tigers, a little-league team with a coach who plays favorites. Reader Williams narrates Jeter’s semi-autobiographical novel decently. He keeps the narration moving forward and captures the fictional Jeter’s enthusiasm and emotion well. However, when voicing the other characters, he doesn’t offer much range and the story grows stale. It is at times surreal to hear the narrator refer to the fictional character as “Derek Jeter,” knowing the author has the same name. Ages 8–12. A S&S/Jeter hardcover. (Sept.)