Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip

When a major injury ends the pitching prospects of baseball hotshot Peter Friedman, the high school freshman has to redefine the direction of his life. And when he finds himself in possession of camera gear worth thousands of dollars—courtesy of his increasingly senile grandfather—he begins to grow closer to Angelika, the cute girl in his photography class. In this audio edition of Sonnenblick’s coming-of-age novel, Luke Daniels provides skillful narration, producing convincing voices for Peter Friedman, the various members of his family, his social clique, and an array of other characters. Additionally, Daniels creates a genuine rapport between Peter and his best friend A.J. Daniels is best when narrating the book’s moments of crisis; particularly memorable is the scene in which a panicked Peter has to locate his afflicted grandfather, who is driving aimlessly through a snowstorm. Daniels’s performance is vibrant, alive, and memorable. Ages 12–up. A Scholastic hardcover. (Mar.)