About This Book
In Matt Christopher's 'Baseball Turnaround,' Sandy Comstock is trying to rebuild his life after a shoplifting incident led to community service. Just as he's finding his footing with a new baseball team, the boy who tempted him, Perry Warden, starts spreading rumors, forcing Sandy to confront his past head-on. This chapter book explores themes of honesty, redemption, peer pressure, and the power of sports to help overcome challenges. It's suitable for early to late elementary readers (ages 8-11) and offers a heartwarming story about resilience and finding your voice.
Sandy is drawn unknowingly into a shoplifting incident, but when his community service involves baseball he meets people who help him finally put the past behind him.
Concepts
Resilience & PerseveranceSelf-Confidence & IdentityHonesty & IntegrityForgiveness & RedemptionShame & GuiltFriendship & LoyaltyTeamwork & CollaborationJustice & FairnessEmpathy & KindnessFear & BraveryLoneliness & BelongingMaking FriendsBeing DifferentPeer PressureBullyingSportsFriendship & SocialSchool Life
shame_guilt
peer_pressure
Discussion Prompts
1
What kind of mistake did Sandy make? How did it make him feel?
2
Why was it hard for Sandy to tell his new teammates about his past?
3
How did community service help Sandy? What did he learn from it?
4
Have you ever felt pressured by a friend to do something you knew was wrong? What did you do?
5
What does it mean to 'turn things around'? How did Sandy do that?
6
How did baseball help Sandy gain confidence and deal with his problems?
External Reviews
More in Matt Christopher Sports
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