Goodbye, Mr. Spalding

In the summer of 1935, Jimmy and Lola live on 20th Street in Philadelphia, right across from Shibe Park. Their families rely on the small income from selling rooftop bleacher seats to baseball fans. When the stadium owner, Mr. Mack, decides to build a 'spite wall' to block their view, Jimmy and Lola attempt everything from petitions to sabotage to stop the construction. SENSITIVE TOPICS: The book deals with the financial strain of the Great Depression in a direct and realistic manner. There are moments of mild peril involving construction sites and height. The resolution is bittersweet and realistic: the wall goes up, but the characters find resilience and new ways to maintain their bond. EMOTIONAL ARC: The story begins with a sense of nostalgic community joy, builds through frantic hope and desperate planning, and concludes with a grounded, mature acceptance. It moves from the idealism of childhood to a more nuanced understanding of the world. IDEAL READER: A 10-year-old who loves sports history or building things, and who is currently frustrated by a 'rule' they find unfair. It is for the child who enjoys a 'kids vs. adults' caper but is ready for a story with real-world consequences. PARENT TRIGGER: Parents may notice their child becoming vocal about neighborhood changes or questioning why 'rich people get to make all the rules.' The trigger is often a child's first encounter with institutional unfairness. PARENT PREP: No specific scenes require censoring, but parents should be ready to discuss the Great Depression and why families had to be so resourceful during that time. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger readers will focus on the 'mission' to stop the wall and the fun of the baseball setting. Older readers will pick up on the socioeconomic desperation and the shifting dynamics of Jimmy and Lola's friendship as they face a problem they cannot solve. DIFFERENTIATOR: Unlike many sports books that focus on the players on the field, this focuses on the fans and the community impact of the business of sports, making it a unique entry in historical fiction.