The Fenway Foul-up (Ballpark Mysteries Series #1)

by David A. Kelly, Mark Meyers (Illustrator)

Overview

Now leading off the line-up—book #1 in a brand-new early chapter book mystery series where each book is set in a different American ballpark!

Thanks to Kate's mom, a sports reporter, cousins Mike Walsh and Kate Hopkins have tickets to the Red Sox game and All Access passes to Fenway Park. But as they're watching batting practice before the game, the lucky bat of Red Sox star slugger Big D is stolen . . . right in front of dozens of people. Without the bat, Big D can't seem to hit a thing. Can Kate and Mike figure out who pinched the bat before Big D and the Sox chalk up a loss?

The Fenway Foul-Up includes a fun fact page about Boston's Fenway Park.

Cross Ron Roy's mystery series with Matt Christopher's sports books and you get the Ballpark Mysteries: fun, puzzling whodunnits aimed right at beginning readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780375867033
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	02/22/2011
Pages:	112
Sales rank:	17,768
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	590L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

DAVID A. KELLY has written for many newspapers and magazines, and Babe Ruth and the Baseball Curse, published in spring 2009, was his first book for children. He lives 15 minutes from Fenway Park in Newton, Massachusetts, with his wife Alice; two sons, Steven and Scott; and a dog named Sam.

MARK MEYERS grew up in Utah and studied art in San Francisco at the Academy of Art University. This is his first project for Random House.

Editorial Reviews

Kelly kicks off his Ballpark Mysteries series of early readers by introducing cousins and budding sleuths Mike Walsh and Kate Hopkins, who are trying to figure out who has stolen the lucky bat of a star Boston Red Sox player. While few readers will doubt whether Mike and Kate will save the day, Kelly throws in plenty of behind-the-scenes Fenway Park trivia (both in the story and in an appendix) and keeps the story moving at a quick pace, which should easily hold baseball-lovers' attention. Meyers contributes b&w artwork not seen by PW. Also available: The Pinstriped Ghost. Ages 6–9. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

"Folding information about Fenway Park and its colorful history into the tale, Kelly also artfully slips in simple red herrings along with real clues to the thief’s identity and the bat’s whereabouts that sharper readers may pick up before the young detectives do...Leading off a formulaic series that will take Mike and Kate to baseball parks around the major leagues, this book should draw baseball fans as well as budding whodunit aficionados." - Booklist

"A new series for emerging chapter-book readers combines the allure of baseball parks with the challenge of solving a mystery...Historical details about Fenway Park, including the secret code found on the manual scoreboard, a look at Wally the mascot and a peek into the gift shop, will keep the young baseball fan reading." - Kirkus Reviews

"Kelly throws in plenty of behind-the-scenes Fenway Park trivia (both in the story and in an appendix) and keeps the story moving at a quick pace, which should easily hold baseball-lovers' attention." - Publisher's Weekly

"...should score with the series chapter-book gang, particularly kids who enjoy the blend of fiction and information that keeps the Magic Tree House thriving. There are a couple of sly misdirections to please beginner mystery readers, some Fenway-specific trivia to intrigue nonfiction readers, and the promise of the entire gamut of major-league baseball stadiums yet to visit for those continuing with the series. A scattering of black-and-white pictures and appended “Dugout Notes” extend the fun." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"...Any 6- 9 year old baseball fan would step to the plate and devour this book like a box of Crackerjacks! Kelly intersperses the perfect mix of sports action, crime-solving and facts about Fenway Park." - Examiner.com

From the Publisher

Mike Walsh is a baseball fan through and through. His cousin Kate likes it OK, but when her mom, a sports reporter, gets them tickets to a Boston Red Sox game plus all-access passes to Fenway Park, she is just as excited as Mike. The two catch the pre-game excitement as the Sox warm up during batting practice. It is especially fun watching Big D, the star hitter slam ball after ball deep into the outfield, into the left field seats, or out of the ballpark. It gets even more exciting when, while he is signing autographs at the end of batting practice, Big D's lucky bat disappears. The game between the Sox and the Oakland A's is starting soon. Big D can't hit without his lucky bat, and it's up to Kate and Mike to find it before Big D and the Boston Red Sox lose the game. Part of the "Ballpark Mysteries" series from Stepping Stone Books, this early reader mystery will appeal to both baseball fans and mystery lovers everywhere. The mystery is simple, and readers may figure out "whodunit" before Kate and Mike, but Kelly has thrown in enough red herrings to keep it interesting for even the most sophisticated young reader. As an added bonus, he includes behind the scenes Fenway trivia, both in the story and in the appendix. Kelly may not have hit it out of the park with this one, but the combination of baseball and mystery is definitely a hit and if this book is any indication, he is on his way to a winning series. Reviewer: Pat Trattles

Children's Literature - Pat Trattles

A new series for emerging chapter-book readers combines the allure of baseball parks with the challenge of solving a mystery. Mike and Kate have tickets to a Red Sox game and an all-access pass to the park, courtesy of Kate's mom, a sportswriter. The pass comes in handy when it's reported that star player Big D's lucky bat has been stolen, as it allows them to help find the thief. Historical details about Fenway Park, including the secret code found on the manual scoreboard, a look at Wally the mascot and a peek into the gift shop, will keep the young baseball fan reading, even when the actual mystery of the missing bat falls a little flat. Writing mysteries for very young readers is a challenge—the puzzle has to be easy enough to solve while sustaining readers' interest. This slight adventure is more baseball-park travel pamphlet than mystery, a vehicle for providing interesting details about one of the hallowed halls of baseball. Not a homerun, but certainly a double for the young enthusiast. On deck? The Pinstripe Ghost, also out on Feb. 22, 2011. (historical notes)(Mystery. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews