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Jan 03, 2023 | ISBN 9781984893048 | Middle Grade (8-12) Buy
Aug 31, 2021 | ISBN 9781984893017 | Middle Grade (8-12) Buy
Aug 31, 2021 | ISBN 9781984893031 | Middle Grade (8-12) Buy
Aug 31, 2021 | 210 Minutes | Middle Grade (8-12) Buy
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Jan 03, 2023 | ISBN 9781984893048 | Middle Grade (8-12)
Aug 31, 2021 | ISBN 9781984893017 | Middle Grade (8-12)
Aug 31, 2021 | ISBN 9781984893031 | Middle Grade (8-12)
Aug 31, 2021 | ISBN 9780593413760 | Middle Grade (8-12)
210 Minutes
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone comes a challenging and heartwarming coming-of-age story about a softball player looking to prove herself on and off the field.Shenice Lockwood, captain of the Fulton Firebirds, is hyper-focused when she steps up to the plate. Nothing can stop her from leading her team to the U12 fast-pitch softball regional championship. But life has thrown some curveballs her way. Strike one: As the sole team of all-brown faces, Shenice and the Firebirds have to work twice as hard to prove that Black girls belong at bat. Strike two: Shenice’s focus gets shaken when her great-uncle Jack reveals that a career-ending—and family-name-ruining—crime may have been a setup. Strike three: Broken focus means mistakes on the field. And Shenice’s teammates are beginning to wonder if she’s captain-qualified. It’s up to Shenice to discover the truth about her family’s past—and fast—before secrets take the Firebirds out of the game forever. “Sports, suspense, mystery, history… What more could you want? A funny, charming page-turner.” –Adam Gidwitz, New York Times bestselling author
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone comes a challenging and heartwarming coming-of-age story about a softball player looking to prove herself on and off the field.Shenice Lockwood, captain of the Fulton Firebirds, is hyper-focused when she steps up to the plate. Nothing can stop her from leading her team to the U12 fast-pitch softball regional championship. But life has thrown some curveballs her way. Strike one: As the sole team of all-brown faces, Shenice and the Firebirds have to work twice as hard to prove that Black girls belong at bat. Strike two: Shenice’s focus gets shaken when her great-uncle Jack reveals that a career-ending—and family-name-ruining—crime may have been a setup. Strike three: Broken focus means mistakes on the field. And Shenice’s teammates are beginning to wonder if she’s captain-qualified. It’s up to Shenice to discover the truth about her family’s past—and fast—before secrets take the Firebirds out of the game forever.
Nic Stone was born and raised in a suburb of Atlanta, GA. After graduating from Spelman College, she worked extensively in teen mentoring and lived in Israel for a few years before returning to the US to write full-time. You… More about Nic Stone
“A grand slam of an adventure.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review“Black girl magic hits a home run in Stone’s latest novel.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review“Books like “Fast Pitch” are welcome evidence that writers for young readers are continuing to move beyond narratives in which the primary problem is a character’s marginalization.” -The New York Times“Tensions are high as the plot bounces between gameplay and sleuthing, ultimately reaching a satisfying conclusion…. Readers of all ages will cheer for Shenice.” —Booklist“A sports mystery that will keep readers engaged from start to finish…Discussions about race and civil rights are seamlessly woven into the narrative through Shenice’s own experiences.” —School Library Journal“This contemporary sports story goes beyond mere genre appeal; it is a novel of substance, carrying the weight of history.” –The Horn Book
NCTE Notable Children’s Trade Books in the Language Arts WINNER 2022
South Dakota Teen Choice Book Award NOMINEE 2022
ALA Quick Pick for Young Adult Reluctant Readers SELECTION 2022
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