Curveball

After hearing Janssen rave about Jordan Sonnenblick's books, I finally decided to try one myself.  Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip is Sonnenblick's latest - the story of Peter Friedman, a boy with great talent as a pitcher.  That is, until an injury ends his career.  Now a freshman in high school, Peter has to find new things to think about besides baseball.  His best friend, AJ, is sure that Peter will go out in the spring, but Peter knows the truth. When he signs up for a photography class and meets a nice girl, things seem to be looking up.  Except that Peter's grandfather doesn't act like himself anymore. He leaves himself notes all over his house and has a hard time remembering things.  Although Peter tries to tell his mother of his concerns, she doesn't act like her father's behavior is alarming. So, Pete keeps it to himself and helps his grandfather the best he can.

Although the plot is not anything amazing (I have read other books on these topics), Sonnenblick's writing was instantly engaging.  Peter is a great character, someone that male readers could use as a role model. He finds a way to move on in his life, despite some tough news.  The love he has for his grandfather and desire to help him is also heartwarming. 

While this is the first book I have read by Sonnenblick, it certainly won't be my last. Curveball was a great realistic fiction read.
Visit Jordan Sonnenblick's website.