Yet another excellent sports book by Mike Lupica. I really liked the relationship between father and son in this one. The baseball writing was also outstanding, which is to be expected from a professional sportswriter. Highly recommended. ( )

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Keith “Hutch” Hutchinson is an average teenager with a dream to win a championship in baseball. However, he has a few problems in his way of getting to the “big field”. First off, his new teammate Darryl is the most arrogant person in his life. Not to mention that his father, a retired semi-professional baseball player, does not reach out to Hutch personally nor in baseball. After he finds his father playing baseball with Darryl, his anger boils over and he gets in a fight with Darryl. Suspended from the semifinals Hutch watches his team score victory against a skilled group of older kids. Hutch has a sharp argument with his father, leaving the two further estranged. Before the championship game, Hutch finds his father practicing baseball alone and shares a passionate moment with himself, knowing his father and him were sharing baseball one way or another. Later he arrives at the overwhelming field to play the key game and reconciles with Darryl. The two run onto the field together and play the biggest game of their short lives.
My thoughts on the book were very positive. I felt the book was inspirational and well written. At no point in the story was I confused or lost in the text. The author’s documentation of events seemed rushed at times, but never the less the story was smooth and thrilling throughout the entire book. If a reader likes baseball and wants to read a story about it, this is the one to read. ( )

Baseball, teamwork, and perseverance linked together make this an enjoyable book. Hutch plays shortstop, like his hero, Derek Jeter, as was his father. Does he really have to switch positions? Why or why not? Read to find out how Hutch resolves his emotional conflict...This book would be great to have on the shelf in a classroom especially for boys ages fourth, fifth and sixth grade as it explores being part of a team and responsibility. ( )

Matt O'Connor
January 18,2012
The Bat Cave
Mr.Bronson

The Big Field

I have to say The Big Field was a good book. I personally liked it because I am a baseball fan. If you don't like sports then don't read this book. On the other hand, if you do like sports then give it a try.

In this book there really isn't a lot of action. It starts off rather slow. It is about a boy named Hutch who plays town baseball. At first I thought that it would be another typical, boring book but it wasn't. I actually ended up liking it in the end.

I have only read one other book by this author, Mike Lupica. I like this one better than summer ball. This is because Summer ball is about basketball, a sport I don't care for.

Both books are both well written from a sports fans point of view. Mike Lupica is an espn anylist so he knows what he is talking about when it comes to sports.

Hutch faces a couple problems in this book. One is an annoying kid named Darryl who acts like a superstar because he is one. Another problem he faces is his father. They do not have a close relationship and that bothers Hutch a lot. Hutch just tries not to think about these problems and they are both eventually solved. ( )