Hothead

By Cal Ripken, Jr. with Kevin Cowherd
Sport: Baseball
Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Connor Sullivan is a natural at baseball--a wonderful shortstop and a fantastic hitter and he is hoping to bring his team the Orioles to a championship game in their league.  But he's been hiding a secret.  His father has been laid off from work for months, and Connor doesn't tell anyone out of shame.  As money gets tighter, so do tempers in his household and Connor gets more and more worried about the future.  Then instead of easily making a routine play during one of their games, Connor makes an error and drops the ball and goes into a fit of temper right on the field which ends in him having to leave the game.  Everyone is confused by his show of rage, even Connor.  But worse, the team loses the game without him in the lineup.  Connor is determined to get his feelings under control, but the same thing happens in the very next game, resulting in a suspension and another lost game.  Can Connor get his temper under control before he ruins the Orioles' chances at the championship?   An interesting look at the role emotions can play in a young baseball player's life.  While this book breaks no new ground, sports fans will be happy with the amount of baseball action and root for Connor to overcome his problems.