Soar

Bauer, J. (2016). Soar. New York, NY; Puffin Books

Jeremiah was left by his mother in an office building. Most kids would let that feeling of desertion control their lives.  Not Jeremiah. He is adopted by Walt he man who found him and ends up needing a heart transplant. But he has an determined spirit and won't slow down. They move to Hillcrest, Ohio where the whole town is obsessed with baseball. This is fine with Jeremiah and Walt since they both love the game.  There is a mystery as to why the middle school that Jeremiah attends doesn't have a team but the high school has a championship team. Soon after they arrival the star pitcher of the baseball team Hargie Cantwell dies. And team and coach are engulfed in a scandal involving steroids. The town begins to lose faith in the game they love. Jeremiah takes it upon himself to bring back the sport for the team. He can't play because of his heart but he can coach. His spirit and determination are plenty to bring back hope and to remind everyone that it  is not about winning at all costs but about love of the game.

This is a story about the repercussions of cheating and accepting people just as they are.  Finding joy gets losts in sports and even in education as parents and teachers sometimes push for perfection. This book is a reminder that should not be the goal. And you may have limits on your abilities but you can find a role for yourself in just about any situation. This was also one of three books I read about boys being abandoned by their parents. I thought it was going to take a different turn and delve into family matters but it didn't. Teachers in intermediate grades could add this to their classroom libraries. I would recommend it for students nine years and older.