Fast Pitch by Nic Stone

Fast Pitch by Nic Stone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved Nic Stone's narration of her middle grade book about softballer Shenice Lockwood and her impetus to make take her all black team all the way to the Fast Pitch World Series. It is also about Shenice meeting her ill Great Uncle Jack who slides in and out of dementia, but on a day when he is clear minded tells Shenice about her great grandfather JonJon and how he was set up as a thief and lost the ability to prove himself as one of the Baseball greats. As Shenice tries to solve this mystery, she also loses focus on herself and bringing the team to greatness. I could not stop listening to this awesome sports story blending past (discrimination in baseball) and present, humor, suspense, friendship and family. A must read!

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The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson

The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love this book, the characters Clarice and Brandon and their sleuthing adventures as they struggle to solve the Parker Inheritance. The chapters shift between present day and the past where Clarice's grandmother tried singlehandedly to solve the Parker Inheritance mystery and loses her job as city controller. The book deals with the issues of racial discrimination, what is family and friendship, using puzzles to solve mysteries and right historical injustices. Elizabeth Bird's review from SLJ says it all; "The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson is a fun, casual middle grade puzzler that was, at the same time, socially conscious regarding the topic of race in America, with a clear, keen sense of how the past affects the present in every way. Come for the puzzle, then. Stay for the biting glimpse of America’s intolerant past." Varian Johnson's book is a sure fire winner and one that adults and young adults MUST read. Highly recommended!

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