The Kid Coach (AllStar SportStory Series)

The Washington Post
"[Bowen's] pacing is excellent, and his has a knack for efficient evocation."

Book Description
The Tigers are in trouble. Baseball season is underway, and Coach Skelly has just quit. When Scott and his teammate can't find another adult to coach the team, they must find a leader among themselves. In doing so, Scott and the other players learn about leadership and discover unique and unrecognized talents among their own friends. Woven into the story are fascinating facts and statistics, as well as the real-life stories behind player-managers in the Major Leagues, including Lou Boudreau, the most successful player-manager in history. Author Fred Bowen has thrown another perfect pitch with this exciting combination of fast-paced action and sports history!

Card catalog description
When they lose their coach, Scott and his teammates decide that he should try his hand at coaching, but it takes teamwork and the efforts of a player they call "Brain" to produce a winning season.

About the Author
Fred Bowen is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds a law degree from George Washington University. An attorney, a Little League coach, and a lifelong sports fanatic, he currently works for the Department of Labor and lives with his wife and two children in Silver Spring, Maryland. Ann Barrow has created illustrations for Cricket magazine and numerous books, including three other titles in Fred Bowen's AllStar SportsStory series. She earned degrees in English literature and in painting from the University of Massachusetts, and has taught courses in children's book illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design. Barrow, her husband, and her two children live in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts.


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What is the team going to do? The coach, Mr. Skelly, just doesn't seem to make time for the team. Scott and his teammates come up with an idea. Scott will request that he be assigned as the player/coach. It is a predictable, but pleasant story, with kids cooperating, honing their ball playing skills, and eventually ending up with a winning season. The work by the "Brain," who collects statistics about the team and its opponents, brings home the message that both playing talent and brain power are needed to achieve success. Bowen also provides historical information to support his story.


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