Molly and her father both loved baseball, and that shared passion is one of the many things she misses since his recent death. A barrier has arisen between Molly and her mother, so she doesn’t tell her mom when she decides to try out for the school team—baseball, that is, not softball. Molly’s strong knuckleball, honed during hours of backyard practice with her dad, gets her a spot on the team as the only girl. Many of the players are resentful, but the coaches recognize her value, and an unexpected friendship develops with one teammate. This blend of a sports story (with plenty of game time play-by-play) and a tale of moving on from loss offers a satisfying balance of both components as it follows Molly through a difficult season of adjustment. (Ages 12–15)