It's a great book! I had to read it for school and it was a bumber cause I don't like reading,but once I started I coldn't stop!It's truely a GREAT story.
The Big Field
(2008, Fiction - Sports, Written by Mike Lupica)
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Is it age appropriate?
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Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Action-packed, emotional dad-son baseball story.
updated 01.26.10
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 9 and Up
The good stuff
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Role models:
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of The Big Field was written by Matt Berman
Parents need to know that, aside from the mentions of some products, there is nothing to be concerned about here. Hutch, despite some understandable mistakes, is a great role model of conscious sportsmanship and team playing.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about Hutch's dad. Why is he the way he is?
- Why did losing his baseball dream hit him so hard?
- Why can't he connect with his son? Also, why does Hutch love the game so much?
- Have you ever felt that way about a sport?
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More on The Big Field
Book Summary
When shortstop Hutch is moved to second base on his team to make room for more talented, but arrogant, new player Darryl, he rolls with the punches for the good of the team. But when he sees his own father, who never seems to have any time for or interest in him, coaching Darryl, he can't handle it, and endangers both what's left of his relationship with his dad, and his team's chances in the championship.
Is It Any Good?
Here's what most good sports books are: exciting, suspenseful, action-packed. This one is too -- the many game and practice scenes are fast-paced and lovingly described. Here's what some of the best baseball books are: lyrical, almost poetic, in their attempt to capture that indefinable feeling that makes baseball different from any other sport. This one is too -- Lupica's sharp and rhythmic prose brilliantly captures the passion, joy, intelligence, and beauty of the summertime sport.
Here's what most of those other books are not: moving, powerfully emotional, as much concerned with the characters as with the sports action. But this one is. There's really only one other writer who can pack this much emotion and sheer intelligence into sports fiction for kids: Bruce Brooks, and he hasn't had a new novel in years. Lupica deftly uses Hutch's rivalry with Darryl to lay bare Hutch's troubled relationship with his distant and disappointed father, who has given up on life and wants Hutch to do the same. This is what you hope for when you recommend a sports book to reluctant readers: action that will keep them riveted to the page in a story will help deepen their understanding of the game, of people, and of life.
Publisher’s Details
Publisher: Philomel, Publication date: 2/25/2008
Number of pages: 288, Price: $17.99 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 9, Read Alone: 10
Number of pages: 288, Price: $17.99 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 9, Read Alone: 10
Our Members Say
See all 6 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Great!
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
good book
it was a very good book i enjoyed reading it
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My highlights are:
Fantastic Read
Mike Lupica does it again. A great story for those readers looking for something a little more challenging than Matt Christopher's famous sports books.
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Good role models
Perfect for teenagers (12,13,14,15,16,17,18)
My 13 year old son hates to read and out of all of the books he had to read in his life he only liked three books and "The Big Field" is one of those three books
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I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
Reading Jungle's Review
This fast-paced sports drama follows the challenges faced by 14-year old star shortstop Hutch Hutchinson. His love of baseball is put to the test with the arrival of competing shortstop and stronger player "D-Will." This further complicates Hutch's tense relationship with his father, himself a former shortstop and disappointed minor leaguer. This attention-grabbing tale relates positive lessons learned about baseball, team, and father relationships. Visit www.readingjungle.com for the full review and recommended book lists!
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 50% | of parents say there are good role models |
| 50% | of parents say it's educational |
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