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Baseball Great

(2009, Fiction - Sports, Written by Tim Green)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 9.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Clunky but taut story of Little League steroids.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 9 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Josh tries to do what is right, without hurting his father.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    A bloody fistfight in a bathroom. An adult goes after a child with a baseball bat but doesn't catch her.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Cookie, car, gum, sportswear, cereal, soda, drugstore brands mentioned.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    A teen smokes; beer, whiskey, and chewing tobacco are mentioned. The main plot revolves around a coach who is giving his young players steroids.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Baseball Great

Parents need to know that this is a story about an adult coach who gives steroids to the children on his under-14 baseball team. The main character doesn't take them and works to stop the coach. There's also a short but nasty fistfight in a public bathroom.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the main issue raised here. Why are steroids banned? Should they be allowed? Why or why not? Since they are banned, why do athletes keep using them?
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