Whatever Life Throws At You

Gr 10 Up—Bone cancer ended his professional baseball career during his rookie season, but when Jim Lucas is offered the opportunity to become a pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals, life changes overnight for his 17-year-old daughter, Annie Lucas. Annie quickly learns the other side of pro baseball--families that smile and appear wholesome before the camera, but hardly speak to one another off camera, with media constantly in tow looking to catch players' kids doing something wrong. Annie finds true friendship in Lenny London, the daughter of a Royal, and Jason Brody, a 19-year-old rookie pitcher with a scandalous past. When Annie's father discovers that she and Jason have been secretly dating for months, he orders Annie to end all communication with him. In the end, Brody proves himself to Annie's father and their relationship earns his seal of approval. While characters are likable and the plot allows readers an all-access pass into the lives of professional athletes and their families, the numerous anf frank sex scenes between Annie and Jason make this a pick best suited for older teens.—Nicole Knott, Watertown High School, CT