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sbojo32's review against another edition
5.0
This book is perfect for upper elementary school students. The format is easy to read - told in a series of letters (and then emails) between Vivy and her favorite, famous baseball player. Vivy is autistic and is aware of her "disability" and I love that she learns more about herself through this book. Because of the format, Vivy gets a true voice, and I think this will resonate with kids.
Vivy is a knuckleball pitcher. She's practicing with her brother one day and a Little League (or similar) coach asks if she'd be interested in joining his team. She struggles to get approval from her parents but eventually joins. The kids on the team aren't thrilled about the new addition, and she has to deal with bullies... and making new friends.
Overall it's a great book about fitting in and trying to make sure your voice is heard.
Vivy is a knuckleball pitcher. She's practicing with her brother one day and a Little League (or similar) coach asks if she'd be interested in joining his team. She struggles to get approval from her parents but eventually joins. The kids on the team aren't thrilled about the new addition, and she has to deal with bullies... and making new friends.
Overall it's a great book about fitting in and trying to make sure your voice is heard.
thenextgenlib's review against another edition
3.0
Vivy Cohen won’t let anything stop her from playing baseball.
⚾️
Vivy’s hero, VJ Capello, taught her how to throw a knuckleball years ago and it’s stuck with her. One day while practicing her pitch with her older brother, Coach K approaches and asks if she wants to join his son’s baseball team. Vivy’s mom is hesitant because she thinks Vivy should play softball and she’s worried because Vivy is #autistic. Once Vivy gets the go-ahead, she happily joins The Flying Squirrels and writes letters to her hero, VJ. Soon VJ begins writing back.
⚾️
This MG book reminded me of A Boy Called Bat by Elana K Arnold. I love that more books are getting published with neurodiverse characters. Every child should be able to see themselves in a novel I also love that Vivy is Jewish since we don’t see enough of that religion written about in middle grade or YA literature. Be sure to pick up a copy of this book—you’ll fall in love with Vivy!
3.5 stars
⚾️
Vivy’s hero, VJ Capello, taught her how to throw a knuckleball years ago and it’s stuck with her. One day while practicing her pitch with her older brother, Coach K approaches and asks if she wants to join his son’s baseball team. Vivy’s mom is hesitant because she thinks Vivy should play softball and she’s worried because Vivy is #autistic. Once Vivy gets the go-ahead, she happily joins The Flying Squirrels and writes letters to her hero, VJ. Soon VJ begins writing back.
⚾️
This MG book reminded me of A Boy Called Bat by Elana K Arnold. I love that more books are getting published with neurodiverse characters. Every child should be able to see themselves in a novel I also love that Vivy is Jewish since we don’t see enough of that religion written about in middle grade or YA literature. Be sure to pick up a copy of this book—you’ll fall in love with Vivy!
3.5 stars
miszjeanie's review against another edition
3.0
Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! is an endearing middle grade book about the love of baseball, life with autism, and figuring out your strengths. With many fast-paced baseball scenes, a spunky female protagonist, and heartwarming friendships all around, this is a charming story for tweens and adults alike.
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/get-a-grip-vivy-cohen-book-review/
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/get-a-grip-vivy-cohen-book-review/
pickekat's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this was a wonderful book about family relationships, autism, and baseball. I really liked the format of letters and emails, especially because it was like the story was in 1st person for Vivy, but then there were other perspectives. I think this format is really great, because in books when the perspective changes each chapter I have to look back at who’s speaking. Here it was so straight forward so I didn’t have to question who was talking. Overall, this book was awesome!
ekbehren's review against another edition
3.0
shoutout my 300 level English class for making us read this wholesome story intended for 8 year olds
agenderberry335's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
halschrieve's review against another edition
5.0
A sweet middle-grade novel about an autistic eleven-year-old girl named Vivy.
This epistolary novel follows Vivy's letters to her role model, knuckleballer VJ Capello. Vivy has had a fixation on the knuckleball pitch since she met VJ on a trip with her social skills group to a baseball game three years ago; while she pitches with her brother Nate, she is only invited to be on a baseball team when the coach of a local boys' team sees her at the park throwing pitches. Vivy's parents would prefer she join a girls' softball team-- and are extremely overprotective and nervous about her playing a sport at all-- but after a meeting with Vivy's therapist and some convincing, they allow her to play. And something else miraculous happens-- VJ Capello starts writing back, and, after checking with Vivy's dad, they start exchanging emails.
Vivy's autism mostly presents via difficulties with verbal communication and meltdowns triggered by sensory overload, which occasionally interrupt her practice or school. She references her parents using meltdowns as an excuse to not allow her to do things, and gives the impression that her parents and therapist can often hold her autistic behaviors over her head as if she's doing something wrong, only allowing her "rewards" like social activities and sports if she masks her autistic behavior. In some ways, she's able to present as "high-functioning," but readers get the impression that interacting in person may be different than writing words online. Vivy has been in special education environments for her entire education, and speaks about feeling underestimated and bored in these settings even as she is unable to complete the meaningless tasks set for her, while also feeling isolated from kids outside of special education classrooms. Her direct communication style, as retold by her in dialogue within the emails, is off-putting for some people, and she also isn't sure what to say in response to a lot of questions or prompts--but in her letters to VJ, she is effusive, eloquent, and passionate about the sport she loves.
Problems arise when Kyle, a boy on her team, starts bullying her. She writes to VJ about it, and VJ compares the sexism and ableism she's experiencing from parents and teammates to the racism he's experienced as a Black pitcher on a mostly-white team. Vivy appreciates his reassurances, but does not take his advice of telling someone else about the bullying. VJ gets more and more frustrated in his responses. And then something else happens-- Vivy gets hit in the head by a baseball, and now her mom says she can't play sports ever again! To make things worse, Vivy's brother Nate seems like he's never around--and he's keeping secrets from their parents, too. Vivy is upset, and in an email, she references the fact that VJ's having a bad season. This upsets VJ, and after they argue about the meaning of the word "fortunate" (relatable as someone who has had MANY arguments about someone misusing a word), he doesn't write back.
Can Vivy get back into baseball--and make amends with VJ?
I love the depiction in this book of an older person trying to be a responsible friend to a younger person, but still being fallible and taking things personally sometimes/not knowing what boundaries to set with a child/how to apologize for missteps in a friendship with someone with much less agency and power. The friendship between VJ and Vivy is totally sweet, and also comes across as two people trying to communicate honestly across generational/ power lines about a sport they both love.
Vivy's Jewish background is woven into the story; she misses games on holidays and thinks about things her rabbi has said about forgiveness. Her brother, it turns out, is gay; Vivy doesn't take long to accept him when he comes out to her, and it's a really cute moment.
What really is compelling about this narrative is that it's from the perspective of an autistic kid, without othering or dehumanizing language-- and it shows how parents and therapists can make mistakes and often do make mistakes, even with the best of intentions. I've read so many books about kids with disabled siblings or children where the role of caregiver is the one in the spotlight-- this is different. It recognizes Vivy's agency and desire to play sports as central to her wellbeing, and shows us her perspective without any muddying information.
Go sports-playing girls everywhere, and yay for books with autistic protagonists!
This epistolary novel follows Vivy's letters to her role model, knuckleballer VJ Capello. Vivy has had a fixation on the knuckleball pitch since she met VJ on a trip with her social skills group to a baseball game three years ago; while she pitches with her brother Nate, she is only invited to be on a baseball team when the coach of a local boys' team sees her at the park throwing pitches. Vivy's parents would prefer she join a girls' softball team-- and are extremely overprotective and nervous about her playing a sport at all-- but after a meeting with Vivy's therapist and some convincing, they allow her to play. And something else miraculous happens-- VJ Capello starts writing back, and, after checking with Vivy's dad, they start exchanging emails.
Vivy's autism mostly presents via difficulties with verbal communication and meltdowns triggered by sensory overload, which occasionally interrupt her practice or school. She references her parents using meltdowns as an excuse to not allow her to do things, and gives the impression that her parents and therapist can often hold her autistic behaviors over her head as if she's doing something wrong, only allowing her "rewards" like social activities and sports if she masks her autistic behavior. In some ways, she's able to present as "high-functioning," but readers get the impression that interacting in person may be different than writing words online. Vivy has been in special education environments for her entire education, and speaks about feeling underestimated and bored in these settings even as she is unable to complete the meaningless tasks set for her, while also feeling isolated from kids outside of special education classrooms. Her direct communication style, as retold by her in dialogue within the emails, is off-putting for some people, and she also isn't sure what to say in response to a lot of questions or prompts--but in her letters to VJ, she is effusive, eloquent, and passionate about the sport she loves.
Problems arise when Kyle, a boy on her team, starts bullying her. She writes to VJ about it, and VJ compares the sexism and ableism she's experiencing from parents and teammates to the racism he's experienced as a Black pitcher on a mostly-white team. Vivy appreciates his reassurances, but does not take his advice of telling someone else about the bullying. VJ gets more and more frustrated in his responses. And then something else happens-- Vivy gets hit in the head by a baseball, and now her mom says she can't play sports ever again! To make things worse, Vivy's brother Nate seems like he's never around--and he's keeping secrets from their parents, too. Vivy is upset, and in an email, she references the fact that VJ's having a bad season. This upsets VJ, and after they argue about the meaning of the word "fortunate" (relatable as someone who has had MANY arguments about someone misusing a word), he doesn't write back.
Can Vivy get back into baseball--and make amends with VJ?
I love the depiction in this book of an older person trying to be a responsible friend to a younger person, but still being fallible and taking things personally sometimes/not knowing what boundaries to set with a child/how to apologize for missteps in a friendship with someone with much less agency and power. The friendship between VJ and Vivy is totally sweet, and also comes across as two people trying to communicate honestly across generational/ power lines about a sport they both love.
Vivy's Jewish background is woven into the story; she misses games on holidays and thinks about things her rabbi has said about forgiveness. Her brother, it turns out, is gay; Vivy doesn't take long to accept him when he comes out to her, and it's a really cute moment.
What really is compelling about this narrative is that it's from the perspective of an autistic kid, without othering or dehumanizing language-- and it shows how parents and therapists can make mistakes and often do make mistakes, even with the best of intentions. I've read so many books about kids with disabled siblings or children where the role of caregiver is the one in the spotlight-- this is different. It recognizes Vivy's agency and desire to play sports as central to her wellbeing, and shows us her perspective without any muddying information.
Go sports-playing girls everywhere, and yay for books with autistic protagonists!
pagesofpins's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this middle reader about a girl who loves spending time with her Reformed Jewish family, tossing baseballs around with her brother, and watching her favorite Giants pitcher on TV with her dad--and HATES having to go to life skills group and miss out on doing normal kid things because of her autism. She begins writing to her favorite baseball player for a school assignment, and he becomes interested enough in her letters to write back (with her parents' permission).
Vivy begs to be allowed to join the baseball team rather than the softball team most girls play on, because she wants to perfect her knuckleball (too hard to throw with a softball). Unfortunately, the coach's son is a world class bully and immediately begins aggravating Vivy's sensory issues in hopes that a meltdown will get her thrown off the team. Fortunately, she also makes a new best friend on the team and has the advice of a pro baseball player to get her through hard losses.
Vivy begs to be allowed to join the baseball team rather than the softball team most girls play on, because she wants to perfect her knuckleball (too hard to throw with a softball). Unfortunately, the coach's son is a world class bully and immediately begins aggravating Vivy's sensory issues in hopes that a meltdown will get her thrown off the team. Fortunately, she also makes a new best friend on the team and has the advice of a pro baseball player to get her through hard losses.
anacereading's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0