Reviews

Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! by Sarah Kapit

b_jud's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.75

emperor_e's review against another edition

4.0

I really liked this book. I liked that the girl wanted to play baseball instead of softball which I can relate to and I don’t really see a lot of books about girls playing baseball. And it was cool that she was autistic as well. I liked the idea of this book and felt that it was done really well and the characters seemed pretty realistic.

samdojtez's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny informative reflective 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? It's complicated

3.75

 I recently finished 'Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!' by Sarah Kapit, and I must say that I found this book to be adorable, insightful, and fun. Although I knew nothing about baseball, I was able to connect with the two main characters, Vivy and Jake, and their struggles with personal and societal expectations. 

 

One of the things that stood out to me was the portrayal of Vivy's autism. I appreciated how Kapit was able to bring the reader into Vivy's mind and show us the world through her eyes. Additionally, the book handles tough topics such as ableism, sexism, and religious intolerance with sensitivity and nuance. 

 

Even though baseball is at the center of the story, it never felt overwhelming or exclusionary to readers who don't follow the sport. Instead, it was a backdrop for the characters' personal growth and relationships. 

 

Overall, 'Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!' is a delightful read that balances important themes with lighthearted moments. The characters are lovable, the writing is engaging, and the plot moves at a good pace. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a heartwarming story with relatable characters. 

anakuroma's review against another edition

4.0

TW: Abuse, aba therapy (called out), bullying, infantalism, racism, self harm

(Note: this review is from an autistic person)

Told through letters and emails, this is a fantastic book with an autistic protagonist. Everything is represented so well, including the problematic views of the mother, who also learns how she is harming and hindering her daughter.

Highly reccomend!

alic59books's review

hopeful informative inspiring 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

5.0

thewordswillchangeme's review against another edition

Only reason I didn’t finish because I’m not crazy about sports books. BUT I did buy this for my library and will be recommending it to kids who like baseball and sports fiction. MC being autistic (by an autistic author!) is a nice bonus. 

hope0607's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

i_will_papercut_a_bish's review against another edition

5.0

Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! is a refreshingly honest book about overcoming life challenges (in Vivy's case, learning to communicate with her sometimes overbearing mother, and pitching under pressure whilst coping with bullying from one of her teammates). The voice never strays into being preachy or a bit condescending toward Vivy (or the reader), and young readers will find the perfect amount of MG tension to keep the pages turning.

This book was a particular hit in my house with one of my younger reluctant readers who was impressed to (finally) find a character she found very easy to relate to! In her words, "Sometimes, I see a long book and think 'aw, man, I'm never gonna finish this, but I'm GLAD this one is long."

Easy 5/5, a wonderful sports-themed book, and a guaranteed win for the crowd who appreciates concrete intrigue, getting to read in on other people's letters, and frankness!

zoepagereader's review against another edition

3.0

It was fine. It had a good plot and stuff, and I probably would have enjoyed it if I was still in 3rd grade and was into baseball.

tanyaprax's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars