Scan barcode
ellbo_oks333's review against another edition
3.0
I love baseball and math, so this book was a perfect marriage of the two <3
jennyp0208's review
3.0
I read this back-to-back with it's companion, Midsummer Mayhem. This book shares the other side of the fairies' midsummer challenge, with Oberon and his Snack Shack.
Midsummer is a stronger book. This one suffers from too much going on - we still have the fairy situation going on and the Midsummer Night's Dream play, but now Much Ado About Nothing is layered on top of it. Toss in the fountain of youth just for fun. The connection to Much Ado is pretty light - just Abhi the "go between" convincing Ben(edict) and (Bea)Trish to give each other a chance.
It's a fine, fun YA novel. I like the well-rounded characters - the kids like both math and sports and it all works out, no nerd or jock tropes. I just had really high expectations after Midsummer. It would have been stronger to drop the fairy stuff and just do Much Ado as a stand alone book.
Midsummer is a stronger book. This one suffers from too much going on - we still have the fairy situation going on and the Midsummer Night's Dream play, but now Much Ado About Nothing is layered on top of it. Toss in the fountain of youth just for fun. The connection to Much Ado is pretty light - just Abhi the "go between" convincing Ben(edict) and (Bea)Trish to give each other a chance.
It's a fine, fun YA novel. I like the well-rounded characters - the kids like both math and sports and it all works out, no nerd or jock tropes. I just had really high expectations after Midsummer. It would have been stronger to drop the fairy stuff and just do Much Ado as a stand alone book.
sandraagee's review
3.0
I would have enjoyed a tighter re-telling of my favorite Shakespearian play, but I will say that the elements that were included in this story were done quite nicely. I had not read the author's previous novel based on A Midsummer Night's Dream, which might have better explained the Puck-Moth-Oberon elements in this book, but this one does stand on its own nicely.
aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Enjoyed the story taking place in the same town as Midsummer's Mayhem. Not the most memorable story for me nor did I like it more than Midsummer's Mayhem (probably because I don't care for baseball and math while I love baking and sweets). Still a cute, quick read/listen.
mldavisreads's review
adventurous
lighthearted
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
Middle grade contemporary fiction with fantasy elements. Trish has just moved to a new town in time for the summer baseball season. She is not looking forward to having to prove herself again. As the only girl on the team, she has to be the best in order to be accepted. She is surprised to find she's on a team with Ben, the boy she just barely beat in the regional math puzzler tournament the year before. Ben has his own reasons for wanting to prove himself this season and he's not very excited to see that Trish the math whiz is also great at baseball.
When Trish stops by the Salt Shaker Café, the sponsor of the team, they commit to donating snacks to support the team at every game. All of a sudden the team starts playing better, getting along better, and also observes strange things such as pink hair or donkey-like fur that is temporary but widespread across the team. Ben and Trish each receive a mysterious math puzzle book that they gladly dive into, separately at first and then working together. The book seems magical, with pages that glow when the answer is correct and then shows a secret message.
But at the end of the book, Trish and Ben get the same puzzle that neither one can solve. They are worried that whatever help the book has given them will wear out before the championship game if they can't answer the book. In the midst of all this, Ben's dog Fib keeps disappearing into the woods and coming back covered in sparky green dust. What's really going on with the café, with the puzzle books, and with Fib? This companion to Midsummer's Mayhem focuses on the salty snacks. Supposedly this book retells Much Ado About Nothing, but as I have not read that play I can't speak to the similarities and differences. The puzzles were a bit hard to follow on audio but I did enjoy that Ben and Trish had different narrators to read their parts.
When Trish stops by the Salt Shaker Café, the sponsor of the team, they commit to donating snacks to support the team at every game. All of a sudden the team starts playing better, getting along better, and also observes strange things such as pink hair or donkey-like fur that is temporary but widespread across the team. Ben and Trish each receive a mysterious math puzzle book that they gladly dive into, separately at first and then working together. The book seems magical, with pages that glow when the answer is correct and then shows a secret message.
But at the end of the book, Trish and Ben get the same puzzle that neither one can solve. They are worried that whatever help the book has given them will wear out before the championship game if they can't answer the book. In the midst of all this, Ben's dog Fib keeps disappearing into the woods and coming back covered in sparky green dust. What's really going on with the café, with the puzzle books, and with Fib? This companion to Midsummer's Mayhem focuses on the salty snacks. Supposedly this book retells Much Ado About Nothing, but as I have not read that play I can't speak to the similarities and differences. The puzzles were a bit hard to follow on audio but I did enjoy that Ben and Trish had different narrators to read their parts.
brighthappyness's review against another edition
4.0
lauriehnatiuk's review
4.0
Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher Yellow Jacket/Little Bee Books for a digital ARC of this title to read.
Much Ado About Baseball is the companion book to Midsummer Mayhem, told from two perspectives, Trish and Ben. Trish and her family have moved again so that her mother can head up a medical unit in a new town. Trish has to figure out how to fit in being the only girl on a baseball time again. Ben is on the same team after losing a bet and is not pleased to discover Trish is on the team. Both Trish and Ben have a love and knack for Mathematics, and Ben is not happy to be on the same team where Trish beat him out at the annual Math Puzzlers Championships. One would think that they would quickly become friends having so much in common, but that is not the case. Ben's best friend Abhi can see the two have so much in common and slyly tries to intervene and provide opportunities for that friendship to develop.
The baseball team is not doing well, and Ben, in particular, seems to be struggling. Trish wants to be friends with Ben and worries that a secret regarding the Puzzle Championship will be revealed and make matters worse. When their team sponsor Salty Snacks starts providing pregame snacks, the team responds and magically starts to improve. At the same time, Trish and Ben both receive a book that includes various puzzles, which they believe is practice for the Math team. Both are puzzled that once solved words magically appear that provide advice specifically for them. As more unusual events occur, Ben is convinced the books are magical and to win the championship, they must solve all the puzzles forcing the two of them to work together.
I enjoyed how Rajina LaRooco used baseball to retell this story and that Trish played on an all-boys team, gently nudging; well played! I loved how she reminded readers how mathematics and baseball are intertwined and that anyone can do both. Then there are the puzzles! There are many drawing factors for readers to find appealing. Whether it be the action of the baseball games, solving the puzzles, figuring out friendships or the magic that spins the story itself, all while providing a gentle introduction to a Shakespearean work.
Recommended: Gr 5+
FIRST LINE: Baseball is magic.
PICTURE BOOK PAIRINGS: Much Ado About Nothing for Kids, Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl's Baseball Dream and Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature
SIMILAR TITLES: The Magical Imperfect, Jayden's Rescue, and Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!
OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR: Red, White, and Whole, Midsummer's Mayhem and Bracelets For Bina's Brothers
SUBJECT HEADINGS/TAGS: Juvenile Fiction, Middle Grade, Retellings, Fantasy, Sports: Baseball, Mathematics
Much Ado About Baseball is the companion book to Midsummer Mayhem, told from two perspectives, Trish and Ben. Trish and her family have moved again so that her mother can head up a medical unit in a new town. Trish has to figure out how to fit in being the only girl on a baseball time again. Ben is on the same team after losing a bet and is not pleased to discover Trish is on the team. Both Trish and Ben have a love and knack for Mathematics, and Ben is not happy to be on the same team where Trish beat him out at the annual Math Puzzlers Championships. One would think that they would quickly become friends having so much in common, but that is not the case. Ben's best friend Abhi can see the two have so much in common and slyly tries to intervene and provide opportunities for that friendship to develop.
The baseball team is not doing well, and Ben, in particular, seems to be struggling. Trish wants to be friends with Ben and worries that a secret regarding the Puzzle Championship will be revealed and make matters worse. When their team sponsor Salty Snacks starts providing pregame snacks, the team responds and magically starts to improve. At the same time, Trish and Ben both receive a book that includes various puzzles, which they believe is practice for the Math team. Both are puzzled that once solved words magically appear that provide advice specifically for them. As more unusual events occur, Ben is convinced the books are magical and to win the championship, they must solve all the puzzles forcing the two of them to work together.
I enjoyed how Rajina LaRooco used baseball to retell this story and that Trish played on an all-boys team, gently nudging; well played! I loved how she reminded readers how mathematics and baseball are intertwined and that anyone can do both. Then there are the puzzles! There are many drawing factors for readers to find appealing. Whether it be the action of the baseball games, solving the puzzles, figuring out friendships or the magic that spins the story itself, all while providing a gentle introduction to a Shakespearean work.
Recommended: Gr 5+
FIRST LINE: Baseball is magic.
PICTURE BOOK PAIRINGS: Much Ado About Nothing for Kids, Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl's Baseball Dream and Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature
SIMILAR TITLES: The Magical Imperfect, Jayden's Rescue, and Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!
OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR: Red, White, and Whole, Midsummer's Mayhem and Bracelets For Bina's Brothers
SUBJECT HEADINGS/TAGS: Juvenile Fiction, Middle Grade, Retellings, Fantasy, Sports: Baseball, Mathematics
kater07's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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? No
4.0
blacksentai's review
4.0
I like the way this book deals with math and baseball. Similar to the previous book "Midsummer Mayhem" this book handles shoving the core conceit of and old Shakespeare play into modern times extremely well. It's not some 1:1 recreation. Much ado about Baseball is its own story that stands up without needing any lore knowledge. Its a fun story about math and baseball and frienship that throws in a little fairy magic to spice things up.
mariathelibrarian's review against another edition
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? No
3.25