Strike Three, You're Dead by Josh Berk (review)
Buy Issue for $25 at JHUP- Strike Three, You're Dead by Josh Berk
Although Lenny, an ardent Phillies fan, lacks the athletic skill for the diamond, he does have a big voice that he hopes will make him into a sports announcer one day. A local network offers a DIY video contest with an inning at the announcer's mic as the prize, and Lenny and his best pals, Mike and Other Mike, recreate a 1944 game in which a fluke led to the worst earned run average for a pitcher in baseball history. Their video clinches the coveted announcer gig, but Lenny never gets his chance in the box: just before Lenny's debut, a young pitcher keels over dead on the mound. Lenny's cardiologist parents agree that the circumstances of the death seem unusual, if not outright suspicious, and that's all Lenny and his crew need to begin the detective work to find the murderer. While the mystery itself won't be too difficult for readers to solve (the motive and opportunity will be evident to any reader half awake), the real fun here is hanging out with Lenny and his pals. Berk has a great ear for junior-high banter, and the guys are just bright enough, just silly enough, and just focused enough to sound realistic, even in an improbable plot. Librarian bonus alert: check chapter four for the reference interview. How would your skills measure up if Lenny, Mike, and Other Mike turned up at your desk? [End Page 369]
