I liked this this story was realistic and historical fiction. Shenice learns about a past family history that needs to be righted. She is playing on an all African American softball team as the team captain. The story merges both of these stories around while Shenice learns the truth. I will recommend this book to my students who love realistic, historical, and suspenseful books.

Nic Stone knows how to pull a reader in. Fast Pitch is a fast-paced sports mystery that will be a hit with middle-grade readers. From the start, Shenice Lockwood is a strong protagonist who is fighting for her place in sports. Stone knows how to intertwine exciting characters, a thrilling plot, and social justice themes. From the moment I picked up the book, I could not put it down.

As always Nic Stone writes a heartwarming, laugh out loud story. Kids are sure to live this book. You can’t in giving this book as a gift.

Fast Pitch by Nic Stone tells the story of 7th grader Shenice as she tries to lead her all black softball team to a historic victory while also solving the mystery of the racially motivated setup than ended her grandpa’s professional baseball career. This is a great book, with a compelling story and relatable writing. I’ll definitely be recommending this to the kids I know.

Fast Pitch is another home run for Nic Stone! Great likable characters! A family mystery and Shanice's focus as team captain becomes divided. Will she be able to solve the family mystery without letting her team down? Read Fast Pitch and find out for yourself!

I loved softball as a teen, so I was so excited to read this newest from Nic Stone, and it did not disappoint. It was a great mix of softball, social justice, racial history, friendship, and family.

The story of Shanice who wants to prove to everyone that she and her team are the best. But her priorities shift when she learns the true story of her grandfather and the crime he was accused of. Time is running out for her to tell her story. An intriguing mix of American history, social justice, and athletic girls. Some Black Girl Joy watching these girls slug it out on the field.

As someone that grew up playing softball and an adult who loves watching the professional iterations of the sport, I jumped at the chance to read a book about the sport that I love so much. Nic Stone does so much justice to the spirit of softball and the bonds that you create playing on a team.

The mystery of Shenice's grandfather keeps you locked in, while also reminding us of just how recent the Civil Rights Movement and the segregated baseball leagues actually is. This story inspires me to look to my own family history and to glean as much as I can from older family members while I can.

A fun introduction to fast pitch softball and the history of baseball at the same time. Also, a nice gentle yet firm introduction to racism and its influence in history.

I've loved everything I've read from Nic Stone. You can always feel her passion for telling these stories, and Fast Pitch is no exception. This has also been a hit since I was able to add it to my fourth grade classroom library. Definitely recommended!

I love that Nic Stone can write for a variety of ages, and in this second middle grade novel, she shows that power again.
Staying with the same community she gave us in Clean Getaway, this time she focuses on Scoob's friend, Shenice. Shenice comes from a long line of baseball (or as her brother says, batball) players. She's currently playing for the first all Black female softball league in her county and they are doing their best at winning and going all the way to state. But breaking Shenice's concentration is the new information that her (never met) great-grandfather's name was brought through some bad baseball mud. In fact, his days of playing the game were brought to an end because of a racial crime that he was never able to clear his name from. But with some new information from a newly-met relative, Shenice has to race against the clock to clear his name and win that softball championship!
I love that this middle grade novel is a quick read - comes in at under 200 pages - yet delves into a racial conversation that readers today are looking to have. We need more books like this and I'm glad Nic Stone is adding her voice for middle grade readers today!

Shenice has baseball and softball in her veins. For generations the men in her family have played baseball and almost made it big and now it's her turn to shine. As her softball team of all black girls makes records and takes names Shenice finds herself distracted by the real story of her grandfather who almost made it big but was accused of a theft and lost it all. Can Shenice find the truth and help her team to victory?

A well needed sports book for girl with a powerful message about how we continue to treat people.

Shenice Lockwood is set to lead her softball team to a championship win. Being part of an all-Black softball team is a point of pride for her and her teammates as they face off against the primarily white teams in their league. When Shenice stumbles across a family mystery, it is up to her to try to clear her great-grandfather JonJon's name for a theft he didn't commit.

I admit that I adore everything Nic Stone writes- Fast Pitch is no exception. The characters and story are compelling. The mystery woven with sports story is a perfect blend that will appeal to a wide variety of young readers.

I appreciate the way Stone tackles discrimination and racism in a way that young readers will be able to understand. It is so important for readers to have access to books like this!

Nic Stone's books are so well done. The characters are fully crafted and the story is poignant My library is purchasing a hard copy of this book and I plan to have a book club with it next spring when baseball is popular again. .

Nic Stone does it again! I loved her Sandlot inspired story about black girls playing softball, and the way her protagonist finds herself along a journey through her history.

I featured this book as a Book of the Day spotlight and included it in my weekly roundup and monthly post of new releases on my Black Fiction Addiction platforms.

Shenice "Lightning" Lockwood is ready to lead her fast-pitch softball team as the first all black team to make the finals. When an unexpected mystery pulls Shenice's attention away from the game, her secrets could cause everything to collapse.

Fast Pitch is a great story for fans of mystery and softball. It delves into racism in the past and present, and incorporates just a touch of possible romance for middle grade readers.

Fast Pitch is another great middle grade read by Nic Stone - Shenice "Lightning" Lockwood is a fantastic softball player with a little mystery to solve in between games and school. The characters are well developed and likeable, and the story is fast paced. I also loved the small connection to her earlier work, Clean Getaway, which helped further solidify her friendship with Scoob (Stone's "Easter eggs" are something I've started to look forward to in her works). There are several girls in my classroom who will enjoy reading it. Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview #FastPitch - I loved it and am looking forward to her upcoming releases!

I'm not real big on sports stories but I'll give them a chance if I get the sense that they're trying to be more, that sports are used as a device for addressing a larger issue. And that's definitely the case here. The girls play softball but we don't get much technical sports talk or even descriptions of the games. Softball is simply a thing they do and a catalyst for addressing institutionalized racism. Those ideas - including how increased awareness changes Shenice's approach to games and her teammates - are morally complex and are thus not fully explored. The conclusion is pretty idealized and tidy. It ends quickly with everything neatly tied up, a result I found disappointing. Still, it will give a middle grade reader plenty to chew on.

I love Nic Stone's books! The stories always have so much meaning and depth. I love the development of the main character and her drive. Each chapter has so much build up that keeps the reader engaged, wanting to keep turning the pages. I can see myself recommending this to tweens, teens, and families. I haven't heard Nic Stone narrating the audio version of the book but I will be recommending that version as well for family road trips!