"Fast Pitch" was so fun and engaging. There were so many elements to the book that made me keep picking it up throughout the day and compelled me to finish it so quickly. First of all, there was an irresistible mystery winding its way throughout the story. Secondly, Shenice is such a likeable character I just didn't want to stop reading about her or her friends or her visits to Uncle Jack's. Lastly, the history revolving around the Negro Baseball League was so interesting.

This book is a great addition to the available books for middle school readers. There is a dearth of high quality sports oriented books that successfully integrate sports with family and friend issues. The fact that the main character is a black female softball player with a loving two parent family is another great aspect of this book. There are plenty of books that present troubled teens with dysfunctional families. This one is refreshingly different.

Stone does an excellent job developing characters so that they seem believable and real. There is a good bit of teen slang, etc. that I found a bit over the top,, but middle grade readers will probably like. Adding in the mystery aspect “(what happened to disgrace her great-grandfather?” provided nice tension and emphasized the main character’s family heritage.

I think this book will appeal to thoughtful middle school girls who love sports.

Nic Stone certainly knows how to write a book that readers will enjoy. In Fast Pitch, Shenice Lockwood is a softball player who is trying to lead her team to victory and solve a family mystery at the same time. She is the team captain, and her team could use the trophy and the money that comes with the Fastpitch World Series. Baseball and softball is important to her family. She learns, with the help of her Uncle Jack, that a family member was set up for a crime that led him to leave the game of baseball. Shenice wants to solve this mystery, but it also distracts her from her goal of winning the title. This book is full of action and realistic characters. You can't help but cheer for Shenice and her family and team. Readers will be able to empathize with Shenice's internal conflict throughout the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

BLAZE UP!
You do not want to miss this fast pitch, lightning of a MG novel. First off, I love that Scoob is in the story (Clean Getaway) and Mr. Bonner from RCA.
Secondly, the bad ass girl power, the history, the ability be brave in the face of bigots - powerful stuff. Nic can write, but even more than that she can tell a damn good story. Obsessed with the softball/baseball background and even more in love with Uncle Jack and the mystery behind her Great-Grampy JonJon’s inability to get into the MLB and stripped of all his records (even though it was his to be in)

Nic Stone has done it again. First thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's copy. I really enjoyed this story. I am super excited to share a female black athlete protagonist with my students. Shenice is the perfect heroine in this story of love, belonging, social justice and loss. As the captain of her all black softball team set in the deep south, Spencer learns secrets about her family that uproot her life and concentration on the subject at hand, winning the district championship when the other teams look nothing like hers. I loved how Nic Stone weaved in the story of Clean Getaway with this one. Another Middle grade success for one of of my favorite authors. This novel will definitely be apart of my 5th grade book club for next year.

“Being twelve is hard.”
🥎
Shenice Lockwood has batball (aka softball aka baseball) in her blood. Her father played baseball, and his father too. As team captain Shenice has her eyes on prize of winning the Fast Pitch World Series, and being the first all-Black team to do so. Add the $10,000 prize money to the mix and nothing is getting in her way—until a suspicious family crime is revealed when Shenice meets her Uncle Jack for the first time. On the hunt for a missing item, Shenice is off her game as she hopes to uncover a decades-old mystery.
🥎
Nic Stone is a goddess of the written word. Middle grade, young adult, she can do it all! Fans of Clean Getaway will absolutely love this follow up (Scoob is back as Shenice’s crush 🥰). Stone does so many things in 240 pages: shows Black girl magic on the softball field, discusses racism, prejudice and Black history in way similar to Clean Getaway and perfect for the MG age group, and shares the power of family, friends and being there for those you love. Fast Pitch is a home run! TY Netgalley for this ARC. Grab your copy 8.31!

I truly love Nic Stone and her writing...her books simply make me happy. She's an incredible writer in both her 14+ age books for teens and then her middle grade work. I loved her MG debut Clean Getaway, so when I saw she had another one coming out I clicked the button to request an ARC immediately.

FAST PITCH is a short and fast paced little story about a girl and her all black female softball team on the cusp to make it to the championship, when she discovers a secret about a relative in her family and begins digging into the past with help of her friends on the team. It had a lot of humor and heart to the story, and even though I personally didn't get all the softball references, kids are going to love this one. Nic also so eloquently tackles racism and discrimination in baseball while making it age appropriate. Really adored this book!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers for giving me a DRC of this book.

This book is about Shenice Lockwood and her softball team. Shenice is trying to balance winning with her team and figuring out the family secret her Uncle Jack tells her about. I love that this book has a female black athlete as its protagonist and the way it is tied into Clean Getway, Nic's other MG novel. Readers of Jason Reynold's Track Series would love this book as well as any student who is interesting in mysteries or social justice. Shenice and her teammates are witty and the relationship Shenice develops with her Great Uncle Jack is heartwarming. I definitely recommend this book and will be purchasing it for my classroom library.

Loved Clean Getaway, so had to read this one as soon as I could. This story was so good, having the right amount of friendship, sports, history, activism, and struggle for middle grade readers.

Shenice is a wholesome, relatable character for so many students at my school. Can’t wait to share this title with them!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book. It was a lovely mix of sports action, realistic fiction, mystery, and plucky middle grade characters. If you liked Clean Getaway you have to pick this up. It is also a fantastic next read for kiddos who have sped through all of the books in Reynolds' Track series.

Shenice is the captain of her softball team. And this year they have a chance to do something no other team has ever done: be the first all-Black team to make it to the district championships and beyond. As the team's season continues on, Shenice becomes distracted by something her Great-Uncle Jack tells her about her Great-Grandfather JonJon, who was a great baseball player himself and almost become one of the first few black men in the Major Leagues. But, according to Jack, JonJon was framed for a crime he didn't commit and his legacy in baseball was erased. So now Shenice is determined to find out what really happened. But focusing on that means not focusing on her team.

Highly recommend. This is a first purchase for all collections.

I think this is my favorite of Nic Stone's books so far! A nice story with a likable lead character. It did feel like some of the big moments were kind of jumped over in regards to what actually happened with the glove and getting people to believe the truth, but I'm less concerned about that since this is a middle grade book.

Shenice is captain of her fast-pitch softball team, the first all black team in their league. The tournament season is soon, and they could make history if they make it to the district tournament. As her team readies for this tourney, for the first time she meets her great grandfather’s brother, Jack. He tells her his brother was falsely accused of stealing Joe DiMaggio’s glove during a charity auction. He said his brother was framed, and he knows who took it and wants her to find the glove and clear his brother’s name. Can Shenice do it while trying to get her team ready for the district tournament?

This book is so much more than a softball book. I would definitely put this in the hands of my sports fans, but I would also recommend this any student who is looking for a book about social justice. Fast Pitch has all the thrill of the game, but a mystery about family is woven underneath highlighted the social justice element. Nic Stone paints an accurate picture of what today's youth feels when it comes to being judged by the color of their skin, whether white or black. Definitely a book I will buy for my library.

Fast Pitch is the story of Shenice "Lightning" Lockwood, a young softball player on an all-Black team called the Fulton Firebirds. One day her great uncle reveals a family secret - her great grandfather was falsely accused of a crime that ruined his baseball career - and Shenice is sent down a rabbit hole of research to try and clear her great grandfather's name.

I loved the mystery elements and team friendship, and also the length makes it perfect for read alouds! Shenice is funny, empathetic, and determined, and her friends and family are written with such love and care. While not a major plot point, I loved watching a group of racist, sexist boys get their comeuppance when they heckle the Firebirds and are absolutely demolished when challenged to play against them.