Looking at this compelling novel, I find myself drawn to Jacob McArthur Mooney's ability to transform what could have been a simple coming-of-age story into something far more layered and resonant.
The Northern follows young Chris as he navigates the complex terrain between childhood and adolescence during a baseball card sales expedition that takes him from familiar Minnesota soil into the uncertain landscape of 1950s Canada. What begins as a straightforward business trip—hawking contracts to minor league players for a struggling card company—gradually reveals itself as something more profound: a meditation on loyalty, disillusionment, and the painful education that comes with seeing the adults in your life as fallible human beings rather than heroes.
Mooney's prose carries the weight of memory without feeling overly nostalgic. His descriptions of the baseball world feel authentic and lived-in, populated by dreamers and has-beens who still believe their next at-bat might change everything. The author doesn't romanticize this milieu; instead, he presents it with the kind of clear-eyed honesty that makes both its beauty and its tragedy visible.
What elevates The Northern beyond its period setting is Chris's voice—observant without being precocious, vulnerable without being sentimental. As he watches the relationships around him shift and complicate, we're reminded of that particular adolescent anguish of wanting to belong while simultaneously recognizing that belonging might require compromises we're not sure we're willing to make.
This is a novel that trusts its readers to find meaning in quiet moments and subtle revelations. Mooney has crafted something genuinely moving—a story that honors both the innocence of childhood and the necessary losses that accompany growing up.

In the beginning I worried about the story in this book but stuck with it. The first 85% is a great read. Things slow down considerably and get a bit messy in the end. But still the story holds together well and I would give it an overall rating of good vs great. The story itself is intriguing and I loved reading about the ball players. Chris was a bit of a mess, but that’s to be expected at his age. Some actions though seemed overly mature for a 12 year old.

Good read if you enjoy family drama and baseball.

A different sort of coming of age story. Set in 1952, it's all about the Canadian northern league - low level baseball-but with themes of dealing with life in the early 1950s. Baseball cards were a real thing in those days but who would expect a road trip centered on them. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. While this wasn't for me, I know there's an audience and that Mooney has great affection for his characters and baseball.