Choosing Up Sides
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1998
176
Novel • Fiction
Ohio • 1920s
1998
YA
10-14 years
Choosing Up Sides follows thirteen-year-old Luke Bledsoe, who moves with his family to Ohio in 1921, where he grapples with his strict, preacher father who forbids him from playing his favorite sport, baseball. Luke secretly plays, discovering his talent, while learning to challenge his father's irrational beliefs and develop his own progressive values. The novel depicts physical and verbal abuse.
Contemplative
Inspirational
Emotional
Challenging
Heartwarming
410 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
John H. Ritter's Choosing Up Sides receives praise for its poignant portrayal of a young boy's moral and religious conflicts amid the backdrop of 1920s America. The character development and historical setting are well-received. Criticisms focus on the predictability of the plot and occasional slow pacing. Overall, it offers a moving and thoughtful read.
Ideal for middle school readers, fans of historical and sports fiction, and those who enjoyed Jackie & Me by Dan Gutman. Choosing Up Sides by John H. Ritter combines 1920s baseball with themes of family, faith, and overcoming adversity, appealing to lovers of Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse.
410 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
176
Novel • Fiction
Ohio • 1920s
1998
YA
10-14 years
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