About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is facing a string of bad luck or feels discouraged by a losing streak in sports or school. It is an ideal choice for emerging readers who enjoy a mix of spooky mystery and lighthearted humor. The story follows the Bailey Batters, a softball team convinced they are cursed, who begin to suspect their clumsy, bandage-wrapped new coach might actually be an ancient mummy. Through the lens of a supernatural investigation, the book explores themes of teamwork, overcoming fear, and the importance of looking past appearances. It is a gentle, age-appropriate mystery that validates a child's imagination while providing a fun, low-stakes adventure. Parents will appreciate how it encourages critical thinking and group problem-solving in a relatable school-life setting.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
The book mentions embalming fluid and features a character covered in bandages due to frequent injuries. While handled comedically, parents of very sensitive children may want to be ready to explain these references.
Ideal Reader
An 8-year-old who loves Scooby-Doo style mysteries and is just starting to read chapter books independently. It's perfect for the child who enjoys 'spooky' stories but still wants to feel safe and laugh.
Parent Prep
This book can be read cold. It is a standard entry in a long-running series with very consistent tropes. The parent just heard their child say, 'We're never going to win, we're cursed!' or the child is showing a sudden interest in 'scary' things like monsters.
Age Experience
Younger children (ages 6-7) will likely take the 'is he or isn't he' mystery quite literally and feel a genuine sense of wonder. Older readers (ages 9-10) will enjoy the dramatic irony and the slapstick humor of the coach's accidents.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many sports books that focus on athletic prowess, this one uses sports as a backdrop for a classic urban legend mystery, making it accessible to kids who might not usually pick up a 'baseball book.'
Read plot summary
The Bailey School Kids (Eddie, Howie, Liza, and Melody) are dealing with a record-breaking losing streak on their softball team. When Mr. Tuttle arrives as the new coach, his extreme clumsiness leads to various injuries that he constantly wraps in white bandages. Noticing his stiff movements and the odd smell of peppermint (or is it embalming fluid?), the kids theorize he is a mummy. They must balance their investigation with their desire to finally win a game.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Why do the Bailey School Kids think Mr. Tuttle is a mummy? Can you think of any 'normal' reasons why he might be covered in bandages?
2
Eddie is often the most certain that something supernatural is happening. How do the other friends help keep him grounded, or do they just follow his lead?
3
The team feels like they are cursed because they keep losing. Have you ever felt like you had bad luck? How did you change your mindset?
4
At the end of the book, do you think Mr. Tuttle was actually a mummy, or just a very clumsy human? What evidence makes you think so?
