
Reach for this book when your child is struggling with a short fuse, particularly in competitive environments like sports or school. It is an excellent resource for young athletes who find it difficult to manage frustration when things do not go their way on the field. The story follows Mike, a talented baseball pitcher who must learn to control his temper and ignore the taunts of a rival player to help his team succeed. Through Mike's journey, the book explores themes of resilience, self-control, and the importance of teamwork over personal ego. It is highly appropriate for elementary and early middle schoolers, offering a relatable look at how anger can cloud judgment and performance. Parents will appreciate how it models practical emotional regulation without being overly preachy, making it a solid choice for teaching sportsmanship and the value of a level head.
The book deals with social aggression and bullying in a sports context. The approach is direct and secular. The resolution is realistic: Mike does not magically become a different person, but he learns a functional strategy for managing his reactions.





















Your experience helps other parents find the right book.
Sign in to write a reviewAn 8 to 10 year old athlete who is technically gifted but struggles with 'mental toughness' or sportsmanship. Specifically, the child who gets 'tilted' easily by opponents or their own mistakes.
This book can be read cold. Parents might want to pay attention to the scenes where Steve taunts Mike to use them as talking points about how to handle 'trash talk' in real life. A parent might reach for this after seeing their child throw a bat, yell at an umpire, or shut down emotionally after a loss or a provocative comment from a peer.
Younger readers (ages 8-9) will focus on the exciting baseball action and the 'mean' behavior of the antagonist. Older readers (11-12) will better grasp the internal psychological battle Mike is fighting and the maturity required to ignore provocations.
Unlike many sports books that focus purely on the 'big win,' Matt Christopher's work here focuses on the internal discipline required to be a leader. It validates that anger is a real feeling while showing that acting on it has consequences for the whole team.
Mike is a star pitcher with a powerful arm but a very thin skin. When an old rival, Steve, starts using psychological tactics and 'trash talk' to rattle him, Mike's performance begins to suffer. The story tracks Mike's internal struggle to move past his anger and focus on the game, culminating in a high-pressure playoff where he must decide between holding a grudge or supporting his team.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.