• Age: 10 to 13
• Grade: 4 to 8
• Reading age: 7 to 10

Tom Poulos is looking forward to a summer of baseball. His team is in the City of Toronto Little League playoffs, and he has a feeling they can win the championship this year.
But instead of playing catcher for the Jarvis Badgers, Tom finds himself on a plane to Winnipeg, where he'll spend the summer with an uncle he doesn't even know. His mother thinks Tom will be better off there, but Tom's not so sure. What if he doesn't get along with his uncle? And Winnipeg doesn't have a team in the major leagues.
As it turns out, Uncle Nick is pretty neat, and the local ball team just happens to need a catcher. Tom even becomes friends with the best player on the team. The problem is, Tom's never had to catch a curve ball before, and if he doesn't learn soon, he'll be out of the game.

JOHN DANAKAS is the author of five children`s novels and one non-fiction book for young adults. His book Hockey Night in Transcona was an Ontario Silver Birch Award finalist. Curve Ball, Lizzie`s Soccer Showdown, and Hockey Heroes are all Canadian Children`s Book Centre Our Choice selections. He lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

John Danakas' profile page

• Winner, Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice Selection

"Fun and immensely enjoyable.... Ball fans will enjoy this book."

Quill & Quire