Pinch Hit

Gr 4–7—Green goes Hollywood—literally. When Trevor, a famous tween actor, comes face-to-face with the more down-to-earth Sam, who's subbing for his regular stand-in, the two quickly realize that their identical looks can't be a coincidence. Both boys are adopted, and they agree that they must be twins separated at birth. Trevor quickly figures out a way to work things to his advantage. He has always wanted to play on a real baseball team, but his mother has not allowed it, insisting that his acting career come first. Sam's father has been trying unsuccessfully to sell a screenplay, and Trevor points out that by posing as a teen idol with access to agents and producers, Sam could further his dad's career as well. So Sam steps into Trevor's rich lifestyle of limousines and scripts, and Trevor becomes the star player on the Blue Sox. It is reasonably easy for Sam to coast along for a few days, especially with the help of beautiful costar McKenna, who is in on the switch. Yet despite the hours that Trevor has spent in his personal batting cage, he soon realizes that he is nowhere close to Sam's normal level of play. Green's usual level of sports detail is diluted by all of the Hollywood name-dropping and the sheer implausibility of the story, but the author's fans will enjoy the predictable ride.—Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA