Heat

by Mike Lupica

book data

726 ratings, 4.02 average rating, 219 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		33%
4		42%
3		17%
2		5%
1		1%

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published

March 1st 2007 (first published 2006) by Puffin

binding

Paperback, 240 pages

isbn

0142407577 (isbn13: 9780142407578)

description

Michael Arroyo has a pitching arm that throws serious heat. But his firepower is nothing compared to the heat Michael faces in his day-to-day life. Ne...more

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05/11/08

Tommy rated it:

Heat is a fiction book. Michael Arroyo is a twelve year old Cuban immigrant. His father, his brother, and he live happily in New York till the father poops. Carlos, Michael’s brother, and Michael try and keep it a secret till Carlos turns eighteen and can take custody of Michael. Michael is extremely talented at baseball (pitching) and has a dream of playing to the Little League World Series. Michael’s fantasies look promising until one challenging opponent asks for Michael’s birth cer...more

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09/30/08

Myles added it

If you like baseball this is a book for you. It's the exact feeling of a kid living in the bronx growing up watching the Yankess, but there's more. He is stranded with no parents just his brother and no proof of age or identity, so through out the book he is living in fear and might have to give up the biggest part of his life that he is really good at just so he doesn't get caught.

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12/17/08

Maeve added it

it was really good! i thought it would be all totally sports but it wasnt

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

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04/12/09

Andrew Massey added it

recommended to Andrew by: if you are a baseball kind of guy
recommends it for: athletes

The book heat is a fiction story. This book is about a young boy named Michael Arroyo who is an immigrant from Cuba. He is extremely talented at baseball, especially pitching. He has big dreams of one day playing in the Little League World Series. With is 80 mph fastball he has a pretty good chance too. He also dreams of becoming a major league pitcher someday. The title "Heat" means two things. He can throw a sizzling fastball, and his life is really rough. His mother died of cancer a...more

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03/30/09

Alex Fowler rated it:

This book was not only an inspiring book but also was a great sports book that could be read over and over again. This book is about 12-year old Michael who is an amazing pitcher and an all around great baseball player. Unfortunately Michael has to face many problems in his real life outside of baseball. Michael's family is not a true American family and therefore must face the price of hiding there secret throughout their lives. In this time in his life Social Services is on his back trying to ...more

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1 comment

12/21/08

kaysootee rated it:

bookshelves: 2009-caudill-nominees, baseball, books-for-boys, juvenile-fiction, realistic, sports, young-adult-fiction

Read in August, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Michael Arroyo is only twelve years old, but he can pitch like a pro. His talents have helped his team rise to the top of their Little League. Unfortunately, some of the other players and coaches think he’s too good to be believed. After a game with Westchester South, one of the coaches circulates a letter demanding an investigation of Michael’s age. It turns out he doesn’t have a birth certificate on file with the league, and the officials rule that he can’t play until his father pr...more Michael Arroyo is only twelve years old, but he can pitch like a pro. His talents have helped his team rise to the top of their Little League. Unfortunately, some of the other players and coaches think he’s too good to be believed. After a game with Westchester South, one of the coaches circulates a letter demanding an investigation of Michael’s age. It turns out he doesn’t have a birth certificate on file with the league, and the officials rule that he can’t play until his father presents them with a birth certificate . It wouldn’t be so bad if that were Michael’s only problem, but it’s not. Michael is from Cuba, and his birth certificate is going to be hard to obtain. Michael’s father has also been dead for the past few months and no one knows except Michael, his older brother Carlos (who is working 2 jobs to cover their expenses), Manny (Michael’s friend), and their neighbor, Mrs. C. They want to keep it that way, too, because the boys are afraid that Social Services will separate them if they find out the truth. Baseball is the only thing that’s been keeping Michael sane through all of this, and now he can’t play.

There was a lot about baseball in this story and I thought I didn’t care about the baseball right up until the end when Michael’s team comes back and Michael gets to pitch against his arch rival, Justin. The rest, as they say, is history. Michael gets his birth certificate – through his friendship with Ellie (she’s the daughter of Yankee player El Grande – also from Cuba – who manages to pull some strings with Cuban officials). Manny makes sure to tell Michael’s story to everyone who needs to know, and they’re much more understanding as a result, so, Michael also gets to stay with his brother. The Little League official who has been investigating him (Mr. Gibbs) works for Social Services, and he agrees to be the boys’ guardian until the proper paperwork can be filed (by the time that happens, Carlos will officially be eighteen and can look after Michael without interference), though only if Carlos agrees to come and work for him until then. The fact that Michael’s team gets to play their final game in Yankee Stadium is just the icing on the cake. This was a decent “sports” book with plenty of other issues to keep readers interested. Although it will probably appeal primarily to guys, the relationships between the characters should also attract other (possibly girl-ier) readers.(less)

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04/14/09

Davon is currently reading it

bookshelves: currently-reading, q4-2009

Mike Lupica writes another terrific sports themed book. In the book Heat Michael Arroyo, a 12 year baseball fanatic, plays on a little league team. Born in Cuba Michael has lost his mother to cancer when he was young. His father brought him and his brother to America. Now having the chance to take his team to the Little League World Series his dreams can come true. Michael is unusually good for a 12 year old, and of the other coaches is accusing Michael of being too old. There is secret tha...more

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04/13/09

Victor Cieslak rated it:

Read in March, 2009

Heat, by: Mike Lupica, was a really good and thrilling book, Heat is mainly about a boy name Michael Arroyo, he grew up in New York, but was born in Cuba like the rest of his family. Living near Yankee Stadium, his father dreamed of his son playing in the little league world series that would be in Yankee Stadium. But neither his mother nor father were able to see this happen, his mother died of cancer when Michael was at a really young age, and his father died of a heart attack later on in life...more

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04/12/09

Joe Julien rated it:

(review of isbn 0399243011)

Heat was a really great book. I am a huge baseball fan. I mean huge. I personally like playing it more than reading it but this book was an exception. I really felt I could relate to Michael Arroyo. I throw pretty good heat as well but at eighty to ninety niles an hour is way out of my league. I am glad I don’t have to worry about Social Services taking me away. I can imagine how the boy might have felt. I know this is a fictional book and Arroyo isn't a real person but if he was I belive I co...more

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04/12/09

Mike rated it:

Read in April, 2009

Heat, is a baseball novel by Mike Lupica, it is titled for two reasons. Michael's fastballs can be clocked at over 80 miles per hour, so he's definitely capable of throwing some heat. But s, Michael is also feeling the heat in his difficult life. He lost his mother to cancer at a young age, and his father died of a heart attack just a few months after coming to America with Michael and his 17-year-old brother Carlos, leaving the boys to only help each other. Michael joins a baseball team and he...more

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11/23/08

Kevin rated it:

recommends it for: baseball lovers

Heat, by Mike Lupica was a great story of a boy named Michael, who gets through many struggles to bring his little league baseball team to the Little League world Series. Micheal, a twelve year old who lives in New York City, was born in Cuba. He was denied his right to play on his team when the discovered that hisbirth certificate was not on files. This was because Michaels dad died and Michael and his older brother lived alone, Michael's birth certificate was back in Cuba. Michaels struggl...more

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02/16/09

Melis rated it:

bookshelves: middle-readers, recommendations-for-boys, sports, young-hoosier-08-09

Read in February, 2009

I enjoyed this book and I think that young people will like it too.

The ending may be a little too pat and unlikely for me but I think most kids will enjoy the happy ever after, good things happen to good people ending.

Michael Arroyo is twelve but with no way to prove it. His age is being questioned and until he can come up with his birth certificate, he is unable to play little league baseball which is what matters most in his life. His father passed away two months ago...more

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06/02/09

Adil rated it:

bookshelves: 9th-grade, advisory

Heat
Mike Lupica
240pgs
0142407577

Heat was a really fun book to read and I relly enjoyed it because it was about baseball,rising against all the odds, tackling life's problems, and doing what you were born to do.

I give most of the credit of this great book to Mike Lupica's unique writing style. Unlike other sports who like to give all this background information and create a long introduction to the story, Mike Lupica gets right to the middle of the story a...more

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11/28/08

Robert rated it:

bookshelves: ages-9-12

Read in December, 2008

recommends it for: baseball fans, people who enjoy stories about rising against the odds

The story is about Michael Arroyo who came over from Cuba to the states with his brother and dad. Michael is a star pitcher on his little league team and hopes to one day play for his home team, the Yankees. Actually, Michael is the best pitcher all around, being able to throw 80 mph balls while only being 12 years old. However, being so good causes some unwanted attention and his actual age is put into question. With his birth certificate back home in Cuba it is unknown whether Michael will be ...more

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01/25/09

Alana rated it:

I read this book as a book group read. It was very good. I recommend it to people who really like baseball.

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03/05/09

Branflakes rated it:

Read in December, 2008

This book was a story written with quality, but it was way to predictabel. There wasnt alot the author could do it was the same as every other sports story I have ever read. Despite this the story did have a good amount of things that stood out from the rest of all the sports stories. The wording at times was hard to follow. I think the author spent way to much time on minor events, but not enough time on major events. There should have been more insight to the authors feelings. With all the dra...more

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01/27/09

Justin rated it:

This is a pretty good book.

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05/10/09

Badiss rated it:

Micheal Arroyo is the protagonist of this book, and Micheal is a 12 year old baseball pitcher. He has a crazy good pitching arm, but he has a bad life. He is an immigrant who is living in a major struggle. Micheal is a orphaned boy, after his father led him and his family out of Cuba. Micheal's good friend Carlos is considered as Micheal's only family. Micheal tries to help out by his baseball skills.

This book was amazing, i really liked reading it. It kept me attached to ever page, ...more

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05/11/09

Patti rated it:

bookshelves: read-in-2009, young-adult-reads

Read in June, 2009

Michael Arroyo is living a lie--his dad has passed away, and he and his brother Carlos can't tell anyone because Carlos isn't 18 yet. They're just trying to get through the summer to September and Carlos' 18th birthday.

Michael is also a pitcher for a Little League team with strong possibilities of heading to the Little League World Series. Micheal loves baseball, the Yankees, and those are the things that make him feel the best and most secure. Things start to fall apart when an o...more

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11/03/08

Jacob rated it:

About a Cuban kid whose dream of going to the little league world series is almost ruined. Of course there is a happy ending. Read this book.

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

6 comments