Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies

3.78 of 5 stars 3.78 · rating details · 888 ratings · 200 reviews

For an eighth grader, Molly Williams has more than her fair share of problems. Her father has just died in a car accident, and her mother has become a withdrawn, quiet version of herself.

Molly doesn’t want to be seen as “Miss Difficulty Overcome”; she wants to make herself known to the kids at school for something other than her father’s death. So she decides to join the b...more

Hardcover, 192 pages

Published February 24th 2009 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian

Girls in Sports

26th out of 61 books — 181 voters

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Newbery 2010

63rd out of 104 books — 460 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 1,579)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Mar 30, 2013 Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-2013

What an incredible read! This really is one of those books I can see myself reading again and again, and which I won’t hesitate to recommend as a must-read.

A few of the things I loved so much about Molly is how realistically she’s painted and how easy it was to relate to her in some ways. Also, she doesn’t come across as a strong character at first because she’s shy and withdrawn, but she’s intelligent and astonishingly perceptive of her surroundings and the people around her. The reader learns...more What an incredible read! This really is one of those books I can see myself reading again and again, and which I won’t hesitate to recommend as a must-read.

A few of the things I loved so much about Molly is how realistically she’s painted and how easy it was to relate to her in some ways. Also, she doesn’t come across as a strong character at first because she’s shy and withdrawn, but she’s intelligent and astonishingly perceptive of her surroundings and the people around her. The reader learns more about Molly’s parents, which is a vital part of the storyline, by the way Molly draws the comparisons between her mom and dad’s different personalities – done perfectly to “show” the reader how this little family functioned before the death of her father pulled them apart. Sadly, the relationship between Molly and her mother is more than a little strained after Molly’s father’s death. It was heart-rendering to see Molly trying to reach out to her mother for a little affection, but knowing she might be rebuffed, pulling back into her shell again.

“Her mother was right there in front of her, and still, somehow, Molly missed her. It didn't make sense, but it was true. She missed her mother who laughed, her mother for whom life was not one tedious task after another. It was as if that woman had been kidnapped—she might be tied up in a basement somewhere. And in her place there was this mother, a joyless impostor wearing her real mom's clothes.”

Once Molly’s on the baseball field, though, she regains some of her confidence and she shines! The budding friendship on the field between Molly and Lonnie drew me so much deeper into Molly’s world. Not only is Lonnie her personal catcher, he’s also the type of friend who doesn’t mind sticking up for the only girl player on his team. The author didn’t sketch him as a typical obnoxious teenage boy, but rather as a quiet, artistic kid dealing with his own set of problems at home. So by the way…I know zilch about baseball, but I gained a lot of knowledge about the game - and some wicked baseball trivia – while reading this book. Plus, the game practices, the excitement, anxiety, the build-up, and the game itself was so well described, I felt like one of the players on the field. It was awesome!

“She was not a tomboy, just a girl who liked baseball.”

I absolutely loved Molly’s best friend, Celia. Her spontaneous personality and strong character reminded me very much of my own best friend I had in school. Molly isn’t as outgoing as Celia, but their different personalities complement each other perfectly. Celia – even though she’s not into sports at all – is Molly’s biggest cheerleader and encourages her all the way. Who wouldn’t want a friend like her?

“She was not shy, that was for sure. She was part of the horn section in band with Molly. She played the tuba. All her parts were boring, of course —it wasn't like she was ever going to play a solo. But Molly always figured that her friend simply relished the chance to make a big noise.”

One thing the author did tremendously well was to bring home to the reader the importance of Molly’s dad in her life. From the get-go you understand that he was the foundation of their family. He wasn’t perfect, but Molly was the apple of his eye, and he likewise was her whole world. Every time she had flashbacks or a memory about her dad, it tugged at my heart. Many times Molly’s inner-dialogue and thought processes had me smiling by the way she perceived things, but I couldn’t ignore the underlying sadness she constantly felt at the loss of this very important figure in her life. Everything Molly did pointed back in some way to something her dad had taught her - especially everything about baseball.

“Molly knew that other girls had tea parties with their dads. She played catch with hers. It wasn't weird, it wasn't cool, it was just what they did together.”

Baseball, teamwork, friendship, and closure are the prevalent themes in this heartfelt story. The author expertly blends together Molly’s friendships with Celia and Lonnie, her floundering relationship with her mom, and Molly gaining self-confidence on the baseball field while working through the heartache of her father’s death, to form the basis on which this story is built. Sometimes I find that certain books in which a character has to deal with the loss of an important person in their life, it can become emotionally taxing. Here it’s not the case. It’s not often I come across an author who tells a story in such a touching way, it has me reading most of the book with tears in my eyes, and without me feeling emotionally worn-out at the end.

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies might be most suitable for readers aged nine to twelve, but I have to admit, I had a wonderful time reading this book. It elicited all the good feelings a fantastic book that ends on a satisfying note can leave with you after turning the final page. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s into baseball, or those who can relate to dealing with the loss of a loved one. Readers who simply enjoy books with a powerful moral-of-the-story theme and a feel-good ending, will undoubtedly also find something to love about this story.(less)

like · see review

Jun 13, 2012 Molly Pace rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-fiction

Molly Williams isn’t too good at talking about her feelings, or what’s going on in her head. It makes more sense to her in baseball terms, like a box score:

L-for Loss: like a 7-3 defeat against the Red Sox—or the night the police showed up to tell Molly’s mom her father had died in a car accident.

E—for error: An easy ground ball goes right between your legs and into the outfield—or, Molly loses control with her mother and starts screaming at her. She doesn’t want to be this way, like some kind...more Molly Williams isn’t too good at talking about her feelings, or what’s going on in her head. It makes more sense to her in baseball terms, like a box score:

L-for Loss: like a 7-3 defeat against the Red Sox—or the night the police showed up to tell Molly’s mom her father had died in a car accident.

E—for error: An easy ground ball goes right between your legs and into the outfield—or, Molly loses control with her mother and starts screaming at her. She doesn’t want to be this way, like some kind of emotional terrorist, ready to blow at the tiniest little thing. But she doesn’t understand what her mother wants from her. How could it matter whether she wants to go out for the softball team again this year? What difference does it make what she does after school now?

SB-Stolen Base: the runner surprises the other team and advances to second base while the pitcher isn’t looking—not unlike trying out for the boys’ baseball team without telling your mom. Not that Molly wanted to keep it a secret exactly—she just didn’t know how to bring it up. It would be easier if she and her mother had signs like real base runners: touch your cap for “I don’t want to play soft ball” swipe across the letters for “No, they’re not the same thing,” jerk your right earlobe for “I don’t want to move to Milwaukee”.

S- for Save- A relief pitcher comes in and strikes out the last batter with the bases loaded—or when Molly’s new friend Lonnie draws a mural on her locker to obscure the rude message one of her new teammates had left on it. Lonnie might be Molly’s only friend on the baseball team and she’s beginning to think it’s not just because he’s the only catcher who can handle her knuckleball.

B for Butterfly Ball—okay, so that one’s not really in the scorebook, but it should be. Except, you could never come up with just one symbol for all the ways a knuckleball can move. Each one has a life of its own, just like Molly’s father taught her: you don’t try and aim a butterfly, you just release it. All she had to do was learn to let it go.
(less)

like · see review

Mar 06, 2012 IndyPL Kids Book Blog rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kid-life

Molly’s a pitcher. Her eighth grade year she does something a little different. She tries out for the boys baseball team instead of the girl’s softball team. When she shows up for try-outs, Molly brings her secret weapon, a weapon that comes as a suprise to the other boys trying out as well as her coaches. Molly can throw a floating knuckleball (a butterfly). And she can throw it hard.

But this story is about much more than a girl trying out for a usually all-boys team. Boys’ baseball isn’t the o...more

like · see review

Sep 26, 2011 LJ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Girl Who Threw Butterflies is about Molly Williams, a middle school student whose father died six months ago. He died in a car crash, falling asleep at the wheel, and Molly wonders if it really was an accident since he was very familiar with that particular road. She was closer to her father than her mother. Molly is not the type to be interested in typical "girly" things such as fashion and gossip, like her mother seems to be. Molly is into sports and she and her father shared a keen intere...more The Girl Who Threw Butterflies is about Molly Williams, a middle school student whose father died six months ago. He died in a car crash, falling asleep at the wheel, and Molly wonders if it really was an accident since he was very familiar with that particular road. She was closer to her father than her mother. Molly is not the type to be interested in typical "girly" things such as fashion and gossip, like her mother seems to be. Molly is into sports and she and her father shared a keen interest in baseball. They would often have long games of catch in the backyard where they'd discuss the intricacies of the game. One night while she is throwing the ball around in the backyard alone, she gets the idea that she will try out for the boy's middle school baseball team.

She makes the team, thanks in part to her ability to throw a knuckleball pitch, often nicknamed the butterfly pitch (thus the title) because this pitch has the tendency to flit unpredictably when thrown just right. There's the usual problems with the bully (who happens to be a teammate) and there's also two black teammates who teach her their secret handshake. This I found to be too stereotypical for my tastes. Molly has a good friend named, "Celia" who's a bit of a nonconformist, and Molly also becomes friends, hinting towards romance at the end, with a boy on her team named, "Lonnie." Lonnie also has a difficult family situation. His parents are divorced and his father has since remarried and has a young child with his new wife. Molly and Lonnie bond over this. Lonnie is Molly's designated catcher for her knuckleball pitch, something that's common to baseball since the knuckeball, with it's unpredicability, is a notoriously difficult pitch to catch. Lonnie is the artzy type, writing on his hands and rescuing Molly from humiliation by altering a drawing on her locker she finds one day that says, "Give it up."

Molly and her mother clash over a potential move to Milwaukee that Molly's mother contemplates, but that doesn't go anywhere and is too easily resolved. (In the end Molly's mother just says to her, "...and you can quit thinking about moving to Milwaukee" with no explanation.) The book ends with Molly's team's first game, which they win after a few ups and downs. It's a likable book, but there are a few cliches, a bit of racial stereotyping, and too much romanticizing about baseball for my tastes.(less)

like · see review

Jul 22, 2011 Kay Mcgriff rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-hoosier-11-12

Molly Williams doesn’t mean to shake things up when she goes out for the boys baseball team during eighth grade. She just misses baseball, that she played and watched with her dad before he died in a freak car accident. She may not be the biggest jock, but she does have a secret weapon: She can pitch a knuckleball. Will it be enough to impress her coaches and new teammates?

While not dealing with the guys on the baseball field. Molly is trying to negotiage the relationship with her mother, who h...more

like · see review

Oct 23, 2010 Lars Guthrie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a great book to read as the Giants are working hard to become this year’s National League entry in the World Series. Knowing about baseball is not a requirement for enjoying ‘The Girl Who Threw Butterflies,’ however.

A supporting character, Celia, could care less about baseball, and Celia is just as cool as cool can be. Mick Cochrane could have written a book about Celia. Baseball is only important to her because Molly, the girl of the title, the knuckleball pitcher, is her best friend. Cel...more What a great book to read as the Giants are working hard to become this year’s National League entry in the World Series. Knowing about baseball is not a requirement for enjoying ‘The Girl Who Threw Butterflies,’ however.

A supporting character, Celia, could care less about baseball, and Celia is just as cool as cool can be. Mick Cochrane could have written a book about Celia. Baseball is only important to her because Molly, the girl of the title, the knuckleball pitcher, is her best friend. Celia calls knuckleballs mothballs.

Molly wants to pitch on her elementary school’s baseball team, the real baseball team as opposed to the girls’ softball team. ‘You’re a pioneer,’ Celia tells her. ‘You’re like one of the pioneers we read about during Women’s History Month.’ Categorizing ‘The Girl Who Threw Butterflies’ as a girl-power novel, though, would be doing it just as much a disservice as calling it a sports novel.

Sports and gender equality are important to ‘The Girl Who Threw Butterflies’ but not as important as the story. It’s a story about families, about eighth grade boys and girls, about adults and children, about death and loss, about friendships, about never really knowing your friends or your enemies, and about finding out who you are. If the book is making a point, it’s to pay attention, to look closely, to work hard on the details.

‘Baseball is all about doing little things right,’ Coach Morales tells his team, fourteen boys and one girl. And doing little things right turns out to be a sort of salvation, a balm for Molly’s sad and troubled soul.

Mick Cochrane certainly does little things right. Like his careful characterization of the coach, ‘slightly geeky’ in the school corridors, who becomes a graceful athlete on the baseball field: ‘He sounded like a drill instructor who’d studied Zen, or maybe hypnotism, like one of those perky TV fitness gurus but heavily tranquilized.’

Or like Cochrane’s spot-on observation on the way mothers and fathers interact with their children: ‘After a certain point, every kid knows what his parents are going to say. It’s what makes them so exasperating—and lovable, too.’

‘The Girl Who Threw Butterflies’ has it all—Cochrane’s lyrical and witty writing, unforgettable characters, parts that make you laugh out loud, and parts that bring tears to your eyes.

Highly recommended for fifth graders on up.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 20, 2009 Aaron rated it 3 of 5 stars

Molly williams has always had a thing for baseball. She often played softball, but it wasn't quite the same. It isn't just the thrill of the game because baseball was something special she shared with her father. In fact, he helped her master the knuckleball.

Her dad had been an editor for one of the local papers in Buffalo. He had always had dreams of being a sports journalist, but that just didn't pan out, and his dream was not quite achieved. That was one of the reasons why people questioned w...more Molly williams has always had a thing for baseball. She often played softball, but it wasn't quite the same. It isn't just the thrill of the game because baseball was something special she shared with her father. In fact, he helped her master the knuckleball.

Her dad had been an editor for one of the local papers in Buffalo. He had always had dreams of being a sports journalist, but that just didn't pan out, and his dream was not quite achieved. That was one of the reasons why people questioned what really happened when he was killed in a one-car accident six months earlier. Most people said it was an accident, but some couldn't help but question....

Molly and her mother are still a bit stunned over what happened. Rather than being drawn closer together by their loss, they grow apart. Molly finds a respite in baseball as her mom keeps thinking of moving on and starting over.

It is because of the connection between baseball and her dad that Molly decides to try out for the school baseball team. There is no shortage of people who doubt whether a girl should play for the boys team, but she does find some encouragement in Coach V, an older coach who helps out.

The book is finely written and full of rich detail, particularly during the baseball game, which fans of sports novels will like. Unfortunately, the book seems to plod along through the two entwined plots. The tale moves very slowly, mostly because I think it skips over so much of the baseball element. There is almost no coverage of the practices and there is only one game included.

With that said, this is definitely a feel-good read that carries the tale to the predictable end in both story lines and even a bit of light romance for Molly and a teammate. For those looking for stronger titles in the genre, I would suggest taking a look at the young adult novels of Mike Lupica and Tim Green. Both craft more interesting and exciting sports tales. If you are looking for a similar book about a teen girl breaking through (think Girl Power!)into a boy's team, I would suggest Dairy Queen and its sequel The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, which also have a more balanced pacing for the storyline.(less)

like · see review

Oct 17, 2009 The Loft rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-sports

Life is as unpredictable as a knuckleball. Molly learns that the hard way — her father has just died in a mysterious car accident. Her mother is in that ”distant, ticked-off, unreachable place.” Molly is left to navigate on her own the morass of 8th grade and grief. And the one thing that she knows can help her the most is BASEBALL.

Remembering the long afternoons playing baseball with her father, mastering the art of throwing a knuckleball, Molly decides to try out for the baseball team — the bo...more Life is as unpredictable as a knuckleball. Molly learns that the hard way — her father has just died in a mysterious car accident. Her mother is in that ”distant, ticked-off, unreachable place.” Molly is left to navigate on her own the morass of 8th grade and grief. And the one thing that she knows can help her the most is BASEBALL.

Remembering the long afternoons playing baseball with her father, mastering the art of throwing a knuckleball, Molly decides to try out for the baseball team — the boy’s baseball team: “‘You don’t just aim a butterfly,’ her father used to say. ‘You release it.’ ” He told her that the knuckleball isn’t just a pitch but an attitude toward life, a way of being in the world — a philosophy…

In Mick Cochrane’s The Girl Who Threw Butterflies, the characters are so well-drawn, the descriptions of baseball make me want tickets to the World Series and drew me into the magic of the game, and the rich metaphors and story brilliantly capture the transitions and struggles in the life of an 8th grader. For example, from her father “Molly understood that keeping score was a kind of storytelling, an almost magical translation of loud and dusty events in the world — a stolen base, an around-the-horn double play, a triple — into pencil marks, a kind of secret code, numbers and lines and shapes, like cuneiform or hieroglyphics, the handiwork of some ancient scribe.” From the baseball team Molly discovers that as the pitcher, if there’s a runner on first base, it’s her responsibility to talk to the shortstop and second baseman. It’s her job to call out who should take a bunt if the first and third basmen are both charging it. If Coach Morales touches his forearm, it means steal a base. If he touches the bill of his cap, it means bunt. Molly loves this entire system of wordless communication.

She wonders if she could apply this system to the rest of her life, like when her locker is defaced, or when she’s sitting across the table from her mother at dinner. She would love to try and communicate some of their dinner conversations using signs. But then again there are many nights when she doesn’t see how she possibly could, because half the time she doesn’t even know what she wants to get across.

Even the signs and scorebook don’t show just how nervous a pitcher is, or how exuberant a teammate is when he clears the plate with a double, with all the attendant whistling and cheering. Or how terrible Molly feels if her knuckler has gone completely wild. “You’re cruising along one minute, feeling like you can do no wrong. Life is good, all’s right with the world. And then all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, things change.” Baseball = 8th grade = life.(less)

like · see review

Aug 18, 2009 Eva Mitnick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

A good, straightforward YA novel about an 8th-grade girl, Molly, who decides to honor heramazing gift - the ability to throw a fairly reliable knuckleball. It's also a way to honor her recently-deceased dad, who taught her baseball. Unfortunately, playing baseball means being the only girl on her school baseball team.
The loss of her dad and, as a result, the happy mom and predictable family life she used to have, are Molly's main problems - otherwise, things go fairly well for Molly. Sure, there...more

like · see review

Jun 28, 2009 Elizabeth K. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-new-reads

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

like · see review

May 11, 2012 Kris rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: annotated-bib-project, ya, sports, favorites

I could write for days on all of the literary elements found in this book. I've never (I admit it) "listened" to an entire book. At first, I didn't like it-- I like to give the characters my own idea of their voice and tone. But as the story went on, I loved it. I was so involved in the story, all of the description, comparisons, cliches, you name it!

This book incorporated sports, bullying, female/male roles, death, family dynamics, friendships, and so much more.

I would listen to it everytime I...more

like · see review

Sep 25, 2009 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 11 and up- the teen / preteen child parent angst is a character in its own right.

Shelves: 10-to-12-year-old-readers, a-7th-and-8th-grade-middle-school-t, first-person-narrator-all-ages

Another book processing grief- it makes me wonder what are authors going through? Is grief a metaphor for our times and national losses?

At any rate Mick Cochrane has created a sweet girl, Molly- her dad didn't come home one night, his car left the road and he did not survive the accident. Now Molly's family is truly small, she and her mother are separate entities encased in grief, going through the motions of the days. Molly is smart and aware and tries to give her mother the space she needs to...more

like · see review

Aug 05, 2009 Ken Sroka rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed Mick Cochrane's latest novel. Though I'm not a baseball addict like some of my friends, "Butterflies" made me realize how much baseball, in fact, is a part of my past. It raised memories of my limited but still important baseball days growing up in Buffalo, where the book is set, pitching to imaginary batters while a catcher called strikes and balls, daydreaming in the outfield, seeeing a friend pitch at the American Legion State championship game at Cooperstown, walking to...more

like · see review

Jul 02, 2012 Meng Zhang rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Lexile level is 750L. It is a contemporary realistic fiction for upper elementary readers. The main character in the book include Molly, her mother, her best friend Celia, her coach, teammates. The story is told in third person. It is a story of how Molly copes with her father's death and finds her identity. Her father passed away due to a car accident, and Molly was extremely sad because of it. Her mother was despondent. She was treated differently in school. Luckily, her best friend Celia...more

like · see review

Nov 29, 2009 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction, loss, favorites

Molly Williams learned to throw a knuckleball pitch from her father. The two of them spent hours bonding over games of catch and watching baseball on TV as Molly grew up. But now Molly’s father is gone – he died in a car accident a few months ago and 8th grader Molly is alone in her grief. Her workaholic, distracted mother is unavailable emotionally, and Molly just can’t relate to her former teammates on the girls softball team any more. Impulsively, she tries out for the school baseball team as...more Molly Williams learned to throw a knuckleball pitch from her father. The two of them spent hours bonding over games of catch and watching baseball on TV as Molly grew up. But now Molly’s father is gone – he died in a car accident a few months ago and 8th grader Molly is alone in her grief. Her workaholic, distracted mother is unavailable emotionally, and Molly just can’t relate to her former teammates on the girls softball team any more. Impulsively, she tries out for the school baseball team as a way of expressing her true self, using her pitching talent and honoring the memory of her father. Molly’s efforts to be accepted as the only girl on the team and to simultaneously work through the loss of her father are realistically chronicled in this short, poignant novel. Like the unpredictable flight of a knuckleball pitch (“Each floating and fluttering pitch was a little miracle. It was all about surprise”), Molly deals with sadness, anger, self-doubt and prejudice -- but also exhilaration, acceptance and reconciliation. Along the way she gets support from a loyal best friend, a caring coach, and the unexpected friendship of Lonnie, a catcher on the baseball team who understands what it’s like to lose a parent, albeit through divorce.

Molly’s voice rings true, and author Mick Cochrane does a fine job of capturing the experience of an adolescent who unexpectedly loses a parent. Secondary characters are well-developed, and Cochrane succeeds in combining gentle humor, sports action and touching emotional moments (as when Molly surreptitiously sneaks into her father’s clothes closet and tries on his favorite brown corduroy jacket). This book would be an especially good choice for teens dealing with a loss of their own, but will provide important insight into the grief process for all readers. Both boys and girls will care about Molly and find themselves rooting for her to succeed. The Girl Who Threw Butterflies is an excellent addition to any middle school library.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 06, 2012 Mary Harris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Citation: The girl who threw butterflies, by Mick Cochrane. (Alfred A. Knopf, 2009). 177. Contemporary Realism.
Genre: Junior Book – Contemporary Realism
Summary: The book tells the story of a girl named Molly whose father has recently passed away and their love of baseball. Eventually Molly decides to go out for the boy’s baseball team.
A. I thought this story was heartwarming.
B. Glancing at the title you think the book is going to be one thing, however, it is so much more. It is a story of a pro...more

like · see review

Jan 18, 2010 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: girls, mother-daughter, read-alouds, 3rd-high-readers, battle-of-the-books

A lovely book written about a middle school girl who is desperately missing her deceased father, is passionate about the game of baseball that she shared with her Dad, and is trying to connect with her mother. Her friend, Celia, is the model of a true friend and is irrepresible. Another wonderful character is Lonnie, also grieving from the loss of his father through divorce and remarriage. The unique, artistic Lonnie and Molly have a first, gentle, slightly-more-than friendship relationship whic...more

like · see review

Aug 16, 2011 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: baseball, children, teen

After throwing a few pitches in the backyard for old time's sake, 8th-grader Molly comes to a decision: she's not going to play softball this year, instead she's going to try out for the baseball team. Baseball was the game she shared with her dad, and in addition to missing him she misses the feel of throwing a baseball. She doesn't have super speed or a monster swing, but her dad taught her how to throw a mean knuckle ball. At first she's mostly ignored by her male teammates, but the coaches a...more

like · see review

Nov 30, 2011 Deb rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook, death-and-dying, realistic, teen, teen-clean-reads

I read (listened to)this for my kids' former middle school "reading appreciation program (RAP)". I liked the story well enough, but I didn't like the reader of the audiobook much at all. She was pretty expressionless.
Molly's dad died and she and he had a bond through baseball. He taught her how to throw a knuckle-ball that floats like a butterfly. Instead of joining the girls softball team as she had in the past, Molly decides to be the first girl on the baseball team. Most boys are either angr...more

like · see review

Dec 09, 2011 Amanda Toombs added it

Genre: Junior book—Contemporary Realism

Summary: Molly Williams is a girl whose life changes very quickly as her father is killed in a car accident and her mother changed tremendously after his death. As Molly has the love for baseball and remembers a special knuckleball her father taught her, she does the unexpected and joins the baseball team at her school. Joining the baseball not only made Molly stand out, it helps her with many relationships throughout her life.

Critique:

a. I personally bel...more Genre: Junior book—Contemporary Realism

Summary: Molly Williams is a girl whose life changes very quickly as her father is killed in a car accident and her mother changed tremendously after his death. As Molly has the love for baseball and remembers a special knuckleball her father taught her, she does the unexpected and joins the baseball team at her school. Joining the baseball not only made Molly stand out, it helps her with many relationships throughout her life.

Critique:

a. I personally believe the greatest strength of this contemporary realism novel is the story of Molly and how she learned to overcome the negative.

b. As Molly was faced with a life changing event, it really affected her life as a whole. Her mother acted very different since her father’s death and people at school only knew her because of her father’s death. Molly was put to the test to figure out ways to redefine the relationships throughout her life. She learns to deal with many things as young individual and follow her dreams. This book took a stand with such realistic events that can occur in a person’s life, especially during the adolescent stages. Molly defines herself, even though it is different from everyone else and leads her to her dreams and more positive relationships.

c. Molly surprised many people and even caught much negative feedback as she tried out for the baseball team but it didn’t stop her. When Molly showed up to try outs, some boy made remarks such as “what is this? Yoga?” (pg. 28). Her friend, Celia even seemed surprised and iffy as she asked her many times was she sure and why she wasn’t going to turn out for softball (pg. 18-20). These actions did not change Molly’s mind. She stuck with her love for baseball no matter what anyone said.

Curriculum Connection:

This novel can be connected with students to show them to never give up on their dreams. Students should always follow them no matter what they believe will happen, just like Molly done. This book could be requested for young students to read, if they have experienced a tragic moment like Molly had. This will give students for these situations more encouragement that things will be okay and they have to be the one to step up and tackle the uncontrollable.
(less)

like · see review

Jun 05, 2011 Karen Ball rated it 3 of 5 stars

Molly is an 8th grader whose father recently died in a tragic one-car accident. Her mother is grieving and doesn't talk to Molly much, and everyone at school seems to only think of Molly as the girl with the dead father. Molly wants to be known for something else, though. Her father taught her to throw a knuckleball pitch when she was little, and Molly has always enjoyed baseball -- so she tries out for the team. The boys' team... and the coach gives her a chance when he sees her throw one of he...more

like · see review

Sep 12, 2011 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-j-fic

I loved this book, couldn't put it down. I thought the story was compelling and believable and the writing was simple and beautiful. Excellent, strong female breaking tradition for her own, deeply personal reasons. This rang very true for me...I would highly recommend it to either gender...

1 like · like · see review

Jun 09, 2011 Olivia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

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

like · see review

Mar 08, 2011 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: caudill2012, audiobooks, strongfemalecharacters, sports, chapterbook, kids, realistic, 2011reads

A few short months. That’s how long it’s been since Molly’s father died in the car accident. Molly and her mom don’t talk about it. In fact, Molly knows all that her mom wants to hear is that everything is fine – 8th grade is fine, Molly’s friends are fine, Molly is fine. Molly’s mom doesn’t want to know that Molly is tired of being known as Miss Difficulty Overcome – identified only by surviving her father’s death. Molly’s mom certainly doesn’t want to know that Molly’s not going to be on the s...more A few short months. That’s how long it’s been since Molly’s father died in the car accident. Molly and her mom don’t talk about it. In fact, Molly knows all that her mom wants to hear is that everything is fine – 8th grade is fine, Molly’s friends are fine, Molly is fine. Molly’s mom doesn’t want to know that Molly is tired of being known as Miss Difficulty Overcome – identified only by surviving her father’s death. Molly’s mom certainly doesn’t want to know that Molly’s not going to be on the softball team this year. It’s not softball, it’s baseball that Molly and her dad connected over – practicing the butterfly pitch, a perfect knuckleball, over and over again in their backyard, spending hours watching games and discussing stats. So, almost without realizing it, it’s baseball that Molly decides to try out for, not softball. Of course, there’s no girl’s baseball team and before Molly knows it, it’s sure not her father’s death that’s being talked about. After all, whoever heard of a girl pitching for a boys’ baseball team?

I'm always surprised by how much I enjoy sports stories since I don't play sports much myself. The baseball part of this was excellent, but I could have used more play-by-play throughout the book; I loved when Cochrane talked about what drills they were doing at practice and how the coach focused on how much mental toughness and focus is required. I also really liked that Molly wasn't great all the time. She has a good knuckleball, but it doesn't work every time and she has to work hard and practice to make it better and get it working more consistently.

I thought the grief work was handled pretty well, I particularly resonate with Molly's desire to not have her father's death be the only defining thing about her, but the ending left me a little unsastified because a few things seemed too neat. The biggest plot point I noticed this with was Molly's mom wanting to move away from Buffalo and then at the end that desire just seems to have evaporated. I get that we're not seeing Molly's mom's grief process and it would be a complicated decision, but it just felt a little unrealistic to me that Molly's mom figured out Molly would be unhappy moving and "poof" they're not moving.

The other thing that I was disappointed about is really a problem with my expectations - I went into the book thinking we would be getting a whole season of baseball games and instead it ended after the first one. I also went into this thinking it might be a good gift for my travel softball playing 6th grade niece, but with the way some of the softball girls are depicted I think I'm going to give this one a pass.

Listened to Recorded Books audio edition narrated by Maria Cabezas. Cabezas didn't do anything outright terrible with her narration, but it felt a little too flat and it was hard to distinguish Molly's voice from her friend Celia's sometimes. I wonder how much more I would have liked the book if I had read it instead of listening to it and will not be recommending the audio to others.(less)

like · see review

Apr 08, 2010 Terryann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: slj-books-reviewed

Gr 5-9
When Molly's father dies in a mysterious car accident, her mother becomes withdrawn and distant. She feels alienated by Molly's love of baseball and seems unfocused and unsupportive. Left to figure out her grief on her own, Molly uses the mean knuckleball her father taught her (her secret weapon) to become pitcher of the boy's 8th grade baseball team. A leisurely, gentle story with colorful background characters, like best friend Celia and maybe boyfriend Lonnie. The narrative is full and...more

like · see review

Jul 18, 2012 Ellen Brandt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-school

Molly, an eighth grader struggling to get her life under control after the unexpected death of her father, returns to the passion that she and her dad had shared: baseball. She is not satisfied just watching the sport; she wants to play it. She is a skillful pitcher who can throw the elusive knuckleball, and a decent player overall, but she is also a girl, and girls are expected to play softball. Molly doesn't want to make a statement, she doesn't want to be a pioneer, she just wants to play the...more

like · see review

Jan 14, 2013 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 2 of 5 stars

Wordy and not subtle. Everything had to be said clearly and repeatedly so that the point was made. (Like I just did.)

"The knuckleball wasn't just a pitch. It was an attitude toward life; it was a way of being in the world. It was a philosophy." You see, with all the showing that is also being done in the novel, one of those three sentences would have been sufficient for the telling.

What Cochrane should have done to fill up the pages was do more with the characters of Molly's mom and her best fri...more

like · see review

Nov 07, 2010 Handd51 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Eighth grade Molly has recently lost her father with whom she loved to play catch. Baseball. He taught her to throw a knuckleball, also called a "butterfly". Her mother thinks she should go out for the softball team as she had before, but she missed the feel of the smaller ball and preferred pitching baseballs. So she went out for the baseball team - and made it. The story includes a bit of antagonism from the boys, but not much - which doesn't ring quite true. However, Molly's inner turmoil doe...more

like · see review

Jul 27, 2009 Susan P rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: j-fiction

The fall of her eighth grade year, Molly's father dies in a car accident. Molly was always a daddy's girl, and now that it's just her and her mom, things are difficult. One of the loves that Molly and her dad shared was baseball. So kind of in his honor, and also because she just isn't a fan of softball, Molly decides to go out for the boy's baseball team that spring. Her dad taught her how to throw a knuckleball when she was little, and that becomes her secret weapon. Some of the boys aren't so...more

like · see review

Jan 24, 2013 Tricia Douglas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-for-children, family-friendship-love, sports

This was a wonderful book about Molly overcoming the death of her father and how she strenthens her own self by joining the boys' baseball team at school. Molly is at a difficult age in 8th grade and struggles to understand her mother and friends at school. It is a magical tale of a wonderful girl using the talents her father taught her in pitching the famous "knuckleball." She not only surprises herself, but gains the respect of the team and her friends. There are many solid emotional and humor...more

1 like · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 52 53 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Children's Books: January 2013 - The Girl Who Threw Butterflies	21	83	Jan 24, 2013 06:03pm

combine
Other Editions (6)

More editions...

Genres

Sports And Games > Sports

30 users

Young Adult

29 users

Sports > Baseball

20 users

Realistic Fiction

19 users

Childrens

8 users

Childrens > Middle Grade

7 users

Childrens > Juvenile

7 users

Young Adult > Teen

6 users

Relationships

4 users

Death

4 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

One-Handed Catch
by M.J. Auch
Heart of a Shepherd
by Rosanne Parry
Greetings from Nowhere
by Barbara O'Connor
All the Broken Pieces
by Ann E. Burg
Wild Things
by Clay Carmichael

Books by Mick Cochrane

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Girl Who Thre...

4 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from The Girl Who Threw But...

“The most important stuff, what was closest to the bone, was just what you never talked about. There were no words for it...The trivial and silly is what you spend your day chatting about. You could ask your friends how they liked your hair, but you could never ask them what you really wanted to know: Is there hope for me, yes or no?” — 3 people liked it

“It was her street, her neighborhood, her life. She knew that someday in the future it would not be hers anymore. But she would remember it, she would treasure it, she would miss it. She would hold it in her heart. She knew that someday she would look back at this very moment and miss it....Never had life seemed more beautiful and more sad.” — 2 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Girl Who Threw Butterflies
avg rating	preview: The Girl Who Threw Butterflies Goodreads rating: 3.78 (888 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3960904-the-girl-who-threw-butterflies?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1357827025l/3960904.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3960904-the-girl-who-threw-butterflies?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane[/url]

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website