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The Sweet Spot
A home run of a novel about baseball and belonging, from the acclaimed author of Half Moon Summer.
Twelve-year-old Trip’s summer to-do list has exactly one thing on it: win the local Little League championship. But then Dad unexpectedly deploys overseas just before the season starts. And Sam (short for Samantha) joins the team, which changes more than just the line-up.
Suddenly nothing feels right at home or on the field—the two places he’s always belonged.
The season isn’t what he imagined, but Trip sticks with it. Until news about Dad leaves him convinced that he has to choose between family and baseball. Feeling more unsure than ever about who he’s supposed to be and where he belongs, Trip makes an impossible decision. But what if he doesn’t need to choose at all?
Fast-paced and player-focused, The Sweet Spot highlights the challenges of being a passionate athlete and a compassionate person at the same time.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Twelve-year-old Trip’s summer to-do list has exactly one thing on it: win the local Little League championship. But then Dad unexpectedly deploys overseas just before the season starts. And Sam (short for Samantha) joins the team, which changes more than just the line-up.
Suddenly nothing feels right at home or on the field—the two places he’s always belonged.
The season isn’t what he imagined, but Trip sticks with it. Until news about Dad leaves him convinced that he has to choose between family and baseball. Feeling more unsure than ever about who he’s supposed to be and where he belongs, Trip makes an impossible decision. But what if he doesn’t need to choose at all?
Fast-paced and player-focused, The Sweet Spot highlights the challenges of being a passionate athlete and a compassionate person at the same time.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
224 pages, Hardcover
Published May 5, 2026
1 person is currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Elaine Vickers
9 books158 followersElaine Vickers lives with her family in Southern Utah, where she writes books and teaches college chemistry. She always wanted to be a writer and a teacher, except when she wanted to be an architect, an artist, a pediatrician, a judge, or a famous actress. Visit her at elainevickers.com.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 18, 2025
✰ 3.5 stars ✰
It's never a good feeling when you feel like someone's trying to encroach on something that you always felt belongs to you. it's never a good feeling when that supposed threat is coming from a girl - a girl in a baseball team at the ballpark that was supposed to be twelve-year-old William Henry Roberts II's, Trip for short, one place away from it all - stuck between three sisters and Mom - while his father is deployed in the Marines, despite being enlisted as a Reserve and missing out on being his Little League coach for the summer. 😢
Life can be so unfair, sometimes. 😔
But, when it comes to all for the game that he's so very passionate about, Trip is going to have to learn the hard way of what it means to be a good captain and sportsman while also being a good reliable son, and maintain the balance between the two, without letting anyone down in the process. 🧢
It was a relatable and heartfelt middle grade that really hits The Sweet Spot. Well, Trip may have not hit the home run like he would have liked, but it was nice to see him learn from his mistakes and judgment. His sisters definitely were an influential trio that made him change his tune, many times; in a fun and quirky way. I loved his scene with his five-year-old sister Bean, who tells him that if she wants He-Man to play with Barbie, she can. 😤 Or that girls can be just as good and capable as boys at doing the toughest challenges. 🙂↕️🙂↕️
Of course, he behaves sometimes irresponsibly and inappropriately - so focused on only the game that he ignores his family and doesn't really regard his Mom's requests or feelings - You want me to pick priorities? Well, baseball is more important right now. 😐 Shame on you, young man. But with his father's nurturing advice during their meetups during Need for Speed, and his Grandfather's insightful takes on following the dream, he slowly but surely starts singing a different tune. I liked that as much as the team was reluctant to accept Sam on their team, she proved more than capable to be on equal standing - if not better - than any one of them. ⚾
“But for me, baseball has always been one place where girls weren’t around. And don’t I deserve that every once in a while?
Sam was a great baseball player and a great friend to Trip, who showed him the true meaning of a caring and good friendship. I liked when they trained together, and I felt her anger at Trip disregarding her efforts with improving his batting skills. 🥺 So, with each pain Trip felt at his disrespect towards the women in his life - it was also a major step of learning to be better for himself. Everybody’s got something to teach you if you're willing to learn. It is hard when the lonely void left by his father's absence feels more tangible as he tries to be the man of the house and navigate his way through his difficult trials. 🫡
When a certain sting of betrayal took place - I felt his anger, too. because I kind of also felt that something was off about it; like the coincidence was too unbelievable. But, when it came to light, and how Trip saw the errors in his quick assumptions, it was gratifying to see him grow from it. especially with how much he missed him, despite knowing he is carrying out his duty with honor and courage. ❤️🩹 The pain and heartbreak that followed was portrayed with a caring and emotional touch that his words of wisdom to his son almost moved me to tears. 💌
“People talk about the good old days, but for the most part, I think things get better.”
I'm always grateful when a middle grade book reads like one, and this one was a great example of it. I was a bit miffed that for a book that wishes to show how women are just as strong and capable as men, I would've liked the author to have told us the important job his Mom had, which, shockingly even till twelve, he had no real clue of what it was she did. Hmmmm... His relationship with his sisters was adorable and very believable; annoyed, but still full of love. 🫂
Baseball, of course, is utmost and center - Trip's dedication and determination - training tirelessly and effortlessly. Teamwork and solidarity paves the way to greatness and victory, slightly marred by nonsensical opinions that lead to their eventual triumph. Your team needs you, and you need baseball. Spirited and united - even with a girl on their team. I laughed when Trip was training with weights he thought were his father's but when he found out they were his Mom's he dropped them like a hot tamale, cuz it's so not cool to train with his mother's lifts. 😆
But, times are changing and so too are views to be more flexible and responsive, slowly, but surely. 👍🏻 The author tackled this tough message with a lot of respect and humor, which I appreciated. The importance of being accepting of change and seeing that girls can be just as rough and tough and talented as boys. 💯💪🏻
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
“I definitely don’t remember saying I was fearless, and suddenly I’m not sure I want to be a leader. I just want to play baseball.”
It's never a good feeling when you feel like someone's trying to encroach on something that you always felt belongs to you. it's never a good feeling when that supposed threat is coming from a girl - a girl in a baseball team at the ballpark that was supposed to be twelve-year-old William Henry Roberts II's, Trip for short, one place away from it all - stuck between three sisters and Mom - while his father is deployed in the Marines, despite being enlisted as a Reserve and missing out on being his Little League coach for the summer. 😢
Life can be so unfair, sometimes. 😔
But, when it comes to all for the game that he's so very passionate about, Trip is going to have to learn the hard way of what it means to be a good captain and sportsman while also being a good reliable son, and maintain the balance between the two, without letting anyone down in the process. 🧢
It was a relatable and heartfelt middle grade that really hits The Sweet Spot. Well, Trip may have not hit the home run like he would have liked, but it was nice to see him learn from his mistakes and judgment. His sisters definitely were an influential trio that made him change his tune, many times; in a fun and quirky way. I loved his scene with his five-year-old sister Bean, who tells him that if she wants He-Man to play with Barbie, she can. 😤 Or that girls can be just as good and capable as boys at doing the toughest challenges. 🙂↕️🙂↕️
Of course, he behaves sometimes irresponsibly and inappropriately - so focused on only the game that he ignores his family and doesn't really regard his Mom's requests or feelings - You want me to pick priorities? Well, baseball is more important right now. 😐 Shame on you, young man. But with his father's nurturing advice during their meetups during Need for Speed, and his Grandfather's insightful takes on following the dream, he slowly but surely starts singing a different tune. I liked that as much as the team was reluctant to accept Sam on their team, she proved more than capable to be on equal standing - if not better - than any one of them. ⚾
“But for me, baseball has always been one place where girls weren’t around. And don’t I deserve that every once in a while?
Sam was a great baseball player and a great friend to Trip, who showed him the true meaning of a caring and good friendship. I liked when they trained together, and I felt her anger at Trip disregarding her efforts with improving his batting skills. 🥺 So, with each pain Trip felt at his disrespect towards the women in his life - it was also a major step of learning to be better for himself. Everybody’s got something to teach you if you're willing to learn. It is hard when the lonely void left by his father's absence feels more tangible as he tries to be the man of the house and navigate his way through his difficult trials. 🫡
When a certain sting of betrayal took place - I felt his anger, too. because I kind of also felt that something was off about it; like the coincidence was too unbelievable. But, when it came to light, and how Trip saw the errors in his quick assumptions, it was gratifying to see him grow from it. especially with how much he missed him, despite knowing he is carrying out his duty with honor and courage. ❤️🩹 The pain and heartbreak that followed was portrayed with a caring and emotional touch that his words of wisdom to his son almost moved me to tears. 💌
“People talk about the good old days, but for the most part, I think things get better.”
I'm always grateful when a middle grade book reads like one, and this one was a great example of it. I was a bit miffed that for a book that wishes to show how women are just as strong and capable as men, I would've liked the author to have told us the important job his Mom had, which, shockingly even till twelve, he had no real clue of what it was she did. Hmmmm... His relationship with his sisters was adorable and very believable; annoyed, but still full of love. 🫂
Baseball, of course, is utmost and center - Trip's dedication and determination - training tirelessly and effortlessly. Teamwork and solidarity paves the way to greatness and victory, slightly marred by nonsensical opinions that lead to their eventual triumph. Your team needs you, and you need baseball. Spirited and united - even with a girl on their team. I laughed when Trip was training with weights he thought were his father's but when he found out they were his Mom's he dropped them like a hot tamale, cuz it's so not cool to train with his mother's lifts. 😆
But, times are changing and so too are views to be more flexible and responsive, slowly, but surely. 👍🏻 The author tackled this tough message with a lot of respect and humor, which I appreciated. The importance of being accepting of change and seeing that girls can be just as rough and tough and talented as boys. 💯💪🏻
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2025
Love this book! It's both funny and heartfelt with a great cast of characters. The dynamics in Trip's family, and the ups and downs of his friendships and navigating being on a team all felt very real and relatable. Wonderful read!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Trip loves to play baseball, and feels it is his legacy. His grandfather, who lives next door, played in the major league. Even though the family has moved to Cedar Valley so they can be more stationery now that the father is in the reserves (and has a job teaching high school science), his father chooses to be deployed. This puts a lot of pressure on his mother, and he and his sisters Shar and Marley all help with household tasks and take care of five year old Bean. Now that it's summer, Trip spends a lot of time playing baseball with his friends Dylan and Andy. The coach makes Trip team captain because he hasn't missed any practices or games for two years, and Trip takes this very seriously. He's also okay with having a new teammate, Sam, since she seems to be an excellent player. She even helps coach Trip on some batting skills, with good results. Dylan and Andy, however, are not thrilled, mainly because Dylan's father frequently rails against "woke" policies. Trip misses his father desperately; he likes to hang out with his grandfather, and even manages to chat with his father in the Need for Speed video game about different challenges he is facing with the team. Trip is trying to be the best ball player he can be; he shows up early, starts running and lifting weights, and improves his diet. He works with Sam, whose older brothers are college players and have some good tips. He occasionally forgets to do things for his mother he has promised to do, and at Dylan's urging damages Bean's favorite doll. To his credit, he tries to make amends. When his mother has to travel for business, he is irritated, but surprised when his sister show him how important his mother is in her career. Trip helps out his grandfather by cooking (after getting tired of canned spaghetti!) and mowing the lawn, and is the one to find his grandfather when he has painfully dislocated his shoulder. The grandfather ends up in the hospital, but things become even more stressful for the family when the father is injured. The extent of his injuries isn't known, but the mother prepares to go to Germany to be with him. The older children step up, but Trip decides that isn't enough; he needs to quit the baseball team. His grandfather lets him, his coach understands, Dylan is happy to be able to start again, and Sam is sympathetic. Will Trip be able to work through his feelings and return to the baseball field?
Strengths: This is exactly the sort of middle grade book I love to see. Even though Trip faces some fairly difficult circumstances, he is upbeat and tries his best to improve his situation. Because it is 2025, he is not at all surprised that there is a girl on his team, although he does react to his friends' disapproval. Dylan is an unfortunately typical middle school boy, and the fact that Trip doesn't agree with him but is sometimes powerless to stop Dylan is perfect. I loved Sam's matter-of-fact attitude, her drive, and her knowledge of her sport. While I usually like a little romance in middle grade literature, it made more sense for the two to be good friends. Trip thinks a lot about gender roles, even questioning whether his grandfather gives him preferential treatment. There aren't a lot of books about deployed parents, and it's good to see Trip's longing for his father represented. This book was an enormous relief after reading a raft of realistic stories that were soggily sad.
Weaknesses: The cover has a Richard Cuffari 1980s vibe that is a bit odd; I keep thinking that there is a clown on the cover because of the way Trip's cheeks are drawn.
What I really think: Vickers did such a nice job with Half Moon Summer, but I liked this one even better. Instead of always showing middle grade characters with anxiety, I would love to see more that model resiliency and determination. Many athletes want to be the team captain, but fewer are willing to do the work. Many of my students don't have any goals, and seem unable to plan, so Trip sets a good example on so many levels. Not only that, but the story is fast paced and intriguing. A must purchase title for middle schools where baseball books are in demand.
Trip loves to play baseball, and feels it is his legacy. His grandfather, who lives next door, played in the major league. Even though the family has moved to Cedar Valley so they can be more stationery now that the father is in the reserves (and has a job teaching high school science), his father chooses to be deployed. This puts a lot of pressure on his mother, and he and his sisters Shar and Marley all help with household tasks and take care of five year old Bean. Now that it's summer, Trip spends a lot of time playing baseball with his friends Dylan and Andy. The coach makes Trip team captain because he hasn't missed any practices or games for two years, and Trip takes this very seriously. He's also okay with having a new teammate, Sam, since she seems to be an excellent player. She even helps coach Trip on some batting skills, with good results. Dylan and Andy, however, are not thrilled, mainly because Dylan's father frequently rails against "woke" policies. Trip misses his father desperately; he likes to hang out with his grandfather, and even manages to chat with his father in the Need for Speed video game about different challenges he is facing with the team. Trip is trying to be the best ball player he can be; he shows up early, starts running and lifting weights, and improves his diet. He works with Sam, whose older brothers are college players and have some good tips. He occasionally forgets to do things for his mother he has promised to do, and at Dylan's urging damages Bean's favorite doll. To his credit, he tries to make amends. When his mother has to travel for business, he is irritated, but surprised when his sister show him how important his mother is in her career. Trip helps out his grandfather by cooking (after getting tired of canned spaghetti!) and mowing the lawn, and is the one to find his grandfather when he has painfully dislocated his shoulder. The grandfather ends up in the hospital, but things become even more stressful for the family when the father is injured. The extent of his injuries isn't known, but the mother prepares to go to Germany to be with him. The older children step up, but Trip decides that isn't enough; he needs to quit the baseball team. His grandfather lets him, his coach understands, Dylan is happy to be able to start again, and Sam is sympathetic. Will Trip be able to work through his feelings and return to the baseball field?
Strengths: This is exactly the sort of middle grade book I love to see. Even though Trip faces some fairly difficult circumstances, he is upbeat and tries his best to improve his situation. Because it is 2025, he is not at all surprised that there is a girl on his team, although he does react to his friends' disapproval. Dylan is an unfortunately typical middle school boy, and the fact that Trip doesn't agree with him but is sometimes powerless to stop Dylan is perfect. I loved Sam's matter-of-fact attitude, her drive, and her knowledge of her sport. While I usually like a little romance in middle grade literature, it made more sense for the two to be good friends. Trip thinks a lot about gender roles, even questioning whether his grandfather gives him preferential treatment. There aren't a lot of books about deployed parents, and it's good to see Trip's longing for his father represented. This book was an enormous relief after reading a raft of realistic stories that were soggily sad.
Weaknesses: The cover has a Richard Cuffari 1980s vibe that is a bit odd; I keep thinking that there is a clown on the cover because of the way Trip's cheeks are drawn.
What I really think: Vickers did such a nice job with Half Moon Summer, but I liked this one even better. Instead of always showing middle grade characters with anxiety, I would love to see more that model resiliency and determination. Many athletes want to be the team captain, but fewer are willing to do the work. Many of my students don't have any goals, and seem unable to plan, so Trip sets a good example on so many levels. Not only that, but the story is fast paced and intriguing. A must purchase title for middle schools where baseball books are in demand.
April 20, 2026
Elaine Vickers, author of one of my long time favorites, Paper Chains, plus Half Moon Summer, Like Magic and more, brings middle grade readers a baseball story with lessons about family, priorities, and adjusting to change.
Trip’s dad has volunteered for a Marine mission and will be missing his last season playing Little League baseball, his grandfather is beginning to decline physically, he isn’t sure if he has a best friend, a girl is playing on his ball team and his teammates expect him, their captain, to do something about it. Oddly enough, the presence of Sam/Samantha on the team turns out to be the bright spot in Trip’s life and her batting tips plus his new fitness and nutrition plan are working together to improve his game tremendously. Along the way to a league championship, including plenty of games, team practices and Sam-initiated training, Trip also discovers that he does have a best friend, his relationship with his sisters deepens, and he begins to recognize all that his mother does for the family as well as how respected she is among her work colleagues.
The growth in Trip is not without its hiccups and bumps in the road and the whole journey is filled with experiences that will be highly relatable to those in grades 4-7 and may cause a few to think about how they view their siblings, parents and older family members as well as reevaluate gender expectations and stereotypes. Recommended for libraries with high readership in realistic fiction and sports-centered stories.
*Target age: grades 4-7
*Profanity: none
*Sexual content: none
*Violence: a bit of an explosion when a firecracker and a doll come together badly
*Representation: strong females in a variety of roles; a grandparent seen as a vital and contributing part of the family;
*LBGTQ+: none
Thanks for the early look , Edelweiss and Peachtree.
Trip’s dad has volunteered for a Marine mission and will be missing his last season playing Little League baseball, his grandfather is beginning to decline physically, he isn’t sure if he has a best friend, a girl is playing on his ball team and his teammates expect him, their captain, to do something about it. Oddly enough, the presence of Sam/Samantha on the team turns out to be the bright spot in Trip’s life and her batting tips plus his new fitness and nutrition plan are working together to improve his game tremendously. Along the way to a league championship, including plenty of games, team practices and Sam-initiated training, Trip also discovers that he does have a best friend, his relationship with his sisters deepens, and he begins to recognize all that his mother does for the family as well as how respected she is among her work colleagues.
The growth in Trip is not without its hiccups and bumps in the road and the whole journey is filled with experiences that will be highly relatable to those in grades 4-7 and may cause a few to think about how they view their siblings, parents and older family members as well as reevaluate gender expectations and stereotypes. Recommended for libraries with high readership in realistic fiction and sports-centered stories.
*Target age: grades 4-7
*Profanity: none
*Sexual content: none
*Violence: a bit of an explosion when a firecracker and a doll come together badly
*Representation: strong females in a variety of roles; a grandparent seen as a vital and contributing part of the family;
*LBGTQ+: none
Thanks for the early look , Edelweiss and Peachtree.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I loved this middle-grade book by Elaine Vicers. The Sweet Spot is heartfelt, warm and funny, with great characters who kids can relate to and learn from.
Trip is the main character - a boy who loves to play baseball, and who has always been a star. His grandfather played in the major leagues and Trip believes that is his legacy. But right now life is hard. Trip's dad is deployed with the Marines. His mother is overworked caring for Trip and his 3 siblings. Grandad is showing signs of dementia. And, now Trip's friend - a girl - Sam is on the team! The boys aren't too happy and they are putting pressure on Trip to make her quit.
But Trip is okay with it. Sam is an excellent player, and has even helped Trip to improve his batting skills.
What follows is the story of a boy dealing with the normal problems of childhood. He sometimes doesn't do what he is supposed to and has to make amends. But he is also dealing the the fact that his father is injured and they don't know the extent of the injuries. His mother will need to travel to Germany to be with her husband, and that makes Trip think that he should quit the team. Sam tries to help, as does his coach. Will Trip be able to help as much as needed at home and continue with the team?
This book explored the dynamics of friendship and how gender affects it in middle school. It talks about family dynamics, love, and what we must do to be a contributing member of the family. It is a book about effort, work and commitment. This is a wonderful book about attitude, determination, goal-setting and it reminds the reader that we must work for the things we really want.
I highly recommend this book.
Trip is the main character - a boy who loves to play baseball, and who has always been a star. His grandfather played in the major leagues and Trip believes that is his legacy. But right now life is hard. Trip's dad is deployed with the Marines. His mother is overworked caring for Trip and his 3 siblings. Grandad is showing signs of dementia. And, now Trip's friend - a girl - Sam is on the team! The boys aren't too happy and they are putting pressure on Trip to make her quit.
But Trip is okay with it. Sam is an excellent player, and has even helped Trip to improve his batting skills.
What follows is the story of a boy dealing with the normal problems of childhood. He sometimes doesn't do what he is supposed to and has to make amends. But he is also dealing the the fact that his father is injured and they don't know the extent of the injuries. His mother will need to travel to Germany to be with her husband, and that makes Trip think that he should quit the team. Sam tries to help, as does his coach. Will Trip be able to help as much as needed at home and continue with the team?
This book explored the dynamics of friendship and how gender affects it in middle school. It talks about family dynamics, love, and what we must do to be a contributing member of the family. It is a book about effort, work and commitment. This is a wonderful book about attitude, determination, goal-setting and it reminds the reader that we must work for the things we really want.
I highly recommend this book.
November 26, 2025
Elaine Vickers hits the sweet spot of the story in her latest novel for middle grade. Right smack dab where it needs to be. This is a story of love and growing up, of life and learning lessons, of trying and trying again, until everything just comes together. This one will reverberate for a long time.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I LOVED this book. I cannot wait for readers to get this in their hands. A few quotes I enjoyed:
“It’s okay to walk away from something you love, just make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.”
“Blame is a tricky thing and I don’t know how helpful it is.”
If you have a sports-loving (especially baseball) kid, this will be a hit!
“It’s okay to walk away from something you love, just make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.”
“Blame is a tricky thing and I don’t know how helpful it is.”
If you have a sports-loving (especially baseball) kid, this will be a hit!
November 16, 2025
I love this beautiful book about a kid figuring out what kind of person he wants to be. Trip, and his (human, fallible, but always loving at the core) cast of family and friends will stick with me for a long time.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
I feel like this will be a 2026 favorite, and it’s still January. This is an amazing middle grade story about friendships, family, and baseball.
I feel like this will be a 2026 favorite, and it’s still January. This is an amazing middle grade story about friendships, family, and baseball.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What does it mean to belong? 12 yr old Trip goes through a challenging summer that will only make him stronger!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews