Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen by Sarah Kapit
There are no guarantees in baseball. But that's where hope comes in. It never hurts to hope.
 | Vivian J Cohen is a typical eleven-year-old. She likes cheese sandwiches and pizza. She likes baseball. Vivy enjoys watching televised professional games with her dad. Her favorite player is VJ Capello. In some respects she may be a not-so-typical fifth grader. She is a baseball (NOT softball) pitcher and can throw a mean knuckleball. She dreams of becoming the first female to play professionally. She is autistic, prone to meltdowns and flapping her hands when she gets anxious or excited. When she was eight years old, she met minor league pitcher VJ. He took her aside and taught her how to throw a knuckleball. She has never forgotten him. Three years later Vivy has a letter-writing assignment. She opts to write to VJ. They begin a lively correspondence, mainly via email. Kapit begins the epistolary novel on the first day of spring training and concludes with the league's final game for the season. Their emails include plenty of play by play baseball action. |
Vivy feels safe speaking candidly with her baseball hero. She shares her triumphs: The community youth baseball coach invites her to become a pitcher for his team. Vivy is the only girl on the team roster. She convinces her over-protective mother to allow her to play baseball. The team's catcher becomes her good friend.
She also discloses her setbacks: The coach's son is a bully who torments her whenever his father is out of earshot. She is struck by a ball and receives a minor concussion. Her father's hands-off parenting style is confusing. He withdraws, wanting his wife to make all decisions. Her older brother Nathan is a puzzle. He used to enjoy playing catch with Vivy. But those days are gone. He vanishes for long periods of time. Vivy wonders, does he no longer like her?
Vivy has a lot of questions to consider. Should she report bullying to the coach or try to solve the problem herself? Will she reach a reasonable compromise with her parents that will allow her to play? Can she get back her confidence after her head injury and return to the pitcher's mound? Can she figure out why her brother is so distant? Can she maintain her correspondence with VJ when both experience defeat and disappointment?
Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen is a story of baseball and bullying. It's a realistic look at living with high-functioning autism. It's a story of a girl breaking into a male-dominated sport. It's a story of dreams deferred. It's a story of getting up and trying again. It's a story with heart. Readers will cheer for Vivy.
I do know I have challenges, but sometimes I feel like Mom doesn't see all the things I CAN do.
Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.
Pub date: February 25, 2020 Publisher: Dial Books ISBN: 978-0525554189
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