Kirkus Reviews

High school senior Jill Cafferty is a very talented pitcher who is about to become the first woman to be drafted by a major league baseball team. Her high-achieving family supports her, along with good friends and her late father's military buddies. When she is drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates, she is assigned to a minor league team where she will learn how to be a professional player while getting used to "feeling the weight of historical responsibility." She walks a fine line between fitting in and asserting her own personality, the media always at her heels, and experiences some ugly incidents that shock and hurt her. Playing the game "was the easy part." While several of the secondary characters are described as African-American or Latino, neither Jill nor anyone else is described as white, implying a white default. Jill speaks fairly fluent Spanish and interacts with a Japanese player by learning some basic baseball terms in his language. She is unfailingly polite in her dealings with fans, media, coaches, trainers, and front-office personnel, but the third-person narration allows readers to hear her silent inner voice, often ironic or humorous, prior to her spoken voice in nearly every encounter, keeping her from being too perfect to be believable. Go girl. (Fiction. 13-18)

School Library Journal (Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

Gr 8 Up-Jill Cafferty, 17, is about to make history for becoming the first woman to be drafted into Major League Baseball, playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates with a $2 million contract. But rather than give interviews, she's more interested in pitching a shutout game. While the media and fans swarm, Jill navigates the tricky waters of displaying her expertise in a male-dominated sport, being away from home for the first time, and starting her professional career before she even goes to college. The friends she makes along the way give Jill's story more dimensions, expanding the narrative about her workout routines and sports activity. White writes confidently and with great detail about the mechanics of the game. The descriptions of life as a traveling baseball player are eye-opening and shine a realistic light on the so-called glamor of professional sports. Jill is a strong, centered, and witty character, and it's refreshing to read her smart comebacks to blatant sexism and her even-tempered reactions whenever disgruntled teammates or fans unfairly provoke her. VERDICT While this novel sometimes feels more like a script for a TV show, without a fully realized plot, it is still a good candidate for collections needing more positive depictions of characters who advocate against gender bias. Michael Marie Jacobs, Darlington School, GA

Horn Book (Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

High-school baseball phenom Jill Cafferty makes history as the first female Major League player when she signs with the Pittsburgh Pirates. But it's not going to be easy, as she faces a lot of abuse: fans tossing tampons onto the field, a teammate urinating in her locker, etc. Baseball fans will enjoy following Jill toward a surer sense of herself and her skills.

Voice of Youth Advocates

Recent high school graduate Jill Cafferty is an excellent baseball pitcher—and not just for her age or gender. Like most athletes, she dreams of going pro and, in her case, her dream becomes reality when she gets drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates’s Class A Short Season team. Deferring college, Jill makes the leap to professional baseball. She is tough and knows that being the first female professional baseball player may cause unwanted attention and bullying from her teammates. She needs to find a way to balance her safety while trying to fit in—not to mention performing above expectations during games. This proves to be difficult when the media wants to talk to her about everything other than her pitching. A Season of Daring Greatly follows Jill’s journey through her first pro season. The third-person narrative gives readers insight into Jill’s thoughts and feelings about the triumphs and struggles of being a young, professional baseball player. Jill’s desire to do her job without being stereotyped or bullied will resonate with readers in this unique and engaging novel. Recommend this to readers looking for stories about overcoming obstacles, like gender bias, as well as anyone who has an interest in baseball.—Marissa Lieberman.

ALA Booklist (Thu Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2016)

Toward the end of senior year, it's decision time: accept the scholarship to Stanford or the offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates as their third-round draft pick. It's a clear choice for Jill, despite the stress of possibly becoming the first woman to play Major League Baseball. After joining the Pirates' minor league short season team, she deals with resistance from fans, pressure from agents, and the occasional idiocy in the clubhouse. She gradually gains acceptance from her teammates and, after a rocky start, begins to play well again. Don't look for high drama on or off the field. The pleasure of reading this novel comes from the steady, realistic portrayal of Jill's experiences as a rookie and as a young woman breaking into a man's sport. An ensemble cast of well-drawn, interesting characters revolves around Jill, who is kind by nature, levelheaded most of the time, and acutely aware that she's a role model, constantly observed but no more saintly than most other 18-year-olds. Readers will hope for sequels to this unusual and engaging novel.