Dug Out: When Zombie Steals Home, written by Scott Morse, reviewed by Caroline Rabideau

Summary: Stacy and Gina are twins, but they don't look the same. They both love baseball, but they're on different teams. Gina's team is known for winning. Stacy's team believes they are cursed. When Gina tries to help her sister, things go very wrong, and suddenly it seems as if Stacy's team really is cursed - by a zombie baseball player! How do they get rid of the zombie? Are there consequences for Gina's actions?

Straight Talk for Librarians: I really enjoyed this book. The beginning was dry, and I didn't think I was going to like it at first. It is very baseball centered, and uses authentic baseball language, which I know absolutely nothing of. But once the story got going, it was quite the page turner. It is FILLED with jokes my middle schoolers are going to love, like drawing faces on your tummy and naming it, or jokes about boogers. I think, between the baseball and the comic joking, any student could get hooked.
I loved that Stacy an Gina aren't drawn as the "pretty girls." They are very authentic young girls who truly love baseball. They hold their own and are treated like equals with the boys on the team. Stacy's character often takes a leadership role in her team, but also is not afraid to delegate or let someone else take the lead. I think this book would be a great "mighty girl' book, as both Stacy and Gina are very empowered.
Finally, I think this is a great sisterhood book. Like every group of teenage sisters, Stacy and Gina fight, a lot. And when they try to help each other, they end up making things worse. The book doesn't grace over sibling rivalry. it is honest and filled with love. Though sisters may disagree, at the end of the day, they love and believe in each other the most. I think this was a great book and would highly recommend it.