Heat

The book Heat is about an all star pitcher named Michael Arroyo who is twelve years old and who defected from Cuba with his father and older brother Carlos. They live in the South Bronx in the shadows of Yankee stadium. Michael's dream is to pitch his team to the Little League World Series. His father suddenly dies, and he and Carlos are trying to keep it a secret until Carlos turns eighteen and can legally take custody of Michael. Problems begin to arise for Michael. Rival coaches and jealous players can't believe Michael could be this good and be only twelve years old. Until Michael can prove his age with a birth certificate that is in his native home Cuba, he is suspended from playing baseball. If the people from social services find out his secret he will be separated from his brother Carlos the only family he has. In the end, Michael overcame the obstacles and was able to play in the final game of the playoffs which lead his team to the championship game.
Michael Arroyo is a talented young pitcher who is twelve years old. He is a Cuban immigrant who has faced many difficult challenges in life. He works very hard to develop his pitching skills. I admired Michael's determination and courage to never give up on his dream. I predict that Michael will become an all star pitcher in the Major Leagues. Manny, who is Michael's best friend, is the catcher on his team. He is very loyal, responsible, and helpful to Michael with the challenges Michael had to face.
This book appealed to me because I love the game of baseball. The characters in the book were an inspiration to me.
The reading strategy I used most when reading this book was making connections and visualizing.
The author of Heat is Mike Lupica. The only other book that I am aware of that Mike Lupica wrote is Travel Team, which I can't wait to read. The author used alot of detail in the book. It was an easy read to visualize and understand.