Shane is a standout baseball pitcher at his private high school. He and his family live comfortably in a high-end housing development. When Shane's father is arrested for money laundering and consequently commits suicide, the family's fortunes turn downward. The family moves to city housing and Shane attends public high school where he joins a scrappy baseball team. In a game against his old high school, his pitch hits a player in the head and sends him to the hospital. The event has shaken the confidence and game of both boys. It's a struggle for Shane to get back to where he was but with the aid of a no-nonsense coach, the boy he hit, and the lure of the sport itself, he's stronger and wiser for the process.

High Heat by: Carl Deuker
Lane Marienau
Section A:
1) trouble, baseball, punishment, injury, recovery, suicide
2) Mike Lupica, Carl Deuker, Will Weaver
3) Hunger Games, Harry Potter, The Hatchet
Section B:
1) Baseball Great, Baseball Fever, Baseball Saved Us
2) Baseball and The Sports Bar
Section C:
1) Carl Deuker
2) High Heat
3) Carl Deuker, the author of High Heat, writes about a young boy who has to deal with some difficulty in high school. The young boy’s name is Shane who is a relief pitcher for his private school. During one of Shane’s games his dad gets arrested while the game was going on. His dad was depressed and couldn’t handle all of the legal trouble, so he took his own life. Shane’s family was broke from the trouble his dad was in and had to move to city living. Shane is bored at the new house and finds a friend Lonnie in the neighborhood. Shane and Lonnie steal from the local convenient and get arrested. Shane’s punishment was to help repair the local baseball diamond. Shane starts to miss baseball and thinks to go back out. The ending to this story is unpredictable and keeps you guessing.
4) The cover on this book is very eye catching. It is a normal picture of a batter at the plate, but the pitch is going right at the batter’s head. It makes the reader wonder what will happen to the batter.
5) ( )

“High Heat” by Carl Deuker is a battle between sports and life, lived by Shane Hunter. Shane is a lucky kid. He has good friends, lots of money, and baseball skills. Shane’s dad owns a Lexus dealership, and contributes to why Shane can afford to attend Shorelake High, a rich private school where Shane also plays baseball. Everything in his life is riding high until his Dad is suddenly convicted of a crime. The police say that he was associated with money laundering, which is where a large amount of his money is coming from. His family, along with the community, is shocked. After it seems like it can’t get any worse for Shane and his family, the un-thinkable occurs. Shane, along with his sister and mom, have to bond together and make the most of their already tattered life.

One aspect of “High Heat” in which I really liked was the theme. The message portrayed in the story says that you have to fight through adversity, and stick to the ones you love. This is entirely true in the book, as the Hunter family’s life is turned upside down from the accusations against the father. The family loses much, but gains more in bonding and love for each other. This is also proven in real live, as families, communities, countries, and the world have to bond together to create unity and equality between one another.

Another part of Carl Deuker’s “High Heat” which I enjoyed was how sports were so seamlessly tied in with Shane’s personal life. Before his father’s problems, Shane was riding high as a closer for Shorelake High. After his father’s problems, Shane doesn’t know what to do, or how to go about baseball. His skills diminish, and he considers quitting baseball all together. Basically, baseball can affect Shane’s life, and Shane’s life can affect his baseball in “High Heat.” This tie-in between baseball and the life of Shane was very effective, and worked out well due to the author’s great writing skills.

In the novel, I also liked the different side conflicts that arose. One of these conflicts was between Shane and a boy named Reese. Coincidentally, Reese had moved into Shane’s old house, and was now starring on Shane’s old baseball team. In an exhibition match between the two teams, Shane drills Reese in the head, injuring him and sending him to the hospital. Another conflict in the book is how Shane starts to associate himself with the wrong crowd in Seattle. He begins to get into trouble, and it escalates from there. These side conflicts in “High Heat” really add to the main conflict, and create a real –life scenario depicted by Carl Deuker.

In conclusion, “High Heat” was an exciting book about baseball and life intertwined. My overall rating for it would have to be 4.5 out of five stars. The theme in the book of fighting through adversity is really true to life. Also, the tie – in between sports and life really works well for Deuker, and it enhances the book. Also, the side conflicts extending the main conflict really give Shane a challenge, just like many kids face in the real world. I would recommend this book to any sports fanatic looking for a real treat. ( )

High heat would be a great book for all of the sports fans out there. Not only does it have nonstop baseball action, but also a large personaltwist to it. Shane is the best closer his high school has and he plans to keep it that way until he finds out that his father killed himself because of the stress of being connected to drug lords. Then he quits the baseball team, has to move out of his house, and he has to go to a different school. Only then does he find his true feelings about baseball. ( )

Shane Hunter lives a privileged life. He has a great house, a great family, and goes to a great school. On top of that he is the best closing pitcher for baseball anyone has seen in high school in a long time. But that all changes when the police show up to arrest his father.

Shane's life changes quickly and dramatically. He resents his new life and starts to fall into bad habits with bad people. But there is still hope for Shane. He has a strong group of people trying to help him, he just needs to learn to let them.

Baseball plays a very major role in the story and I really don't know much about it. That may have been one of the reasons I did not rate this as highly as I may have. Also, there were times Shane came across a bit wrong to me. Not incorrect wrong, but there was just something off in the way he behaved that didn't quite flow with the story.

Othewise, this was a great story of dealing with life.

3/5 ( )