The Rhino in Right Field — Stacy DeKeyser

A boy who loves baseball must get past his hard-working immigrant parents -- and the rhino in the outfield -- to become a batboy in this laugh-out-loud middle grade novel in the tradition of The Sandlot.

Nick wants to change his life. For twelve whole years, he's done what his hard-working, immigrant parents want him to do. Now he's looking for his own American dream and he thinks he's found it. The local baseball team is having a batboy contest. Nick's goal -- to be a Mudpuppy for a day!

But the contest is on a Saturday -- the day Nick has to work in his father's shop. There's one other tiny -- well, not so tiny -- problem. A 2,000-pound rhinoceros named Tank. Nick and his friends play ball right in the city zoo -- and Tank lives just beyond the right field fence. Nick's experience getting the ball out of Tank's pen has left him frozen with fear whenever a fly ball comes his way. How's a lousy fielder going to win the contest?

One thing Nick knows how to do is work hard, and he practices every day with his best friend, Ace, and a new girl named Penny, who has an impressive throwing arm! But that's not enough -- to get to the contest, Nick resorts to a plan that has him lying to his parents and blackmailing his uncle. All while dodging the school bully, who's determined to win even by playing dirty.

Nick will need to keep his eye on the ball and find the courage to face his fears -- oh yeah, and stay one step ahead of Tank -- in this fast, funny story about a game that can throw you some curveballs -- just like life!