School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-7-Gina and Stacy, twin sisters being raised by their grandmother, can't get along. To make matters worse, they play on rival baseball teams. While Gina's team is on a winning streak, Stacy's team can't catch a break, let alone a fly ball. Her fellow Rooks are convinced the team is cursed; after all, everyone knows her grandmother is a witch. It's clear that Gina and Stacy care about each other, but they have trouble showing it. A fight between the two of them leads Gina to accidentally curse Stacy's baseball mitt, which culminates in the raising of an undead baseball player. Surprisingly, the zombie might just be the ticket to help the Rooks improve their game. Morse's artwork is highly dynamic. There's movement in nearly every frame, which can make it hard to distinguish the other players on Stacy's team. The other Rooks are all along for the ride and offer playground humor and problem-solving in equal measure. The story lags a bit in the middle, but sports fans will be so wrapped up in the baseball plot that they'll hardly notice. The zombie plot line is barely scary, making this an approachable read even for those who shy away from horror. VERDICT This madcap tale of strikeouts and sibling rivalry will do well in most young graphic novel collections.-Gretchen Hardin, Sterling Municipal Library, -Baytown, TX © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Sports, spells, and sibling rivalry abound.Sisters Stacy and Gina Cavallaro have a tempestuous relationship both on the baseball field (playing for opposing Little League teams) and at home with their grandmother, who happens to be a kindly witch. Stacy's team, the Rooks, is an utterly hopeless laughingstock, perpetually coming in last. After a squabble with her sister, Gina purloins a bit of her grandmother's magic and casts a spell on Stacy's glove. Although she's not entirely sure of the results, Gina's spell unexpectedly works, and soon the Rooks have a new member among their ranks: a lumbering zombie with a penchant for chewing baseballs over brains. Furious, Stacy conjures her own retaliatory spell, leaving Gina plagued by a pernicious poltergeist. Whether the sisters like it or not, they soon find they must work together to save the league, their friends, and each other. This graphic crowd-pleaser is a delightful confection of monsters and baseball, evoking feelings of a mashup of The Sandlot and Goosebumps with a generous dose of humor and an emphasis on teamwork. Author and illustrator Morse (who has coached 10 Little League teams) has a keen eye and ear for both aesthetics and the camaraderie of the Rooks, making readers feel like one of the gang. Additional baseball facts presented by the Rooks in comics form immediately follow. Gina, Stacy, and their grandmother present white, and their teammates are diverse.A grand slam. (Graphic fantasy. 7-11) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Twins Gina and Stacy love baseball and often play against each other on opposite teams. Gina is great at it, but Stacy . . . not so much. And, the rivalry doesn't end on the field. At home with their grandmother they are constantly messing with each other. Another thing these twinsies are dealing with? They come from a long line of witches, and once they turn 16, their grandmother will teach them everything she knows about witchcraft. One day, Gina decides to play a trick on Stacy by sprinkling corpse breath on Stacy's baseball mitt, and when the mitt hits the ground, lo and behold, a zombie arises! These twins have to learn to work together if they are going to be great sisters and witches; plus, they need to get rid of that zombie! The colorful, intricately drawn artwork is bolstered by the bold, dynamic lettering, which exudes spunky attitude. The panels and speech balloons are easy to follow, and the message that working together is best is a good one. A fun pick for baseball and zombie fans alike.--Traci Glass Copyright 2019 Booklist
