The Spin

Everyone knows Marcus Stroman as a baseball player. He loves the sport, and yes, he probably has a shot at the pros. But “baseball player” doesn’t totally define him. Why won’t anyone also see him as a basketball player or a musician? While he loves being known for what he does well, he’s struggling because people are trying to limit him to just one thing.

Literally how high up a mountain does Marcus need to climb to be completely free of what everyone else sees? How can he protect himself from the online zings, the chatter, and the opinions? When you walk out on the field or that court, how much criticism is fair play? With some perspective from a new view, Marcus realizes that no matter what field, court, or classroom he’s in, he has to block some shots.  

Marcus’ story rotates between Marcus’ family life, school life, and counseling sessions. The Spin reflects on the importance of words—both written and spoken. This topic is reinforced when Marcus’s class discusses a newspaper article and whether the reporter used any biased words. The teacher says, “The difference in reporting may seem minor, with just a few different words or phrases, but how things are reported has major implications.” Marcus gets first-hand experience when he is mentioned in a school newspaper article—Marcus feels that the article doesn’t portray him accurately. During class, with the teacher’s help, Marcus and the reporter discuss how the articles’ words affected the information conveyed. The class discussions allow the reader to understand how word choice can affect how readers interpret biased words differently.  

Marcus meets with his therapist, Gary, several times. During one session, Gary reminds Marcus that he can’t just assume that his parents know how he feels. Instead, “I have to tell people what I need from them instead of leaving them guessing.” With Gary’s help, Marcus finds a way to discuss his love of basketball with his parents. Gary also helps Marcus when some students write mean online comments. Gary says, “The instant sting or hurt? That’s real. That happens, and you process it. But then you can decide how much sticks and how much you shake off. You could also ignore it altogether.”  

The Spin includes many life lessons that are relatable to middle-grade students. However, some conversations, especially those between Marcus and his peers, aren’t authentic. Furthermore, Marcus’s parents are extremely agreeable and patient, but this behavior will not seem genuine to many readers. Besides students’ snarky comments online, the characters work through their disagreements using healthy communication skills.  

The Spin focuses on Marcus’s frustration with people classifying him as “just a baseball player.” Many readers will relate to Marcus’ conflicts, especially the difficulty discussing their emotions. However, the long conversations with Marcus’ parents and therapist slow the action, and many will be disappointed that there are few play-by-play sports scenes. While The Spin isn’t action-packed, the story includes relevant lessons about communication, friendship, and choosing your words wisely. 

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

• None

Language  

• Freaking, dang, and heck are each used once. 
• In one of Marcus’ classes, the teacher discusses a newspaper article. A kid asks, “Someone was a bonehead about setting the fire?” 
• Marcus thinks that one of the players on his team is a jerk. 
• An adult uses “Good Lord” as an exclamation once. 

Supernatural 

• None 

Spiritual Content  

• None