Jim Devitt

Van Stone, newest bat boy for the Seattle Mariners, has it made. He's quickly learning the ropes at work, enjoying an improved social status, and may even be allowed to purchase a car. Then tragedy strikes, and he finds himself embroiled in a dangerous mystery involving a recent gift: a baseball card for a mediocre player from the 1920s. Between suspicious men in suits, threatening letters, and gunfire, he and his friends need to piece together the puzzle before time runs out.

This novel takes us inside the world of baseball, or specifically, that of bat boys, with the introduction of Van's new job. For young sports fans, this may present a point of interest, especially as it is told through the eyes of a neophyte who is both awed and enthralled by each new experience. This "insider look" is one of the high points of the novel and encompasses a good portion of the beginning. The tragic beginning of the mystery is when the novel completely shifts gears.

The episodic nature of Van's detective work caters to younger readers and their reduced attention span. Still, it felt a little disjointed, even if it did come together at the end. As a healthcare professional, I was particularly bothered by the cavalier attitude that the book took towards unnecessary use of an x-ray device, especially when healthcare costs are ballooning. But I digress. As a whole, the story did well to avoid extraneous interactions and while a few more red herrings would have added more intrigue to the tale, its few plot twists were conducted rather nicely.

The Card is written in simple enough language that I would recommend it to middle grade readers and above. At times, the language became a bit awkward. Tthe sentences often contained too much information without the lyrical flow to make them feel natural. The tone of voice also sounded like that of a much younger character, which is why I felt somewhat confused when Van first mentioned being able to drive a car.

On the whole, The Card is a quick read and light entertainment for a younger set, particularly for those interested in baseball.

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(Review copy provided by the author)… (meer)

Article first published as Book Review:The Card: A Van Stone Novel by Jim Devitt on Blogcritics.

Winning the essay and becoming a batboy for the Seattle Mariners, was more than Van Stone had ever wanted. Even at 13, he was much larger than many of his friends, looking more like one of the players in uniform than what he really was. In The Card:A Van Stone Novel by Jim Devitt, Van’s life has just taken on a darker and deeper twist.

Receiving a gift from his father for the hard work going into the essay was unexpected and (according to his Dad) just a bit special. It was a baseball card from the early 30’s and 40’s of a relative unknown baseball player, Moe Berg. It was certainly unusual, and yet his father seemed to be deep in thought when he again mentioned that it could be very special to him someday. Trying to get Van to relax for his first big day his Dad changes the topic, and as Van tucked the card in his backpack, the subject did not come up again. His Dad dropped him off at Safeco field to begin his dream.

Receiving a gift from his father for the hard work going into the essay was unexpected and (according to his Dad) just a bit special. It was a baseball card from the early 30’s and 40’s of a relative unknown baseball player, Moe Berg. It was certainly unusual, and yet his father seemed to be deep in thought when he again mentioned that it could be very special to him someday. Trying to get Van to relax for his first big day his Dad changes the topic, and as Van tucked the card in his backpack, the subject did not come up again. His Dad dropped him off at Safeco field to begin his dream.

Learning the ropes and finding his way, gives him a better understanding of the players. Thomson, an unknown player is aloof, and Ron Cantos, the best player on the team is one of the meanest. Getting advice from the other batboy, Van tries to stay out of Cantos way. Part of the job involves cleaning up after the team and cleaning out the lockers for the next team. While checking to see that the lockers are clean and empty Van finds an odd double baseball cardholder in the very top of Thompson’s locker. He can throw it away, since that is their instruction, but Van decides to use it for the Moe Berg card he received from his Dad. Putting it in his backpack to use later, he completes his work.

Life begins to settle, and finally even Cantos starts to treat him better, making life at the clubhouse just short of perfect.

When his Dad is unexpectedly killed in a car accident while on leave from the research facility where he works, Vans world changes. His friends are his comfort, and they become even closer than before. While he and his mom will be all right, his entire life has changed in an instant. The funeral is sobering, and sadness permeates even those things that are good in life.

Looking back and reflecting on his time with his Dad, Van holds his Moe Berg card remembering one of his last conversations with his father. He decides to put the card in the holder he found at the clubhouse to give it a place of honor in his room. When the card warms up, he is a bit surprised. Trying other cards from his collection, he finds the phenomenon only occurs with the Moe Berg card from his father. Is this the real reason for his Dad’s gift?

Suddenly he begins receiving threating phone calls demanding he turn over the card, his gift from his father. He is warned that if he does not comply he will be putting his friends and his mother at risk. Is there something about the card that makes it valuable? Is his Dad’s research the reason for the danger or is there more about the Moe Berg card that Van does not know? Van is unwilling to give up the card. However, when the guard at the Safeco field gate is shot, Van realizes just how much danger is involved. Who can he turn to? Will giving up the card protect his friends and family?

Van is a strong and intelligent young man and Devitt does an exceptional job drawing characters you can relate too. Van and his friends are much like most children their age. Not understanding the danger, they try to come up with plans to hold on to his Moe Berg card. When challenged, Van is afraid and yet he refuses to give in. In the face of the danger that follows, Van and his friends put together plans to elude the perpetrator and try to trap him into revealing himself. This only puts them in further danger, but Van stands his ground. Even with the possible tragedies that could befall, Van is strong and motivated. Keeping track of his mom to keep her out of danger and keeping up with his friends to make sure they are all right, he puts himself in danger to draw the perpetrator to him.

Jim Devitt draws the ballpark as only an insider can. You can hear the crack of the bat and smell the popcorn; he is so in tune with the inner workings. The locker room smells of both sweat and excitement, and he builds the suspense with the images of his words.

I would recommend this book for the Young Adult reader; it is fun and eventful, with suspense and action. Van Stone is a strong character, and has an amazing way of dealing with life. Devitt provides some great ballpark background as he delivers the goods.

This book was received free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.… (meer)

Winning an essay contest definitely turned out to be excellent for Van or so he thought. His prize was the opportunity to be a bat boy in the dugout of a major league baseball team and rub shoulders with all the big names. His dad was thrilled, and so was he. On his first day with the team, his dad gave him a special baseball card that he described as magic. But.....was the card really magic or was it bad news?

Bad news happened not too long after the card appeared, and what was to be magic turned out to be something Van wished he had not even heard of. What would have been the reason he won the contest in the first place, and what was so important about a Moe Berg baseball card to cause all this trouble? Did either have anything to do with the things starting to happen in his life?

Baseball fans will definitely enjoy the book because of the details about the behind-the-scenes activities that happen in a locker room of a baseball team. Mystery fans will enjoy the book as well....the ending was filled with action. :)

I enjoyed the book....it is a Young Adult read. It is fast moving, and the added interest of the mysterious men in black suits keeps you going. The author had good development of the plot and the characters and definitely had you guessing until the end. 5/5… (meer)