King of the Bench: No Fear!
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
From the nationally syndicated cartoonist of “In the Bleachers” comes a new, highly illustrated middle grade series about Steve, who plays the same position in every sport: bench-warmer. Perfect for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Timmy Failure, King of the Bench is an ode to teammates, underdogs, and bench-warmers everywhere.
Steve is King of the Bench. No brag. It’s just a fact. But this year, Steve and his friends are excited to try out for the Spiro T. Agnew Middle School baseball team. The only problem is, after watching another player get beaned by a fastball, Steve has developed a serious case of bean-o-phobia—the fear of getting hit by a pitch. If Steve ever wants to get off the bench and get in the game, he’s going to have to muster up some courage, and fast.
Oh, and if you’re wondering why Steve would write a book and tell total strangers all about the humiliating phobia that almost ruined his first year on the baseball team? Duh. It’s pretty much a rule that you spill your guts when you write a book about yourself.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Syndicated cartoonist Moore (In the Bleachers) introduces a self-described benchwarmer in this first installment in the King of the Bench series, profusely illustrated with scribbly b&w cartoons. Steve is happy to spend most of his time "on the pine" as his coach puts it: "Benchwarmers like me observe life from just the right angle," Steve explains. "I'm not sitting too high up, where I look down on the rest of the world." After one of Steve's teammates is struck while at bat ("Way too gory to show!!" crows the black-box-censored cartoon accompanying the incident), Steve has developed a bad case of Bean-O-Phobia. Still, he would rather not end his first season as one of Spiro T. Agnew Middle School's Mighty Plumbers with a batting average of zero. Smart advice from Steve's father finally gives him the courage he needs to confront his fear. Populated with colorful characters and gross-out gags (Coach Earwax has a habit of cleaning out his ears with car keys), this offbeat sports story will satisfy Timmy Failure and Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans. Ages 8 12.