Books with title Joy in Mudville

"'A fast-moving and entertaining romp across country and through time." - Los Angeles Times"An absolutely joyful novel . . . wonderfully funny and uplifting. A mixture of fact and fantasy, fiction and frolic, this novel skips, jumps, and ultimately flies." - West Coast Review of Books"McAlpine is a gifted stylist, with clean, clear and muscular prose." - Publisher's WeeklyIt’s 1932 and a new star has risen from the east, arching toward Los Angeles. A man, woman and child set off by rail from Chicago to follow the star.Along the way they’ll meet figures from the pantheon of the American imagination – figures who make us the people we are today: Woody Guthrie, Clark Kent, Al Capone, Babe Ruth, the Wizard of Oz and the ghost of Abner Doubleday.And when the three find their fates, the stars that guide us all will be forever changed.

It had been only twenty-four hours since Mighty Casey struck out, plunging fans of the Mudville team into gloom and despair. But a new game day dawned, and Casey once again proved his might with a homer in the eighth. The Mudville nine took a one-run lead, but in the bottom of the ninth, their hurler walked three straight.Bases loaded and the starting pitcher spent, the Mudville manager was not bullish about his bullpen. With the game on the line, he called for rookie Joy Armstrong to take the mound. Could she bring joy to Mudville again—and prove that a girl can play ball as well as any boy?

Welcome to Moundville, where it's been raining for longer than Roy McGuire has been alive. Most people say the town is cursed - right in the middle of their big baseball game against rival town Sinister Bend, black clouds crept across the sky and it started to rain. That was 22 years ago... and it's still pouring. Baseball camp is over, and Roy knows he's in for a dreary, soggy summer. But when he returns home, he finds a foster kid named Sturgis sprawled out on his couch. As if this isn't weird enough, just a few days after Sturgis's arrival, the sun comes out. No one can explain why the rain has finally stopped, but as far as Roy's concerned, it's time to play some baseball. It's time to get a Moundville team together and finish what was started 22 years ago. It's time for a rematch.

It had been only twenty-four hours since Mighty Casey struck out, plunging fans of the Mudville team into gloom and despair. But a new game day dawned, and Casey once again proved his might with a homer in the eighth. The Mudville nine took a one-run lead, but in the bottom of the ninth, their hurler walked three straight. Bases loaded and the starting pitcher spent, the Mudville manager was not bullish about his bullpen. With the game on the line, he called for rookie Joy Armstrong to take the mound. Could she bring joy to Mudville again―and prove that a girl can play ball as well as any boy?

JOY / / It's 1932 and a new star has risen from the east, arching toward Los Angeles. / / A man, woman and child set off by rail from Chicago to follow the star. / / Along the way they'll meet figures from the pantheon of the American imagination -- figures who make us the people we are today: Woody Guthrie, Clark Kent, Al Capone, Babe Ruth, the Wizard of Oz and the ghost of Abner Doubleday. / / And when the three find their fates, the stars that guide us all will be forever changed. / / / 'An absolutely joyful novel . . . wonderfully funny and uplifting. A mixture of fact and fantasy, fiction and frolic, this novel skips, jumps, and ultimately flies.' / -- West Coast Review of Books / / 'A fast-moving and entertaining romp across country and through time.' / -- Los Angeles Times / / 'McAlpine is a gifted stylist, with clean, clear and muscular prose.' / -- Publisher's Weekly / / 'A quirky, quixotic tale . . . Unusual and entertaining.' / -- Library Journal

Welcome to Moundville, where it’s been raining for longer than Roy McGuire has been alive. Most people say the town is cursed—right in the middle of their big baseball game against rival town Sinister Bend, black clouds crept across the sky and it started to rain. That was 22 years ago . . . and it’s still pouring.Baseball camp is over, and Roy knows he’s in for a dreary, soggy summer. But when he returns home, he finds a foster kid named Sturgis sprawled out on his couch. As if this isn’t weird enough, just a few days after Sturgis’s arrival, the sun comes out. No one can explain why the rain has finally stopped, but as far as Roy’s concerned, it’s time to play some baseball. It’s time to get a Moundville team together and finish what was started 22 years ago. It’s time for a rematch.

JOY / / It's 1932 and a new star has risen from the east, arching toward Los Angeles. / / A man, woman and child set off by rail from Chicago to follow the star. / / Along the way they'll meet figures from the pantheon of the American imagination -- figures who make us the people we are today: Woody Guthrie, Clark Kent, Al Capone, Babe Ruth, the Wizard of Oz and the ghost of Abner Doubleday. / / And when the three find their fates, the stars that guide us all will be forever changed. / / / 'An absolutely joyful novel . . . wonderfully funny and uplifting. A mixture of fact and fantasy, fiction and frolic, this novel skips, jumps, and ultimately flies.' / -- West Coast Review of Books / / 'A fast-moving and entertaining romp across country and through time.' / -- Los Angeles Times / / 'McAlpine is a gifted stylist, with clean, clear and muscular prose.' / -- Publisher's Weekly / / 'A quirky, quixotic tale . . . Unusual and entertaining.' / -- Library Journal

Welcome to Moundville, where it’s been raining for longer than Roy McGuire has been alive. Most people say the town is cursed—right in the middle of their big baseball game against rival town Sinister Bend, black clouds crept across the sky and it started to rain. That was 22 years ago . . . and it’s still pouring.Baseball camp is over, and Roy knows he’s in for a dreary, soggy summer. But when he returns home, he finds a foster kid named Sturgis sprawled out on his couch. As if this isn’t weird enough, just a few days after Sturgis’s arrival, the sun comes out. No one can explain why the rain has finally stopped, but as far as Roy’s concerned, it’s time to play some baseball. It’s time to get a Moundville team together and finish what was started 22 years ago. It’s time for a rematch.

Welcome to Moundville, where it’s been raining for longer than Roy McGuire has been alive. Most people say the town is cursed—right in the middle of their big baseball game against rival town Sinister Bend, black clouds crept across the sky and it started to rain. That was 22 years ago . . . and it’s still pouring.Baseball camp is over, and Roy knows he’s in for a dreary, soggy summer. But when he returns home, he finds a foster kid named Sturgis sprawled out on his couch. As if this isn’t weird enough, just a few days after Sturgis’s arrival, the sun comes out. No one can explain why the rain has finally stopped, but as far as Roy’s concerned, it’s time to play some baseball. It’s time to get a Moundville team together and finish what was started 22 years ago. It’s time for a rematch.

Welcome to Moundville, where it’s been raining for longer than Roy McGuire has been alive. Most people say the town is cursed—right in the middle of their big baseball game against rival town Sinister Bend, black clouds crept across the sky and it started to rain. That was 22 years ago . . . and it’s still pouring.Baseball camp is over, and Roy knows he’s in for a dreary, soggy summer. But when he returns home, he finds a foster kid named Sturgis sprawled out on his couch. As if this isn’t weird enough, just a few days after Sturgis’s arrival, the sun comes out. No one can explain why the rain has finally stopped, but as far as Roy’s concerned, it’s time to play some baseball. It’s time to get a Moundville team together and finish what was started 22 years ago. It’s time for a rematch.

Welcome to Moundville, where it’s been raining for longer than Roy McGuire has been alive. Most people say the town is cursed—right in the middle of their big baseball game against rival town Sinister Bend, black clouds crept across the sky and it started to rain. That was 22 years ago . . . and it’s still pouring.Baseball camp is over, and Roy knows he’s in for a dreary, soggy summer. But when he returns home, he finds a foster kid named Sturgis sprawled out on his couch. As if this isn’t weird enough, just a few days after Sturgis’s arrival, the sun comes out. No one can explain why the rain has finally stopped, but as far as Roy’s concerned, it’s time to play some baseball. It’s time to get a Moundville team together and finish what was started 22 years ago. It’s time for a rematch.From the Hardcover edition.