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  • On a Wing and a Tear by Cynthia Leitich Smith book cover
  • On a Wing and a Tear by Cynthia Leitich Smith book cover
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On a Wing and a Tear

by Cynthia Leitich Smith

A road trip to the Great Ball Game

$11.53 USD
$19.22 USD $11.53 USD
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AlbakiReads Editorial

A road trip to the Great Ball Game

Melanie Roberts and Ray Halfmoon’s friendship brings together two Indigenous families, and an injured Great-grandfather Bat gives them an unexpected shared mission. With Grampa Charlie at the wheel, the group travels from Chicago to the traditional playing field near Macon, Georgia, where Bat is expected to star in a rematch of the Great Ball Game. The journey pairs a family road trip with danger and a mystery, while the story’s modern-folklore frame connects friendship and surprise to the “overlapping circles” of Creation. The game and the trip give the adventure a clear destination; the relationships among the travelers shape its human center.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Children ages 9–12 interested in adventure stories and road trips.
  • Readers curious about modern folklore and Indigenous stories.
  • Readers who enjoy stories centered on friendship and family connections.

Themes

Friendship across Indigenous NationsFamily and communityThe unexpectedCreation and interconnectednessModern folklore

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

A living legend roosting in the backyard. An unmissable game. A hair-raising mystery. A road trip full of adventure and danger. And all the overlapping circles that connect us throughout Creation.

Melanie "Mel" Roberts and Ray Halfmoon may be from different Indigenous Nations, but the friends have become like siblings since the Robertses moved in with the Halfmoons. And they soon welcome a distinguished guest: Great-grandfather Bat, whose wing is injured, has taken refuge in their old oak tree.

A rematch of the legendary Great Ball Game is coming up, with Bat as the star player. Grampa Charlie Halfmoon offers to drive Bat from Chicago down to the traditional playing field outside Macon, Georgia, and Mel and Ray are determined to help out.

Together, they all set off on a road trip--facing adventure, danger, and a hair-raising mystery--on the way to the historic game.

With loving care and boisterous humor, acclaimed author Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee) tells a modern folklore story about friendship, embracing the unexpected, and all the overlapping circles that connect us throughout Creation.

Perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo, Brian Young, and Elana K. Arnold!

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