Tom Gallagher is in a tight spot. The fate of the Dillontown team rests on the outcome of one baseball game, winner take all. If Tom's team loses, they lose their field too. But how can they possibly win? Just when everything seems hopeless, a mysterious boy named Cruz de la Cruz rides into town and claims to know the secret of hitting. Not to mention the secrets of Dante Del Gato, Dillontown's greatest hitter ever. Since he walked away from the game years ago, Del Gato hasn't spoken a word to anyone. But now he might be Tom's only hope for saving his hometown. From the award-winning author of Over the Wall and Choosing Up Sides comes this imaginative tale of one boy's struggle to preserve the spirit of the game he loves.

The Boy Who Saved Baseball

Children's Books

Ritter, John

Literature & Fiction

Viking Books for Young Readers

Andy Ramos, a free-style skateboarding trumpeter, has dreams as big as a baseball moon. Born into a family of musicians, Andy wants to take his unique fusion of Latin jazz, rock, and hip-hop straight to the top. But when he crosses paths with Glory Martinez, a softball pitcher who has Olympian dreams of her own, the mysterious fusion of their athletic and musical skills changes everything. Or is that due to the elegant, but eerie man in black?

Under the Baseball Moon

Teen & Young Adult

Puffin Books

The exciting prequel to the bestselling The Boy Who Saved Baseball
The fate of a Wild West gold-mining town rests in the hands of two individuals. One is a twelve-year-old boy with a love and instinct for baseball unmatched by any grown-up. The other is the country's most infamous outlaw, on the run and looking for peace of mind. Together, they pair up to prove that heroes can emerge from anywhere. John H. Ritter brings the Old West to life in this prequel to his breakout success, The Boy Who Saved Baseball.

Desperado Who Stole Baseball

Happy 100th Birthday, Fenway Park! "Stats" Pagano may have been born with a heart defect, but he lives for three things: his family's hot dog stand right outside fabled Fenway Park, his beloved Red Sox, and any baseball statistic imaginable. When the family can no longer make ends meet with the hot dog stand, life becomes worrisome for Stats. Then the Sox go on a long losing streak and the team's ace pitcher--and Stats's idol--becomes convinced the famed Curse of the Bambino has returned. Stats just has to help . . . but how? As the Sox faithful sour on their team, Stats forms a plan that ultimately unifies an entire city and proves that true loyalty has a magic all its own. In honor of Fenway Park's 100th birthday, baseball novelist John H. Ritter delivers an inspiring tale for the sports fan in each of us, regardless of team allegiance.

Fenway Fever

Sports & Outdoors

Under The Baseball Moon

Philomel Books

Happy 100th Birthday, Fenway Park! "Stats" Pagano may have been born with a heart defect, but he lives for three things: his family's hot dog stand right outside fabled Fenway Park, his beloved Red Sox, and any baseball statistic imaginable. When the family can no longer make ends meet with the hot dog stand, life becomes worrisome for Stats. Then the Sox go on a long losing streak and the team's ace pitcher--and Stats's idol--becomes convinced the famed Curse of the Bambino has returned. Stats just has to help . . . but how? As the Sox faithful sour on their team, Stats forms a plan that ultimately unifies an entire city and proves that true loyalty has a magic all its own. In honor of Fenway Park's 100th birthday, baseball novelist John H. Ritter delivers an inspiring tale for the sports fan in each of us, regardless of team allegiance.

When preacher's boy Luke Bledsoe steps on a baseball field, he discovers he has real pitching talent. For once, he can be proud of being left-handed. But Reverend Bledsoe believes that the left side is the side of Satan and the baseball field is the Devil's playground. Luke has spent his whole life trying to please his father. Will he choose to give up the game he's come to love-or turn his back on his family? An ALA Best Book for Young Adults 1999 IRA Children's Book Award A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book

Choosing Up Sides

Over the Wall

Tyler's temper is out of control. If he isn't careful, he'll blow his chances of making the All-Star team and being noticed by a scout. But Tyler's coach, a Vietnam War veteran, has seen anger destroy enough people. He knows that if Tyler is ever going to fulfill his dreams, he'll have to learn to fight his battles with his glove, his bat, and his love for the game. Not with his fists. But it all comes down to Tyler. Does he care enough about his future to work through the past? "A grand slam." (The ALAN Review) "An ambitious mark that predents a compelling, multilayered story." (School Library Journal)

This true story about drug testing in the airline industry shows how an innocent person falls prey to corporate insensitivity and government rules. A random drug test shows traces of cocaine. But there is a grave mistake, putting at risk a man's reputation, career and dreams. The ensuing fight to uncover the truth and clear the flight attendant's name weaves drama, emotion and humor together in a story that shocks and informs. A Trace Element moves the reader from tears to outrage while questioning the science of the drug testing designed to ensure a so-called drug-free workplace. An elusive search for justice is fraught with misinformation and complications. Where does the buck stop, who can you trust and how do you protect yourself? A Trace Element is personal and compassionate memoir, a testament to truth and courage. This is a must-read for anyone who is subject to drug testing.

A Trace Element

Contemporary

AuthorHouse

As the only maximum-security prison in the state, the Oregon State Penitentiary (OSP) has housed some of the most violent criminals on the West Coast, including brutal serial killers Charley Panzram in 1915 and Jerry Brudos in 1969. Sixty men have been executed inside OSP. The prison was originally built in Portland in 1851 but moved to Salem 15 years later, after Oregon became a state. From that time forward, the Oregon State Penitentiary grew from 23 prisoners in 1866 to 1,912 by 1992. The penitentiary suffered several serious fires and riots. On March 9, 1968, the most expensive riot ever experienced in the United States flared inside the walls, causing over $2.5 million in damages. Numerous escapes plagued the prison until 1970, when security measures were tightened. The most famous escape involved Harry Tracy and David Merrill in 1902.

Oregon State Penitentiary (Images of America)

Arts & Photography

Goeres-Gardner, Diane L.

Photography & Video

Arcadia Publishing

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Ritter, John. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Ritter, John

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Ritter, John. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Boy Who Saved Baseball

Under the Baseball Moon

Desperado Who Stole Baseball

Fenway Fever

Under The Baseball Moon

Fenway Fever

Choosing Up Sides

Over the Wall

A Trace Element

Oregon State Penitentiary (Images of America)