Overview

A heartfelt and relatable novel from Phil Bildner, weaving the real history of Los Angeles Dodger and Oakland Athletic Glenn Burke--the first professional baseball player to come out as gay--into the story of a middle-school kid learning to be himself. When sixth grader Silas Wade does a school presentation on former Major Leaguer Glenn Burke, it's more than just a report about the irrepressible inventor of the high five. Burke was a gay baseball player in the 1970s―and for Silas, the presentation is his own first baby step toward revealing a truth about himself he's tired of hiding. Soon he tells his best friend, Zoey, but the longer he keeps his secret from his baseball teammates, the more he suspects they know something's up―especially when he stages one big cover-up with terrible consequences. A High Five for Glenn Burke is Phil Bildner's most personal novel yet―a powerful story about the challenge of being true to yourself, especially when not everyone feels you belong on the field.

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Beleaguered tolerance strikes out; loud, proud love wins the game. -- Kirkus Reviews The story...speaks to the importance of creating a welcoming community whether on a baseball field or in a classroom that embraces differences with not only tolerance but also complete and unrelenting support. An essential book for all readers, not just baseball fans, about friendship, acceptance, and self-confidence. -- Booklist (starred review)

Author Information

Phil Bildner is the author of the Texas Bluebonnet Award-winning Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy and its companion, The Shot Heard 'Round the World; Twenty-One Elephants, which was an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award winner; and The Greatest Game Ever Played. In addition, he is the author of the teen novels Playing the Field and Busted. A devoted softball player, he lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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