The Rhino in Right Field - eBook Review

The Rhino in Right Field is a comic novel aimed at young readers. This novel is written by Stacy DeKeyser. She is also the author of bestselling series The Brixen Witch and One Witch at a Time. Read our review of this comical novel by Stacy DeKeyser.

Story Plot

“Everything started on the day I had that close call with Tank.
Tank lives two blocks away, so I see him almost every day, but he usually ignores me. This is probably for the best since Tank is a rhinoceros.”

The story is set in 1948. Nick, a school going boy, needs a breather. He has immigrant parents who like working hard. Nick’s father runs a shop where he is required to work every Saturday. Adding fuel to his big American dreams is the local baseball batboy contest. He is determined to play and win it. But the match is on Saturday when he is supposed to be in his father’s shop. But that’s the least of his problems.

Nick, ever hopeful, practices the game with his friends in the city zoo. And living beyond the right-field fence is Tank, the rhinoceros. The ball naturally doesn’t know where it should and shouldn’t go. It lands right into the fence. Nick manages to take it just in time before being hit by the charging animal. Now, this one incident has made him stand still whenever a ball comes flying towards him. This has hampered his practice sessions and made him a lousy player. Now he has not only his parents but also a big rhinoceros to dodge to not only be able to play in the contest but also win it. Is his dream of living a large life going to be just that, a dream?

The story of The Rhino in Right Field scores a goal without being stopped by the goalkeeper of mediocre writing, uninteresting characters, or boring parts. It is sure to tickle your funny bone; it did ours!

The writing by Stacy DeKeyser is superb. She is telling a tale that is inspired by her father’s and his friends’ baseball playing days. So the narrative is rich with nostalgia and laced with humour and sprinkled with fast-paced twists.

The charming and likable characters are what add more appeal to the story. There’s Nick, through whom you get to read the story. Then there’s his best friend Ace with whom he practices baseball. Penny, his new neighbour, joins them and soon surprises everyone with her game. There’s also an irritating Uncle Spiro to watch out for in this story.

Verdict

Everything about this book, right from the cover to the story, is to laugh out loud. So who is this book for? People who love baseball. School or college going students. And whoever is looking for a laugh out loud treat. In short, it is recommended for everyone! We rate it 3.5/5 stars.

The Rhino in Right Field by Stacy DeKeyser