Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen by Sarah Kapit
Reviewed By: Alice Mitchell, Youth Services Manager
Genre: Realistic fiction
Suggested Age: Kids (8-13)
What is This Book About? Vivy has been working on her knuckleball nonstop since meeting MLB star VJ Camillo, which is why she decides to start writing letters to him as part of a school project. Vivy writes about how thrilled she is when a local baseball coach notices her pitching in a park and invites her to be part of his team. Vivy’s parents aren’t as excited as she is, and her mom worries about her being the only girl on a boy’s baseball team, not to mention a girl with autism.
My Review: As far as debut novels go, Kapit’s is a fantastic achievement. She noticed a lack of nuanced portrayals of characters with autism and took it upon herself to fill that void, using her personal experiences to make Vivy a realistic character. Lots of kids gravitate towards books written in letters and emails, and this book will definitely grab its reader’s attention with Vivy expressing her achievements and pitfalls. Additionally, in spite of only being portrayed in Vivy’s letters, everyone in her life is well fleshed out and has their own unique personalities and challenges to work through. Kids will empathize with Vivy’s baseball ambitions, the bullying she encounters, and how hard it can be to be honest with the people you love the most.
Three Words that Describe this Book: excitement, growing up, teamwork
Give This A Try if You Like… A High Five for Glenn Burke by Phil Bildner; Rick by Alex Gino; Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim; Jennifer Holm; A Boy Called Bat by Alana K. Arnold; Front Desk by Kelly Yang
Rating: 5/5
