Keeping Score will definitely be numbered among the best books I've read this year. Maggie-O (named for Joe DiMaggio) lives with her family in a community where baseball is the number one pastime. It's the early 1950's, so everyone listens to the games on the radio, and the Dodgers are the team to cheer for.Maggie and her brother love to spend time at the fire station where their Dad works. When told she doesn't know anything about baseball because she's a girl, Maggie learns to keep score, and pretty soon she is recording every single Dodgers game. However, this isn't a story just about baseball. Jim, the fireman who taught Maggie how to keep score, ends up being called up to active duty in the Korean War, and Maggie starts out sending him regular letters.
When Jim's letters stop Maggie gets worried, and finally she learns that Jim witnessed some terrible events in Korea and has come home traumatized and unresponsive. Maggie is sure that, with the help of their shared love of baseball, she can get Jim to talk. But, like the Dodgers, there doesn't seem to be any hope for Jim either.
Yes, this is another historical fiction book. Maggie's determination and unfailing hope throughout the book make for a wonderful story, whether or not you are a baseball fan...for this is much more than a book about baseball. I loved it. I think you will too.
I've never read this before but I hope to read it soon.
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