Biggie

Henry “Biggie” Abbott is the son of one of Finch, Iowa ’s most famous athletes. His father was a baseball legend and his step-dad is a close second. At an obese 300+ pounds though, Biggie himself prefers classroom success to sports. As a perfectionist, he doesn’t understand why someone would be happy getting two hits in five trips to the plate. “Forty percent, that’s an F in any class,” he would say. As Biggie’s junior year begins, the girl of his dreams, Annabelle Rivers, starts to flirt with him. Hundreds of people have told him to follow in his dad’s footsteps and play ball, but Annabelle might be the one to actually convince him to try. What happens when a boy who has spent his life since fourth grade trying to remain invisible is suddenly thrust into the harsh glare of the high school spotlight?

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  • 272 Pages
  • 5.5" x 8.25"
  • 9780807507278
  • March 2015

Buy from Albert Whitman

  • 288 Pages
  • 5.5" x 8.25"
  • 9780807507308
  • May 2016

Buy from Albert Whitman

  • 9780807507285
  • May 2015

Reviews

  • Some teens may find Biggie’s attitutude off-putting. In the end, however, Biggie redeems himself by realizing that he just might be the villain of the story. This novel is well written and fairly quick-paced.

    - School Library Journal

  • Venturing beyond the typical boy-seeks-girl story, this filters the agonies of adolescence through a largely unvoiced perspective with an honesty readers will appreciate.

    - Booklist

  • Thoughtful and witty, Biggie tells a story full of physical and emotional highs and lows as debut author Sullivan empathetically addresses topics of self-esteem and finding healthier, happier versions of oneself (and what that even means).

    - Publishers Weekly

  • Biggie’s story will resonate with all those students who feel invisible and alone. A bighearted story that will have readers rooting for Henry “Biggie” Abbott.

    - Kirkus Reviews

  • Biggie’s road to enlightenment is by turns hilarious and devastating, and although he doesn’t end up with ripped abs, sports-page headlines, or the girl of his dreams, he does get a life–and despite his self-deluded protestations, that’s exactly what he wanted.

    - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

  • Biggie is an enjoyable underdog-makes-good story that will especially appeal to baseball fans.

    - VOYA

Awards & Accolades

  • 2015 Top Ten Sports Books for Youth, Booklist

Common Core

RL.9-10.1,2,3,4,5,10 SL.9-10.1,1a,1b,1c,1d,2,3,4,5,6 L.9-10.3,4,4a,5,5a,5b,6 W.9-10.1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10

 

  • Accelerated Reader Points: 10
  • ATOS Level: 4.9