Last Man Out

Tommy loves playing defense, and he's great at thanks to his dad.  Dad has taught Tommy to know the field, know where the ball is, and to protect his team.  Thanks to all that training, he's one of the best on the team.

When Tommy's fireman dad dies saving a little girl from a fire, his world is shattered.  He wants to keep playing, but the anger and sadness he's trying to push down keep coming out on the field.  When his new friend, Mike, introduces him to skateboarding, it feels like a great outlet to get his adrenaline going.

Tommy's mom is doing the best she can to deal with her own sadness, but she's more worried about her kids.  Tommy's little sister, Em, quit her soccer team and is spending all her time in her bedroom.  Tommy wants to be the man of the house, but he's just a kid himself, and he doesn't know how to help Em.

Mike Lupica's newest book has all the sports action, his readers have come to expect with a more serious plot about dealing with grief.  I don't think this will have wide appeal beyond sports readers, but it is a great pick for those devoted to the genre.