Heat - Mike Lupica

The book Heat, by Mike Lupica, remains one of my favorite fiction novels. Set in the stark realism of New York City, it tells the story of a young boy named Michael, who finds comfort in playing baseball. He can pitch…really hard. But hanging over his fun is a worry that he and his family will be separated.

Michael lives with his brother, Carlos, and must hide the secret that his brother is the man of the house, that his father has been dead for three months. When an Official Person starts snooping into their lives, plus a coalition of coaches from the baseball league demand to see a birth certificate, Michael is certain that their family’s secret will be found out.

Then he meets Ellie, a strange girl he cannot seem to get out of his head. Eventually, she proves to be a true friend and helps him with his troubles. I first read this book in the sixth grade, and five years later I still love reading it. It’s a great book, well written with deep characters. I still find excitement in the mundane reality that the book is set in.

Part of what makes this book so enjoyable is the reality of it. Unlike fantasy and sci-fi the plot is not high-filuten or complex. It’s simply a story relating the troubles of a twelve-year-old illegal immigrant struggling to stay in the land of opportunity. It’s a type of story that really appeals to me. I highly recommend anyone who reads any fiction to read Heat.