SATAN'S GLOVE

In this revised debut novel, an old baseball glove magically grants a Chicago boy athletic prowess—but the gift may come at too high a price.

Twelve-year-old Eddie Romano loves baseball but isn’t the best player on his team in the early 1990s. That changes when Eddie, while exploring a soon-to-be-demolished stadium, unearths a buried baseball glove. This takes him to “Dreamland,” where a coach helps him develop his skills. Sure enough, Eddie becomes a star player as years pass and he enters high school. But while he admires his literal dream coach (Billy Green, a major leaguer who once owned Eddie’s “magical glove”), the dark, unnerving figure truly giving the boy abilities is “the Manager.” He demands Eddie do horrible things, such as wish bad luck on teammates, to retain his skills. Eddie’s attitude turns sour, and, despite his flair on the field, he has no one to call a friend. But once he realizes that Billy’s spirit is the Manager’s prisoner, Eddie may give up everything to help his beloved coach escape the sinister being’s clutches. Agnello’s engaging novel, revised with Rae, showcases a morally complex young hero. For example, an enigmatic voice in Eddie’s head leads him astray while the baseball legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, via supernatural phone calls, offer useful advice. This spawns several relatable lessons that Eddie, with any luck, will digest, such as realizing his self-worth and following the golden rule. At the same time, a solid mystery runs throughout as readers gradually learn how Billy found himself in his terrible predicament. The authors keep the story simple, with an unadorned prose and only a handful of the large cast spotlighted. There’s likewise an understated spiritual theme, from periodic appearances by the omniscient “The Light”to speculation about who or what the chilling Manager is.

Apt characterization boosts this enlightening sports tale about the allure and perils of fame.