The Best Man by Richard Peck

Archer Magill's story starts and ends with weddings - but all the fun happens in the in-between.

He makes friends with a girl, his class gets a long-term substitute teacher and then they get a MALE student teacher. There's bullying, sick grandparents, baseball, a new school, and a budding realization that if he keeps his ears and eyes open there is a big, fantastic world happening all around Archer.

The book shifts back and forth in time as Archer tells his own story, and it covers his first-grade through sixth-grade years. It's no secret to reveal there's a gay marriage - Archer tells you right away - but there are plenty of other surprises along the way.

It's a realistic look at modern schools and multi-generational families. A lot of the humor comes at Archer's expense, since his friend Lynette is as savvy as he is oblivious. It's a story sweet, sad, funny, and very, very good.

When I finished, I actually sighed, closed the book, and said aloud, "Oh, Richard Peck." What a writer! What a book! What a fantastic tale told well! Can you tell I loved it?

Blockade Billy by Stephen King

As a writer, there are really at least three distinct sides to Stephen King: abject horror, bittersweet stories, and baseball.

This one's baseball, mostly.

King does a great job from the start in building suspense with Billy - you know something bad's going to happen from the start, but what? (remember, this is Stephen King: zombies? ghosts? aliens? or just a baseball thing?)

I won't tell. One reason this book is good is because you don't know ... until you do.

Another reason it's good? Stephen King.