THE RIGHT CALL BY TOMMY GREENWALD
In The Right Call, Greenwall returns to Walthorne, the same community as his previous novels, Dinged, Rivals and Game Changer. This time, the plot follows Cal Klondike, a talented pitcher attracting attention from colleges and professional scouts. Of course, this kind of attention brings pressure to not only Cal, but his family and the coaching staff. Ultimately, this future path is all challenged by one call, one night, one decision. The story opens with a police scanner transcript that details an altercation leaving one man unresponsive. Readers are then taken back in time to learn how we got there and, more importantly, how to move forward.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its multiformat structure. The narrative unfolds through texts, emails, news articles, and transcripts, requiring readers to actively piece together the story. This approach mirrors how adolescents experience information today. Each format provides another layer of the story that shapes into a relatable and all too common reality for many young players dealing with the treatment of umpires and other youth sports staff.
As always, a special shoutout is needed for the author’s note where Greenwald links to current articles that inspired this story. The ability to pair engaging storytelling with timely, real-world issues is a reason this book stands out. The Right Call is recommended for middle and high school readers, especially for discussions around decision-making, pressure, and ethics in competitive environments.