The story of Joel, a fourteen-year-old girl who takes on the bold challenge of creating a women's baseball team to fight against the gender-discriminatory prejudice that says girls shouldn't play baseball.
Dory H., who is widely known in Korea for the ‘Truman School Malicious Comment Incident’
This is Butler's masterpiece, a much-talked-about coming-of-age novel that won the International Association of School Librarians Book of the Year Award and was a finalist for the Mark Twain Award.


Joel, a fourteen-year-old girl who was a successful baseball player in Minneapolis, transfers to Hoover Middle School in rural Iowa.
Joel loves watching baseball, reading books and newspaper articles about the sport, but what he loves most is playing baseball.
However, in this school, only boys can join the baseball club, and girls can only play softball.
Joel, angry at the absurd gender discrimination, visits the baseball coach, the principal, and even the superintendent of education to try to persuade them, but they all respond skeptically, citing existing rules.
Joel, who felt he could not give up on his dream, began a campaign from that day on to allow girls to participate in baseball club activities...


As a prominent American author of children's literature for young adults, the author charmingly and lively portrays how a young girl pursues her dreams and how she overcomes the difficulties she encounters along the way.
Watching Joel, who never gives up, achieve something is like watching a well-made Hollywood movie.
Because the structure is solid and readable, as you read the book, you may feel as if Joel's problems are your own.
But the real appeal of this work is that, while it follows the typical success story path, it is not schematic.
Joel struggles to join the school baseball team, and later to found a girls' baseball team, leading to conflicts with numerous people, even his closest friends.
Through the process of stubborn Joel gradually acknowledging differences and resolving conflicts, the author shows that no matter how right one's opinion is, one should not assert it in a dictatorial manner, and that one can achieve what one wants by sincerely approaching those with different opinions.

Joel swallowed hard.
My heart was pounding, but I kept walking towards the coach.
“Excuse me, over there.
“I came here to take the baseball club entrance exam.”
Joel said as he approached the coach.
Joel held out his hand.
My hands were shaking a little.
“I’m Joel Cunningham.”
The coach lowered his head, looked down at Joel's hands, and then frowned.
“This is the men’s team.
If you want to play a game, go play softball.
“At the women’s stadium.”
A few boys stared at Joel.
One of them even burst out laughing.
Joel slowly dropped his hand.

“Excuse me, I’m a baseball player.
“I played first base at the school I went to in Minneapolis.”
Coach Carlyle said nothing.
He just kept frowning.
“Can’t I just take the entrance exam?”
Joel said, trying to remain calm.
Joel was dying to show this man what he was capable of.
But the coach shook his head.

“I’m sorry, little girl.
“This is the men’s baseball team.”
"but……."
The coach sighed.
“Hey, I’m sorry.
I'm really sorry, but I don't have time to talk about this.
I have a team to look after.
“If you want to play ball, go to Mr. Penner.”
Joel was so shocked that he couldn't say anything.
Regardless, the coach strode back to the boys.

'It's the 21st century now.
Women can play any game they want.'
He was extremely resentful of his parents for bringing him to such a place so far behind the times.

--- p.19~20

As Joel stepped up to the plate, the kids crowded into the stadium.
That was really frustrating.
But if you catch the ball properly, the kids will definitely regret it.
“Cheer up, Joel!”
One of the same team clapped their hands.

“Hey, over here.
“That kid is left-handed!”
As Joel took his stance, the pitcher spoke to his teammates.
But he didn't sound all that worried.
Joel took his seat and grabbed the bat.
The first ball was just sent.
One strike.
Joel took his stance again.
What Joel needed was a high ball.

Soon, a high ball came in.
Bang! The ball went over the outfielder's head.
Behind Joel, Ryan could be heard whistling softly.
As the ball rolled to the ground next to the playground swing, the pitcher took off his hat and stared blankly at the sight.
Joel put down his bat and circled the bases, grinning.
Both guys started to chase the ball, but there was no doubt that Joel could run home.

“Good!”
When Joel stepped onto home plate, Ryan and the rest of the team cheered.

“Not bad.”
The boy with glasses tapped Joel on the back.
He seemed really surprised.
--- p.86~87

“I could have won.
“I argued better.”
Joel said forcefully.
Mr. Hawkings said, stroking his mustache.
“I don’t think the jury thought that way.”
“That’s because all the kids wanted Brook to win.
In a real trial, jurors reach a conclusion based on the evidence.
“It’s not my personal feelings!”
The teacher raised an eyebrow at Joel's words.
“That’s not always the case.
That's why there is an appeals process."
“Okay, then.
“I will appeal.”
Professor Hawkings laughed.

“Don’t take all this so seriously, Joel.
You did a great job.
You make a great argument.
The argument was also good.
That will be reflected in your grades.”
The teacher patted Joel on the shoulder.

"Grades don't matter! I just want fairness."
Joel clenched his fists under his desk in despair.
“No one always wins, Joel.
In court and in everyday life, there are times when all you have to do is present your case and see how things turn out.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
And sometimes it doesn't seem fair.”
Mr. Hawkings said.

'That's what I mean!' Joel thought.

But Joel knew he couldn't just sit there like this.
Whining and feeling depressed.

“Thank you, Mr. Hawkings.”
Joel said, standing up from his seat.

Now it was time to take action.

--- p.224~225

“Is there a fire somewhere?”
Joel had never seen Elizabeth this excited.

Elizabeth said, panting.

"You're not going to believe this! My dad just spoke to some lawyer.
All you have to do is fill out some paperwork and you can use that vacant lot near Brooke's house.
“The woman you met said yes!”
“What’s up?”
Joel ran to Elizabeth and hugged her tightly.
The two of them were dancing around in the kitchen and almost broke the dishes on the counter.
“Thank goodness!”
Joel's father said.
“This is really great news!”
Joel's mother came to the door and shouted.

“And you know what else? The match against the Kernels team has been rescheduled.
“It’s this Saturday!”
Elizabeth said.

“Wow!”
Joel shouted, shaking his fist in the air.
Joel and Elizabeth started circling the kitchen again.
“Hey girls, your league is finally about to kick off.”
Dad said.

Joel was so happy he felt like he was flying into the sky.
Now, the Eastern Iowa Women's Baseball League is unstoppable.

--- p.281~282