The Hurricanes of Weakerville

Middle grade star author Chris Rylander brings his signature sense of humor, a compelling and original baseball story, and tons of heart to the story of the Hurricanes of Weakerville.

All his life, Alex Weakerman has had one passion: baseball. Specifically, the Hurricanes of Weakerville, Iowa—the scrappy independent-league team owned by his Grandpa Ira.

Even as team and the town have fallen on tough times, there's no place Alex would rather be than at the ballpark—a hot dog in one hand, a pencil and scorebook in the other, keeping track of each and every statistic. Alex has never been all that great at playing baseball, but that doesn’t matter. For someone as painfully awkward as Alex, being a fan—and a wiz with baseball stats—is all he needs.

When Grandpa Ira passes away, though, Alex is crushed. He's lost his best friend, and he doesn’t see any way that the team will survive. But Ira, it seems, has one last trick up his sleeve: his will names Alex the new manager of the Hurricanes.

Alex is as excited as he is terrified at the chance to finally put some of his fantasy baseball genius to use. But as he sets to work trying to win over the players, he soon learns that leading them to victory is about more than just stats. Will he be able to save his team, his hometown, and his family legacy?

From the author of The Fourth Stall, a SCBWI Sid Fleischman Humor Award winner and multiple state-award favorite, The Hurricanes of Weakerville is sure to appeal to middle grade readers looking for a funny book about real kids.

• An Unlikely Hero: Alex Weakerman knows baseball stats better than anyone, but his social awkwardness—what he calls "Flumpo"—makes him the last person you’d expect to manage a team.
• Grandfather and Grandson: A heartfelt story about honoring a family legacy after Alex loses his best friend, his Grandpa Ira, and grapples with his grief and loss.
• Underdog Baseball Story: Can a 13-year-old stats wiz with zero athletic skills lead a team of scrappy players to victory and save them from being shut down for good?
• Kids Sports Fiction: Perfect for young readers who love funny, character-driven sports stories packed with humor and tons of heart.

Praise for CODENAME ZERO: “An exciting, zippy read that will leave readers wondering if there’s more to their own hometowns than meets the eye.” - Kirkus Reviews

Praise for THE FOURTH STALL: “Debut novelist Rylander mines a substantial amount of humor and heart from this combination hard-boiled crime novel and middle-grade character piece. A light and enjoyable caper.” - Publishers Weekly

Praise for THE FOURTH STALL PART II: “Readers will be flushed with excitement to follow Mac’s operations for the fourth stall.” - Kirkus Reviews

Praise for CODENAME ZERO: “The central premise of a middle school populated by undercover agents is a promising one, and kids who like to settle into a series will be happy to know there’s more to come.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"A peppy, inspirational tale with a sports backdrop."

- Kirkus Reviews

"A baseball novel that's more heart-to-heart than play-by-play." - Booklist