Out in Left Field

In this sequel to When the Sergeant Came Marching Home, eleven-year-old Donald tries desperately to erase "the hideous moment out in left field" when he dropped a fly ball. His episodic attempts at archery, truck driving, and slough hockey all come to humorous ends, but his earnest grabs at greatness invite the readers' sympathies.

Readers will empathize with likable Donald from the book’s opening scene and identify with his feelings: “I had missed the catch that would have covered me in glory. . . . Forever and ever, I would carry the stain of my failure wherever I went. Forever and ever, misery and regret would be my constant companions.” Don Lemna writes with humor and wit, portraying Donald’s emotions, humiliation, and determination exceptionally well. Each of Donald’s attempts to excel at a new activity—and the resulting disaster—is immensely entertaining. Donald’s family dynamics feel true to life, especially between Donald and his younger brother, Pat. After having misgivings about letting Pat try his new bow and arrows, for example, Donald finally agrees. “[Pat] gave me a big grin, one full of love, and for a moment just then, I felt our relationship had reached a new peak of harmony. He was my friend, my brother. I would, in future, share everything I had with him.” This feeling ends seconds later when Pat hits their ornery bull in the rear end. The bull then destroys the chicken coop and Donald’s mom takes away the archery set. “You’ve ruined my life!” Donald shrieks at Pat. Kids will enjoy Donald’s amusing observations. For instance, when describing the boy who torments him endlessly, Donald says, “I hated Axel, but there were lots of kids in the school who admired him—especially the girls. He was very sure of himself, and he had good teeth. . . . But what really grated on me was that in addition to being confident and good-looking, he was very good at math.” In a satisfying close to the novel, Donald realizes his baseball-related humiliation from the previous summer no longer matters.