Rating: 
Summary: English Class Novel Review
Review: Novel Review"Painting the Black" was a great novel about two boy's friendship, high school sports, and the lessons that they had learned there last year in high school. Ryan and Josh meet the summer before their senior year. Josh moved into Ryan's neighbor hood in the middle of the night. Ryan was happy because he didn't have any friends in his neighbor hood to play with. So Ryan and Josh needed each other. Josh helped Ryan get on the baseball team and gain some self confidence. Ryan helped Josh get to know some people in school. In this novel the two boys' learn a lot of lessons about life. In the end the boy's test their friendship when they don't agree with each others actions. This was a great book for people who like sports. The book was well written, easy to follow along, and to know what is going on. I would recommend this book to just about everyone! I give this book a 4.5 star out of 5.
Rating: 
Summary: The best book I have ever read
Review: Over the past two weeks I have been completely engrossed with a book by Carl Deuker, Painting the Black I was particularly attracted by the fact that the story was centered around high school baseball. As an eighth grader who will be attending high school next year, the idea of reading a book placed in a high school was especially attractive. However, as I was soon to learn, this book deals with even greater, important themes.
Ryan Ward is a shy high-school teenager, enjoying the summer before his senior year. A fanatic of baseball, who also plays catcher, Ryan has finally developed enough skill and courage to join the high school baseball team next spring. The cause of such a change in this usually timid boy is his new friend and neighbor, Josh Daniels. Josh is the complete opposite of Ryan, except for their mutual love of baseball. This common interest spurs their immediate friendship, as they spend the whole summer training for next baseball season. As school starts, Ryan and Josh loose sight of each other. While still being on friendly terms, Josh is extremely extroverted, and becomes one of the most popular kids at school. Ryan, on the other hand is rather introverted and has trouble associating with Josh's group of friends. However, as baseball season commences, their friendship returns to its original stage. As the season progresses, Ryan gains confidence and popularity. Unfortunately, Ryan is plagued by the knowledge of Josh's inappropriate behavior towards a girl, one day after practice. With this information Ryan is split between turning in the star pitcher or having a chance at winning the championship and keeping his new-found popularity.
The multitude of themes addressed in this fiction book makes it appropriate for age groups 12 years and older. The issue of rape and maintaining one integrity is especially important and should be dealt with around this age. Furthermore, it never hurts to reinforce these ideas as one grows older and faces various tribulations. Also, the storyline itself was strait forward and easy to comprehend. There is no doubt that this book will engage any reader over the age of 12. I would rate this book five star because it kept me in the book and I never wanted to put it down.
Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: Painting the Black by Carl Deuker is a superb story of friendships, hard times and the love of baseball. The plot, setting, and detail blend together to make the perfect book for anyone who loves reading about baseball or friendships. The characters are so realistic, you feel like you know them personaly. You just cant put this book down. Though this book is based on baseball, there is much more to it than sports. Hard decisions and problems prove that no one is perfect, not even your hero.
Rating:
Summary: painting the black
Review: Painting the black refers to pitching the baseball so that instead of going over the plate, the ball passes over the edge of the plate putting the ball right there on the borderline. Josh Daniels could paint the black while Ryan could catch any pitch Josh threw. Together they win a championship. See how the guys friendship builds up and suddenly falls apart. This is one of the best books I've ever read. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!
Rating:
Summary: painting the black
Review: Painting the black refers to pitching the baseball so that instead of going over the plate, the ball passes over the edge of the plate putting the ball right there on the borderline. Josh Daniels could paint the black while Ryan could catch any pitch Josh threw. Together they win a championship. See how the guys friendship builds up and suddenly falls apart. This is one of the best books I've ever read. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!
Rating:
Summary: Painting The Black
Review: Painting The Black, October 31, 2002 Painting the Black is a fantastic book as you dive into the life of playing baseball. This is an excellent sports book that keeps you interested. Painting the Black by Carl Deuker caught or attention right away. We both were athletes
and this book relates to the real life situations that a lot of athletics have to go through which made it interesting. Even though neither of us like reading the author was able to hold our attention long enough for us to get to a point where the book gets very interesting and we didn't want to stop.
Painting the Black was narrated by a High School athlete name Ryan Ward who was injured playing his favorite sport baseball. Ryan was a pitcher, he was injured and decided to give it all up into another great athlete moved across the street from him named Josh Daniels. Josh and Ryan became best friends. Josh found out what a good player Ryan was a talked him into playing the game he really loved again. The two boys worked out and practiced hard to get in shape for the up coming season. The book was great it kind of made you believe that this was a true story the way it was formatted. The book was very educational it taught the value of teamwork and that hard work really pays off. We didn't know what painting the black meant until we read the story. In the story Ryan and Josh was having a conversation on the bus heading to school when they over hear the bus driver making a reply tell other students on the bus that the baseball team will not win the State Championship. They blocked it all out and then Ryan asked josh do you know what I like about pitching a baseball Josh replied, yeah a striking out someone in the bottom of the ninth Ryan said no but that's fun though the thing I like the most is painting the black you know Josh said no I don't know what you mean by painting the black. Ryan said painting the black means throwing the perfect pitch. Explain the prefect pitch the perfect pitch is pitching off the corner of the plate and the umpire call a strike but he nor the batter really knows if it's a strike or a ball leaving a lot of confusion in both their minds Josh' replied yeah but as a pitcher you need someone to catch the ball you think yeah Josh I know the ball will be caught because are the Hind catcher. This Scene stood out because even though they were told that they weren't going to win they worked hard and in the end their hard work paid off because the won the State Championship after all.
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Summary: This is a sport related book filled with drama.
Review: PAINTING THE BLACK-Carl Deaker Houghton Mifflin Company 1997 PP. 248 Life has been rough for Ryan Ward all his life. Every time he gets good at something, everything falls apart. Then Josh moves in. Josh is the kind of guy who will be your best friend one day and ignore you the next, but during his friendship with Ryan he teaches him to love baseball, and because of his friendship with Josh, Ryan gets really good at it. This book is based around baseball, but there is more to it than sports. It covers many important issues. Carl Deaker really seems to bring his characters to life. Drama Reviewed by Laura Wedell
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Summary: The True Life of HighSchool Baseball Players
Review: PAINTING THE BLACK BY: Carl Deuker
" A thrilling sports story " By the title you think it's about painting. But it's not, it's about baseball. As soon as you read the first page you'll be hooked, and find out it's about a lot more. Ryan Ward is the type of kid who works at home on the weekends, but isn't a geek or made fun of. He'd do enough to get through the day so he can go back to his safe little room in his safe little house. But when Josh Danils moves in at midnight Ryan's life will change in away he never expected. Ryan is your typical senior who isn't very athletic
Sits around really doesn't have any friends. When Ryan goes over to introduce himself to josh ,a guy who is 6-2 200 pounds good-looking guy, they end up playing baseball at the park. Josh asks Ryan to catch for him Ryan is hesitant because he hurt is ankle and it never healed right but to his surprise josh says he's the best catcher he's ever seen.
Josh soon teaches Ryan about life. One day josh packs up all his stuff and goes and
Tries out for football. Well that's when Ryan starts to realize it's about attaching the day instead of just getting through it. So Ryan works out to get into shape every day. Finally baseball comes Ryan knows josh will make it but Ryan's not sure if he will but josh says
He will. But to his surprise he's the only one who can catch josh's slider, Ryan makes the team . Ryan's life is about to turn upside down in away he never expected. Ryan soon finds out josh is popular and feeds off it. But Ryan is proud of him self he is athletic and has made friends Ryan emends up having the best year of his life on the baseball team when his life
Starts to change.
Rating:
Summary: A kid discovers baseball.
Review: Ryan Ward just met a new kid from California. After a game of catch Ryan tells his new friend that he used to play baseball before an accident when he was only twelve. This friend, Josh, an all star pitcher, helps him to become a catcher. With help Ryan is able to make the school team. With Josh's pitching help they make it into the state finals. However, Ryan sees his friend [hurting] someone. It is a moral dilemna between telling on his friend or playing baseball. I thought it addressed some real issues and I thought the characters were interesting and believable.
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Summary: Painting the Black..... Another great read!
Review: Since I loved "On the Devils Court" so much as an adolescent, I thought it fitting to read one of Deukers other novels now that I am a bit older. I was not dissapointed. Baseball, and all sports have always been an important part of my life so this book really appeals to me. Ryan Ward is the kind of kid that I can relate too. For personal, and health reasons Ryan quit baseball when he was young, but after he meets his new neighbor during his senior year in school he decides to go out for the team. Although his friendship with his new neighbor is downright unstable at times, He brings about a spark in Ryan that he hasnt had otherwise. I think this is a good book for a young person to read especially someone who thinks that they cant do something for whatever reason. The book has other issues besides baseball that will keep you interested, I read it in one day! Deuker does it again!
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