{"product_id":"rick-kotanis-400-million-dollar-summer","title":"Rick Kotani's 400 Million Dollar Summer","description":"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cp\u003eOregon Book Award-winning author Waka T. Brown hits a home run in this middle grade novel about a baseball-obsessed twelve-year-old who moves to Oregon to help his grandfather--an elusive old man with a shrouded past--but ends up learning unexpected truths about his family and how they mysteriously parallel the Japanese folktale of Urashima Taro.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRick Kotani is looking forward to spending the entire summer playing baseball. Sure, his team never wins, but he's been practicing a special pitch he knows is going to land him a 400-million-dollar major-league contract . . . someday. That all changes when his mother throws a curveball of her own: Instead of playing ball in California, Rick will be heading to Oregon to help keep an eye on Grandpa Hiroshi while they move him to a retirement home. Trading no-hitters to be a babysitter Rick is beyond bummed.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBut once there, Rick discovers Grandpa is actually pretty cool, and the two bond over a Japanese folktale about a fisherman, Urashima Taro, who trades his life on earth for the riches of an underwater kingdom. And like the fisherman, Rick soon forgets about his team back home when he joins a supercompetitive local league that only cares about being the best--at any cost.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs the team racks up the wins and Grandpa makes his final move, Rick must decide which ending he wants for his story: Will he fall in line with his ruthless teammates and their victory-obsessed coach in his own \"underwater kingdom,\" or will family, true friendship, and integrity lead him back to shore\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Book Depot","offers":[{"title":"Used","offer_id":43730107007037,"sku":"9780063230811","price":4.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0589\/4225\/9261\/files\/13512213482210_6d990196-ead2-4f51-a5e7-5b4392d72eb9.jpg?v=1790599486","url":"https:\/\/www.bluevasebooks.com\/products\/rick-kotanis-400-million-dollar-summer","provider":"Blue Vase Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}